Semiconductor Gate Contact Layout for Tight Inter-Gate Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices face challenges in achieving higher integration and operating speed while maintaining reliability, due to the decreasing inter-gate spacing and narrowing contact forming regions between MOS transistors.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device is designed with adjustable source/drain contact sizes based on inter-gate spacing, featuring distinct gate structures with varying distances and corresponding contact widths within interlayer insulating films.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If inter-gate spacing is decreased to achieve higher integration, then integration density is improved, but contact forming regions narrow and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different contact widths for different gate structures based on their specific inter-gate spacing. Contacts for closely-spaced gates (first distance) have a first width, while contacts for widely-spaced gates (second distance) have a second width. This local differentiation ensures each contact is optimally sized for its specific spacing condition, maintaining reliability across varying integration densities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces variability in contact dimensions rather than using a fixed contact width for all gates. The contact width dynamically adapts to the inter-gate spacing, allowing the structure to accommodate both high-density and lower-density regions within the same semiconductor device, thus maintaining reliability across different integration scenarios.
2Quantity of substance
If inter-gate spacing is decreased to achieve higher integration, then integration density is improved, but operating speed may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By providing contacts with widths specifically matched to their inter-gate spacing, the patent ensures that even closely-spaced gates have adequately sized contacts for signal transmission. This local optimization prevents speed deterioration in high-density regions while still achieving overall higher integration through the use of varied contact dimensions.
3Reliability
If contact width is increased to maintain reliability, then contact reliability is improved, but device area increases and integration density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent avoids uniformly increasing contact width across all gates. Instead, it provides larger contact widths only where needed (for gates with larger inter-gate spacing) and uses smaller contact widths for closely-spaced gates. This localized approach maintains reliability where necessary while preserving integration density in high-density regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact width is made variable rather than fixed, allowing it to adapt to the specific spacing requirements of each gate structure. This dynamic sizing ensures reliability is maintained for each contact while the overall device area is minimized through optimized contact dimensions across different regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a first region, and a second region, a first gate structure and a second gate structure on the substrate of the first region, a third gate structure and a fourth gate structure on the substrate of the second region, a first interlayer insulating film on the substrate of the first region and including a first lower interlayer insulating film and a first upper interlayer insulating film, a second interlayer insulating film on the substrate of the second region and including a second lower interlayer insulating film and a second upper interlayer insulating film, a first contact between the first gate structure and the second gate structure and within the first interlayer insulating film, and a second contact formed between the third gate structure and the fourth gate structure and within the second interlayer insulating film.