Semiconductor Gate Fingers Stacked for Thermal Radiation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to improve thermal radiation characteristics in semiconductor devices without widening the intervals between gate fingers, which would increase device size and parasitic capacitance, thereby degrading efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design featuring gate fingers arranged in a manner where adjacent fingers have zero overlapping region when viewed from the array direction, reducing thermal resistance while maintaining compact dimensions and minimizing parasitic capacitance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the intervals between gate fingers are widened to improve thermal radiation characteristics, then thermal resistance is reduced, but device size increases and parasitic capacitance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by arranging gate fingers in multiple layers (first layer and second layer) vertically stacked over the semiconductor layer. This three-dimensional arrangement allows heat to dissipate in multiple spatial dimensions rather than being constrained to a single planar layer, improving thermal radiation characteristics without requiring increased lateral spacing between fingers, thus maintaining compact device footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nesting by positioning gate fingers of the second layer above and between the gate fingers of the first layer. This nested configuration allows adjacent gate fingers from different layers to have zero overlapping region when viewed from the array direction, maximizing thermal separation while minimizing the lateral device area required.
2Temperature
If the intervals between gate fingers are widened to improve thermal radiation characteristics, then thermal resistance is reduced, but parasitic capacitance increases
Solution Approach 1:
By transitioning from a two-dimensional planar arrangement to a three-dimensional multi-layer configuration, the patent enables improved thermal separation without increasing lateral dimensions. The vertical stacking allows heat to radiate in multiple directions while keeping the lateral footprint compact, thereby reducing parasitic capacitance that would otherwise result from widened intervals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the gate finger structure into multiple discrete layers, with first gate fingers in a first layer and second gate fingers in a second layer. This segmentation allows independent optimization of thermal and electrical characteristics for each layer, enabling zero overlapping between adjacent fingers from different layers while maintaining compact overall dimensions and minimizing parasitic capacitance.
3Temperature
If gate fingers are arranged in a multi-layer structure with zero overlapping region, then thermal resistance is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the gate finger structure into segmented layers, with each layer containing gate fingers arranged in a regular pattern. This segmentation simplifies the design process by allowing each layer to be independently patterned and positioned, reducing the overall complexity compared to attempting to arrange all gate fingers in a single complex two-dimensional pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
By adding the vertical dimension through multi-layer stacking, the patent transforms a complex two-dimensional packing problem into a more manageable three-dimensional arrangement. The zero overlapping condition between adjacent fingers from different layers is achieved through straightforward vertical alignment rather than complex lateral positioning, thereby reducing design complexity while improving thermal resistance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances thermal radiation characteristics while avoiding the need for wider intervals between gate fingers, facilitating device downsizing and maintaining efficiency by reducing parasitic capacitance.
Implementation Method 1
the thermal radiation characteristics can be improved by widening the intervals (pitches) between gate fingers... the widening of the intervals between the gate fingers enables overlapping of heat distributions generated at the respective gate fingers to be reduced
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A semiconductor device (1) includes: an underlying substrate; a semiconductor layer formed on the underlying substrate; electrode patterns (10 and 21 to 24) in which a drain electrode and a source electrode are alternately arranged along an array direction (X) determined in advance, on the semiconductor layer; and a group of gate fingers (31 to 38) each having a shape extending in an extending direction (Y) which is different from the array direction (X). Each of the gate fingers (31 to 38) is disposed in a region between the drain electrode and the source electrode. Moreover, the gate fingers (31 to 38) are arranged at positions displaced from one another in the extending direction (Y).