Semiconductor Identifying Mark on Wiring Metal
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Solution Overview
Problem
In power semiconductor chips, the entire effective region is covered by wiring metal, leaving no space for an identifying mark, which hinders miniaturization as forming a mark in the wiring metal creates an ineffective region where current cannot flow.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a conductive effective region, a non-conductive ineffective region, wiring metal, a metal section, an identifying mark on the upper surface spaced from the metal section, and an insulating body adjacent to both, allowing the mark to be formed without disrupting current flow, using a manufacturing method that includes forming these regions and structures on the substrate and performing a plating process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If an identifying mark is formed in the wiring metal, then the identifying mark can be provided for traceability, but a section immediately below the identifying mark becomes an ineffective region where no current is allowed to flow, hindering miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
The identifying mark is formed on the upper surface of the wiring metal in the effective region, utilizing the vertical dimension (z-axis) rather than consuming horizontal space. This allows the mark to be positioned above the current-conducting path, maintaining full effective region area while providing identification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A metal section is introduced as an intermediary structure between the identifying mark and the wiring metal. The metal section provides a plating surface for forming the identifying mark while being electrically connected to the wiring metal, thus enabling mark formation without disrupting current flow in the effective region.
2Power
If the entire effective region is covered by wiring metal to allow large current flow, then current carrying capacity is improved, but there is no room for an identifying mark to be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The identifying mark is positioned on the upper surface of the wiring metal, utilizing the vertical dimension to provide identification without reducing the horizontal area of the wiring metal. This maintains full current carrying capacity while adding identification functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The identifying mark is nested on top of the wiring metal structure, with the metal section serving as an intermediate layer. This nested arrangement allows the identifying mark to be accommodated within the existing effective region footprint without compromising current flow capacity.
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
Enables the creation of a semiconductor device with an identifying mark suitable for miniaturization by maintaining the effective region's conductivity and preventing the creation of ineffective regions, thus supporting the miniaturization of power semiconductor chips.
Implementation Method 1
performing a plating process on the wiring metal exposed from the insulating body to form, on the effective region, a metal section that is in contact with the insulating body and an identifying mark that is in contact with the insulating body
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an effective region formed as a conductive section on the semiconductor substrate, an ineffective region formed as a non-conductive section on the semiconductor substrate, a wiring metal formed in the effective region, a metal section provided on an upper surface of the wiring metal and exposed to an outside, an identifying mark provided on the upper surface of the wiring metal and exposed to the outside, the identifying mark being spaced apart from the metal section, and an insulating body provided on the upper surface of the wiring metal and exposed to the outside, the insulating body being adjacent to the metal section and the identifying mark.