Semiconductor Oxide Layout for Uniform Transistor Characteristics
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for semiconductor devices that can be miniaturized or highly integrated while maintaining favorable electrical characteristics, low power consumption, and high reliability.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device is designed with a specific structure that includes multiple transistors and additional oxide layers not functioning as channel formation regions, which helps in uniform oxygen supply and reduces variations in electrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If transistors are miniaturized to increase integration density, then device integration is improved, but electrical characteristic variations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by providing an oxide layer in the inter-transistor region that has substantially the same composition and structure as the oxide layers in the transistor channel formation regions. This ensures uniform oxygen supply and identical electrical characteristics across all transistors in the array, preventing variations that would otherwise occur due to miniaturization and high integration density.
2Productivity
If transistors are miniaturized to increase integration density, then device integration is improved, but reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By extending the oxide layer to the inter-transistor region with substantially the same properties as the transistor oxide layers, the patent ensures that all transistor regions experience identical oxygen supply conditions. This homogeneity improves reliability by preventing degradation that would result from uneven oxygen distribution in highly integrated miniaturized devices.
3Manufacturing precision
If oxide layers are added to inter-transistor regions, then electrical characteristic uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the oxide layer formation process for transistor channel regions with the inter-transistor region, creating a continuous oxide layer that serves both functional transistors and dummy transistor regions. This combining approach improves electrical characteristic uniformity without significantly increasing structural complexity, as the same oxide layer performs multiple functions.
4Stability of the object's composition
If dummy transistor regions are created with oxide layers, then oxygen supply uniformity is improved, but area occupation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oxide layer in the inter-transistor region serves multiple functions: it provides oxygen supply uniformity for adjacent transistors, acts as a dummy transistor region for process uniformity, and maintains electrical characteristic consistency across the entire device array. This multi-functionality achieves oxygen supply uniformity without requiring additional dedicated structures that would increase device area.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device that can be miniaturized or highly integrated is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor including a first oxide, a second transistor including a second oxide, and a third oxide. The first oxide includes a channel formation region of the first transistor. The second oxide includes a channel formation region of the second transistor. The third oxide contains the same material as the first oxide and the second oxide. The third oxide is separated from the first oxide and the second oxide. In a top view, the third oxide is positioned between the first oxide and the second oxide. The third oxide is placed in the same layer as the first oxide and the second oxide.