Semiconductor Through Electrode Contact Area and Residue Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor devices with through electrodes face reliability issues due to reduced contact area between contact and element face electrodes when not using a press-fit bump, leading to decreased connection reliability.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design featuring a semiconductor substrate with a first and second face, where a first insulation film covers the semiconductor element and electrode, and a second insulation film is applied to the inner side face of a first opening that exposes the electrode, with a conductor layer formed on the second insulation film, increasing the contact area and preventing electrical conduction between the conductor layer and the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a press-fit bump is used to connect the contact electrode and element face electrode, then connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the press-fit bump from the connection structure, replacing it with a direct contact configuration where the contact electrode and element face electrode are in direct electrical contact through the opening, thereby simplifying the device structure while maintaining connection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The connection structure is segmented into distinct functional components: the contact electrode, the element face electrode, and the insulation film, allowing each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while working together to achieve reliable connection without requiring a bump
2Reliability
If the contact area between contact electrode and element face electrode is increased, then connection reliability is improved, but the opening size increases affecting miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a single-plane contact configuration to a three-dimensional contact structure where the contact electrode extends vertically toward the element face electrode, increasing the contact area in the vertical dimension while maintaining a small horizontal opening footprint, thus achieving both reliable connection and device miniaturization
3Reliability
If insulation film is applied to prevent heavy metal diffusion, then electrical characteristics are maintained, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation film is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents heavy metal diffusion from the contact electrode to the semiconductor substrate, provides electrical insulation, and facilitates the formation of the opening structure, thereby maintaining electrical characteristics while avoiding additional specialized manufacturing processes
Data Source
AI summary
To improve connection reliability of a through electrode in a semiconductor device, and prevent deterioration of electrical characteristics due to a residue generated from a pad at the time of forming the through electrode. A contact area between a pad and a conductor layer is equal to a diameter of a hole of an opening provided in a silicon substrate. Consequently, it is possible to increase the contact area as compared with a conventional configuration. This improves the connection reliability. Furthermore, a residue containing metal is attached to the outside of an insulation film in the manufacturing process. Consequently, the residue is prevented from contacting a silicon substrate body. Also, heavy metals, such as Cu, in the residue are prevented from being diffused into the silicon substrate body. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of electrical characteristics.