Silicon-Rich Dielectric Silicide for Stable Passive Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polysilicon resistors are sensitive to stress, leading to resistance drift and variability, and the introduction of additional fabrication steps for fuses and capacitors increases manufacturing complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
Integrate metal silicide structures using a silicon-rich dielectric layer, such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, or silicon carbide, which are formed by siliciding the silicon-rich dielectric layer to create passive circuit components like resistors, capacitors, and fuses, utilizing existing masks and processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If polysilicon resistors are used, then resistance can be set through doping, but resistance drift occurs due to stress sensitivity and hydrogen passivation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from polysilicon to metal silicide (such as cobalt silicide, nickel silicide, or tungsten silicide), fundamentally altering the physical and chemical properties to eliminate stress sensitivity and hydrogen passivation effects while maintaining controllable resistance through modified doping processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses existing source-drain implant structures as sacrificial elements that are later replaced or supplemented with metal silicide structures, leveraging existing fabrication infrastructure to achieve stable resistance without requiring entirely new process equipment
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional fabrication steps are introduced to create fuses, resistors and capacitors, then component functionality is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal metal silicide structure that can serve multiple functions (resistor, fuse, or capacitor) depending on its geometric configuration and connection scheme, allowing a single fabrication process to produce different passive components without requiring separate dedicated processes for each component type
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the formation of metal silicide structures with existing source-drain implant processes, combining what would traditionally be separate fabrication steps into a unified process that leverages existing masks and implantation infrastructure to reduce overall manufacturing complexity
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
The metal silicide structures provide high sheet resistance with low stress coefficient, reducing performance impact without additional cost or complexity, and can be used as stress-independent temperature sensors or electronic fuses.
Implementation Method 1
siliciding the silicon-rich dielectric layer to form a metal silicide structure
Data Source
AI summary
A method and an electronic device that includes an isolation structure having a dielectric material on or in a semiconductor surface layer, and a passive circuit component having a metal silicide structure on a side of the isolation structure, there the metal silicide structure includes a metal silicide portion and a dielectric portion, the dielectric portion of the metal silicide structure including one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon carbon nitride, and silicon oxynitride. The method includes forming a dielectric material of the isolation structure on or in the semiconductor surface layer, forming a silicon-rich dielectric layer on a side of the isolation structure, and siliciding the silicon-rich dielectric layer to form the metal silicide structure on the side of the isolation structure.