TSV Guard Ring Spacing for Moisture Isolation and Short Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices near through silicon via (TSV) suffer performance degradation due to stress-induced damage from TSV formation processes, including electrical shorts and structural integrity issues caused by water vapor and sulfur, which can lead to increased device failures and reduced cycle life.
Innovation Solution
A guard ring is formed around the TSV to prevent water vapor and residual ions from penetrating dielectric layers, and a keep-out-zone (KOZ) is defined to reduce the likelihood of shorts between semiconductor devices and the guard ring, with specific distances maintained between the guard ring and conductive structures to minimize damage and electromigration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guard ring is formed around the TSV to prevent water vapor and residual ions from penetrating dielectric layers, then device reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A guard ring structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the TSV and the dielectric layers. The guard ring acts as a protective barrier that intercepts water vapor and residual ions, preventing them from reaching and damaging the dielectric layers. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by providing reliable protection while maintaining a relatively simple implementation approach using standard semiconductor fabrication processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard ring is formed in advance during the fabrication process, before the dielectric layers are fully assembled. By establishing this protective structure preliminarily, the design prevents potential damage from water vapor and ions before they can penetrate into the dielectric layers, thereby improving reliability without requiring complex post-fabrication modifications.
2Reliability
If a keep-out-zone is defined to reduce the likelihood of shorts between semiconductor devices and the guard ring, then device reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
A keep-out-zone is defined as a specific local region around the guard ring where semiconductor devices are prohibited from being placed. This local quality constraint creates a safety buffer zone that prevents shorts between devices and the guard ring. The approach improves reliability by eliminating short-circuit risks in critical areas while maintaining reasonable manufacturing precision requirements through clearly defined spatial boundaries.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If specific distances are maintained between the guard ring and conductive structures to minimize damage and electromigration, then device durability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Specific distance parameters are established between the guard ring and conductive structures to optimize device durability. By carefully controlling these spatial parameters, the design minimizes electromigration effects and stress-induced damage. This parameter-based approach improves device lifetime while maintaining implementation simplicity through standardized dimensional specifications that can be integrated into existing fabrication processes.
Data Source
AI summary
Some implementations described herein provide an electronic device. The electronic device includes a first conductive structure that extends through a dielectric structure of the electronic device and into a substrate of the electronic device. The electronic device includes a guard ring, having multiple layers, that extends along one or more sides of a first vertical portion of the first conductive structure. The electronic device includes a second conductive structure that extends along a second vertical portion of the first conductive structure, where the second conductive structure includes a conductive structure side surface, which is nearest to a side surface of the first conductive structure, that is a distance from the side surface of the first conductive structure, and where the distance is greater than or equal to approximately 5% of a width of the first conductive structure.