This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to integrated metal-insulator-metal (MIM) flux capacitors.
Various integrated circuits include capacitors to provide a reactive impedance in various applications, such as radio-frequency circuits. It is generally desirable to limit the parasitic capacitance of such components.
The inventors disclose various devices and methods related to integrated circuits that include a MIM capacitor with reduced parasitic capacitance.
In one example an integrated circuit includes first second metal levels over a semiconductor substrate. A first capacitor electrode in the first metal level has a plurality of first lines. A second capacitor electrode in the first metal level includes a plurality of second lines alternating with the plurality of first metal lines. A third capacitor electrode in the second metal level includes a plurality of third lines. And a fourth capacitor electrode in the second metal level includes a plurality of fourth parallel lines alternating with the plurality of third metal lines. Each of the third lines is located over a first one of the first lines and a first one of the second lines, and each of the fourth lines is located over a second one of the first lines and a second one of the second lines.
Other examples include methods of manufacturing integrated circuit devices according to the integrated circuit described above.
The present disclosure is described with reference to the attached figures. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and they are provided without implied limitation to illustrate various described examples. Several aspects of the disclosure are described below with reference to example applications for illustration. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide an understanding of the disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited by the illustrated ordering of acts or events unless stated otherwise, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, all illustrated acts or events may not be required to implement a methodology in accordance with the present disclosure.
Various disclosed methods and devices of the present disclosure may be beneficially applied to integrated circuits by reducing parasitic capacitance between a capacitor and an underlying substrate. While such examples may be expected to improve performance of such circuits, e.g. by reducing parasitic coupling losses, no particular result is a requirement of the present invention unless explicitly recited in a particular claim.
The electrodes are positioned such that the fingers of the electrode 340 are located over the fingers of the electrode 310, and the fingers of the electrode 330 are located over the fingers of the electrode 320. An incremental lateral, or horizontal, capacitance ΔCh exists between adjacent fingers of the electrodes 310, 320, and an incremental capacitance ΔCv exists between vertically adjacent fingers of the electrodes 310, 340 and of the electrodes 320, 330. An incremental parasitic capacitance ΔCp+ exists between the electrodes 310 and the substrate 410, and an incremental parasitic capacitance ΔCp− exists between the electrodes 320 and the substrate 410. A total primary capacitance CT of the capacitor 300 is the sum of incremental capacitances ΔCh and ΔCv. A total parasitic capacitance Cp+ of the positive terminal of the capacitor 300 (electrodes 310 and 330) is the sum of incremental parasitic capacitances ΔCp+, and a total parasitic capacitance Cp− of the negative terminal of the capacitor 300 (electrodes 320 and 340) is the sum of incremental parasitic capacitances ΔCp−.
The value of CT is determined by factors such as the aggregate relative dielectric permittivity (sometime referred to as dielectric constant) of the dielectric layers used to for the PMD layer 420, IMD1 layer 430, ILD1 layer 440, ILD2 layer 450 and to a relatively minor extent the ILD 2 layer 460, as well as the height and width of the fingers of the electrodes 310 . . . 340 and the lateral spacing between the fingers of the electrodes 310 and 320, the lateral spacing between the fingers of the electrodes 330 and 340, and the vertical thickness of the ILD1 layer 440. The values of Cp+ and Cp− are determined primarily by the thickness of the PMD layer 420 and the width of the fingers of the electrodes 310 and 320. The contribution of Cp+ and Cp− to the operation of a circuit in which the capacitor 300 is connected depends in part on factors such as the electrical potential and resistivity of the substrate 410. For example, if the electrode 320 and the substrate 410 are grounded the contribution of Cp− is less than the contribution of Cp+.
In one baseline example the aggregate dielectric constant of the various dielectric layer is about 3.7-4.0, consistent with primarily silicon oxide with a minor contribution by thin silicon nitride layers used in forming the IC. The height of the MET1 and MET2 layers (electrode 310 . . . 340) is about 0.5 μm, and the lateral spacing between the fingers is about 0.4 μm. The thickness of the PMD layer 420 is about 0.5 μm, as is the thickness of the ILD1 layer 440. In this example the capacitor 300 has a unit capacitance Cu, or capacitance per unit area, of about 0.16 fF/μm2, with parasitic unit capacitances ΔCup+ and ΔCup− of 0.023 fF/μm2.
Another baseline example has an aggregate dielectric constant of about 3.7-4.0, MET1 and MET2 height of about 0.5 μm, and vertical MET1-MET2 spacing (ILD1440 thickness) of about 0.5 μm. In this example the lateral spacing between the fingers is about 0.25 μm. The vertical MET1-MET2 spacing between the substrate is about 0.5 μm, as is the spacing between the MET1 and MET2 layer. In this example the capacitor 300 has a unit capacitance value Cu of about 0.47 fF/μm2, with unit parasitic capacitances ΔCup+ and ΔCup− of 0.034 fF/μm2.
One advantage of the second example with respect to the first example is that with the greater unit capacitance, a capacitor of a given value may be made smaller. For example a 150 fF capacitor in the first example requires about 950 μm2, while a 150 fF capacitor in the second example only requires about 320 μm2. Thus, while the unit parasitic capacitance of the second example is greater than in the first example, the total parasitic capacitances Cp+ and Cp− equal about 11 fF in the second example, and about 22 fF in the first example. While the parasitic capacitance for the 150 fF capacitor in the second example is half that of the first example, it is about 7.3% of the direct capacitance. This parasitic value is large enough to significantly degrade the performance of a circuit such the example circuit 100 of
The IC 600 includes at least three metal levels and associated dielectric levels. Accordingly, a PMD layer 615 is located over the substrate 601 and epitaxial layer 605 if present. Above the PMD layer 615 are IMD1 layer 620, ILD1 layer 625, IMD2 layer 630, ILD2 layer 635, IMD3 layer 640 and ILD3 layer 645. In examples that only include three metal levels the ILD3 layer 645 may be or include a portion of a passivation overcoat (PO) stack. Metal structures within the IMD1 layer 620 are MET1 structures, metal structures within the IMD2 layer 630 are MET2 structures, and metal structures within the IMD3 layer 640 are MET3 structures.
The capacitor 500 is implemented in the MET2 and MET3 levels in the illustrated example, such that the electrodes 510, 520 are located in the MET2 level and the electrodes 530, 540 are located in the MET3 level. Each finger of the electrode 530 is located at least partially over one finger of the electrode 510 and at least partially over one finger of the electrode 520. Similarly each finger of electrode 540 is located at least partially over one finger of the electrode 510 and at least partially over one finger of the electrode 520. Because the electrodes 520 and 530 are operated at a same potential there is no effective capacitance between these electrodes. Similarly, the electrodes 510 and 540 are operated at a same potential so there is no effective capacitance between these electrodes. An incremental horizontal capacitance ΔCh2 occurs between adjacent fingers in the MET2 level, and an incremental horizontal capacitance ΔCh3 occurs between adjacent fingers in the MET3 level. An incremental vertical capacitance ΔCv occurs between each MET3 finger and an underlying MET2 finger of the opposite polarity. The total capacitance of the capacitor 500 includes the contribution of the within-level incremental capacitances ΔCh2 and ΔCh3, and the contribution of the between-level incremental capacitances ΔCv.
In various examples the thickness of the MET3 layer is greater than the thickness of the MET2 layer. In the illustrated example, MET3 is twice as thick as MET2, but the thickness difference is not limited to any particular value. In various examples and as illustrated the spacing between fingers in the MET3 level is the same as the spacing between fingers in the MET2 level, but in other examples the spacing may be different. In various examples and as illustrated the pitch of the fingers at the MET3 level is equal to twice the pitch of the fingers at the MET2 level. In such examples, the pitch of the MET3 fingers is equal to the width of a single MET3 finger plus the space between adjacent MET3 fingers, and this pitch is equal to two times the width of a single MET2 finger plus two times the space between adjacent MET2 fingers. In various examples and as illustrated lateral extents (e.g. “sidewalls”) of the MET3 fingers vertically align with lateral extents of the MET2 fingers, though this is not a requirement.
MET2 fingers of the electrodes 510, 520 experience a respective parasitic capacitive coupling ΔCp+ and ΔCp− to the substrate 601, or the epitaxial layer 605 if present. In examples that include the STI layer 610 the parasitic capacitive coupling is through this layer. The distance between the MET2 fingers and the substrate 601 (or epitaxial layer 605) includes the thicknesses of the PMD layer 615, the MET1 layer 620 and the ILD1 layer 625, as well as the thickness of the STI layer 610 if present. As compared to the capacitor 300 (
The greater distance between the electrodes 510, 520 and the substrate 601 reduces ΔCp+ and ΔCp− for the capacitor 500 relative to the capacitor 300, thereby reducing the unit parasitic capacitance of the capacitor 500 relative to the capacitor 300. The greater height of the electrodes 530, 540 relative to the electrodes 330, 340 increases ΔCh3 relative to ΔCh, offsetting the loss of horizontal capacitance that results from the fewer number of fingers in the top electrodes 530, 540 relative to the top electrodes 330, 340 and the lower vertical capacitance between the metal levels in the capacitor 500.
In an example, the PMD layer 615, IMD1 layer 620, ILD1 layer 625 and IMD1 layer 630 (and thus MET2) each have a thickness of about 0.5 μm, and the ILD2 layer 635 layer and IMD3 layer 640 (and thus MET3) each have a thickness of about 1.0 μm, and the IMD and ILD levels have a dielectric constant of 3.7-4.0. The STI layer 610, if present, has a dielectric constant of about 3.7 and a thickness of about 200 nm to about 400 nm. The fingers of the electrodes 510 and 520 have a width of about 0.25 μm, and are spaced apart by about 0.25 μm. The fingers of the electrodes 530, 540 have a width of about 0.75 μm and are spaced apart by about 0.25 μm.
In this example the capacitor 500 has a unit capacitance value Cu of about 0.45 fF/μm2, with unit parasitic capacitances Cup+ of 0.029 fF/μm2 and Cup− of 0.017 fF/μm2. In a further example, a 150 fF capacitor according to the example of
In the illustrated example of the IC 600, one terminal of the capacitor 500 is connected to the gate of a transistor 650 by a vertical interconnect (via) 661, a trace 660 at the MET1 level, and a vertical interconnect (contact) 655 to a trace 663 at the MET2 level. The trace 663 is connected to the capacitor terminal by an interconnection outside the view of the figure. In some other examples the via 661 may be directly connected to a bus bar of one of the electrodes of the capacitor 500 or to one of the fingers of the electrodes. The source or drain of the transistor is connected by interconnections outside the view of the figure to a trace 665 at the MET2 level, and by another via 666 to a trace 670 at the MET3 level, as one example of signal routing that may be used to realize a capacitor such as, e.g. one of the capacitors C1 . . . C4.
The IC 600 may be formed by any known or future-developed manufacturing technology. In some examples the metal features are formed by subtractive aluminum etch or by copper damascene. (Metal lines formed by subtractive aluminum etch are typically substantially aluminum with small amounts of alloying elements. Metal lines formed by copper damascene are typically substantially copper with small amounts of alloying elements.) Various dielectric layers, diffusion barriers and stopping layers may be included as appropriate to the technology used. The dielectric layers may be formed by plasma deposition processes, and may have any dielectric constant consistent with the processing technology. The capacitor 500 may connect to any other circuit component, such as a resistor, an inductor, another capacitor, a MOS transistor or a bipolar transistor. While examples of the disclosure may be particularly suited to radio-frequency applications, such examples may be used in any circuit application in which a capacitor is used.
Turning to
While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only and not limitation. Numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described embodiments. Rather, the scope of the disclosure should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202241071854 | Dec 2022 | IN | national |