The exemplary embodiments described herein relate generally to semiconductor device design and integrated circuit design, and more specifically, to a self-aligned wafer backside gate signal with airgap.
It is desired to have low-k dielectrics surrounding signal lines to reduce resistive-capacitive delay. This disclosure describes a way to separate a power source/drain supply voltage to gate signal line by forming a self-aligned gate backside signal line with nearby airgaps.
In an aspect, a semiconductor device includes a backside power line located under a p-channel field effect transistor region and an n-channel field effect transistor region; a backside signal line located between the p-channel field effect transistor region and the n-channel field effect transistor region; and an airgap between the backside power line and the backside signal line.
In another aspect, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming at least a first source/drain supply voltage line and at least a second source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a first liner along a side of the at least the first source/drain supply voltage line; depositing the first liner along a side of the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a second liner along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the first source/drain supply voltage line; depositing the second liner along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a third liner along the second liner that is deposited along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the first source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a third liner along the second liner that is deposited along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line; filling metal between the at least first source/drain supply voltage line and the at least second source/drain supply voltage line to form at least one signal line; and removing the second liner to form at least one airgap between the at least first source/drain supply voltage line and the at least second source/drain supply voltage line.
In another aspect, a semiconductor device includes a first source/drain supply voltage line; a second source/drain supply voltage line; a signal line located between the first source/drain supply voltage line and the second source/drain supply voltage line; a first airgap between the first source/drain supply voltage line and the signal line; and a second airgap between the second source/drain supply voltage line and the signal line.
The foregoing and other aspects of exemplary embodiments are made more evident in the following Detailed Description, when read in conjunction with the attached Drawing Figures, wherein:
The term “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. All of the embodiments described in this Detailed Description are exemplary embodiments provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims.
It is desired to have low-k dielectrics surrounding signal lines to reduce resistive-capacitance delay. This disclosure describes a way to separate a source/drain supply voltage/source/drain supply voltage to gate signal line by forming a self-aligned gate backside signal line with nearby airgaps to achieve this purpose, namely having low-k dielectrics surrounding signal lines to reduce resistive-capacitance delay. This is an important option for backside power rail and backside power delivery/distribution network technology development.
A process flow includes forming a front end of line device with a dummy placeholder under an source/drain epitaxy and gate metal extension into shallow trench isolation; middle of line, back end of line formation, and carrier wafer bonding; flipping the wafer and removing a substrate; backside interlayer dielectric fill and chemical mechanical planarization; backside contact patterning, selective removal of the placeholder and backside contact metallization; forming backside power lines; patterning an n-channel field effect transistor and p-channel field effect transistor region where a gate signal line is needed, backside interlayer dielectric pulling; first liner deposition, second liner deposition and breakthrough application, third liner deposition and breakthrough application of both first and third liners; gate signal line metal filling and chemical mechanical planarization; second liner pulling and backside interlayer dielectric deposition for source/drain supply voltage and source/drain supply voltage and signal via formation; and forming the rest of the backside power delivery/distribution network.
Referring to
Referring now to all the Figures, in one exemplary embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a backside power line located under a p-channel field effect transistor region and an re-channel field effect transistor region; a backside signal line located between the p-channel field effect transistor region and the n-channel field effect transistor region; and an airgap between the backside power line and the backside signal line.
The airgap may include at least two sidewalls covered with a liner, and a bottom covered with the liner. The airgap may be formed between a signal line and a source/drain supply voltage line. The semiconductor device may further include a signal line; a first source/drain supply voltage line comprising at least one sidewall; and a second source/drain supply voltage line comprising at least one sidewall. The signal line may have an inverse trapezoid shape that follows a shape of the at least one sidewall of the first source/drain supply voltage line, and a shape of the at least one sidewall of the second source/drain supply voltage line. The semiconductor device may further include a layer of interlayer dielectric that covers and seals a top of the airgap.
In another embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming at least a first source/drain supply voltage line and at least a second source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a first liner along a side of the at least the first source/drain supply voltage line; depositing the first liner along a side of the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a second liner along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the first source/drain supply voltage line; depositing the second liner along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a third liner along the second liner that is deposited along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the first source/drain supply voltage line; depositing a third liner along the second liner that is deposited along the first liner that is along the side of the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line; filling metal between the at least first source/drain supply voltage line and the at least second source/drain supply voltage line to form at least one signal line; and removing the second liner to form at least one airgap between the at least first source/drain supply voltage line and the at least second source/drain supply voltage line.
The method may further include depositing the first liner along an interlayer dielectric between the at least first source/drain supply voltage line and the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line; wherein the second liner is deposited along at least a portion of the first liner deposited along the interlayer dielectric between the at least first source/drain supply voltage line and the at least second source/drain supply voltage line. A first portion of the first liner deposited along the interlayer dielectric may contact the at least the first source/drain supply voltage line; and a second portion of the first liner deposited along the interlayer dielectric may contact the at least the second source/drain supply voltage line. The method may further include patterning a p-channel field effect transistor region and an n-channel field effect transistor region for the signal line. The method may further include forming an interlayer dielectric over the at least one airgap to seal the at least one airgap. The method may further include forming a backside interconnect layer for a backside power delivery network; and forming at least one via to join the at least one source/drain supply voltage line to the backside interconnect layer. The method may further include forming the at least one signal line to have an inverse trapezoid shape that follows a shape of the side of the at least first source/drain supply voltage line, and the side of the at least second source/drain supply voltage line.
In another embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first source/drain supply voltage line; a second source/drain supply voltage line; a signal line located between the first source/drain supply voltage line and the second source/drain supply voltage line; a first airgap between the first source/drain supply voltage line and the signal line; and a second airgap between the second source/drain supply voltage line and the signal line.
The first airgap may include two sidewalls covered with a liner and a bottom covered with the liner, and the second airgap may include two sidewalls covered with the liner and a bottom covered with the liner. The signal line may have a trapezoid shape that follows a shape of at least one sidewall of the first source/drain supply voltage line and a shape of at least one sidewall of the second source/drain supply voltage line. The semiconductor device may further include an interlayer dielectric that seals the first airgap and the second airgap. The first source/drain supply voltage line may be located under a p-channel field effect transistor region, and the second source/drain supply voltage line may be located under an n-channel field effect transistor region. The signal line may be located between a p-channel field effect transistor region and an n-channel field effect transistor region.
The memory(ies) as described herein may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, non-transitory memory, transitory memory, fixed memory and removable memory. The memory(ies) may comprise a database for storing data.
As used herein, circuitry may refer to the following: (a) hardware circuit implementations, such as implementations in analog and/or digital circuitry, and (b) combinations of circuits and software (and/or firmware), such as (as applicable): (i) a combination of processor(s) or (ii) portions of processor(s)/software including digital signal processor(s), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus to perform various functions, and (c) circuits, such as a microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that require software or firmware for operation, even if the software or firmware is not physically present. As a further example, as used herein, circuitry would also cover an implementation of merely a processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of a processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware. Circuitry would also cover, for example and if applicable to the particular element, a baseband integrated circuit or applications processor integrated circuit for a mobile phone or a similar integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network device, or another network device.
In the foregoing description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as particular structures, components, materials, dimensions, processing steps, and techniques, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. However, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill of the art that the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details. Additionally, details of well-known structures or processing steps may have been omitted or may have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the presented embodiments.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical applications, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular uses contemplated.