1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor device with oxide define (OD) pattern.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The fast growing of the wireless market has created an urgent demand for smaller and cheaper handsets with increased functionality and performance. A major trend of circuit design is to incorporate as many circuit components into integrated circuit form as possible, whereby cost per wafer can be reduced.
Passive devices such as inductors built in semiconductor wafers are widely used in CMOS based radio frequency (RF) circuits such as low-noise amplifiers, voltage-controlled oscillators and power amplifiers. An inductor is a passive electronic component that stores energy in the form of a magnetic field, and an inductor tends to resist any change in the amount of current flowing through it. One of the most important characteristics of the inductor is the quality factor Q, which relates to the performance of the RF or other circuits and systems. The quality factor Q of an integrated circuit is limited by parasitic losses within the substrate itself. These losses include high resistance through metal layers of the inductor itself and substrate loss. Consequently, in order to achieve a high quality factor, resistance within the inductor and substrate loss should be held to a minimum.
In a conventional semiconductor chip, it has been found that the presence of dummy feature causes detrimental impact on the operation of an inductor of the semiconductor chip. Typically, to prevent the degradation of the inductor's performance, disposition of dummy features such as dummy metal patterns are forbidden within the inductor-forming region according to the design rule. It has been observed that an undesired cold trend or performance degradation occurs to the active devices such as MOS transistors which are proximate to the inductor-forming region based on 65 nm technology node or beyond. Therefore, there is a need in this industry to provide an improved method or improved semiconductor device design to eliminate the adverse effects on the active devices which are proximate to the inductor-forming region.
It is one objective of the invention to provide a semiconductor device, which is capable of eliminating the adverse effects on the active devices that are proximate to the inductor-forming region.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; an inductor wiring pattern on the substrate; and at least one oxide define (OD) dummy feature disposed in the substrate under the inductor wiring pattern.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; an inductor wiring pattern on the substrate; at least one first oxide define (OD) dummy feature disposed in the substrate within an inductor-forming region under the inductor wiring pattern; and at least one second OD dummy feature disposed in the substrate within a peripheral region that is proximate to the inductor-forming region.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; an inductor wiring pattern on the substrate within an inductor-forming region; and at least one oxide define (OD) dummy feature disposed in the substrate within a peripheral region that is proximate to the inductor-forming region.
According to still another embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; an inductor wiring pattern overlying the substrate, wherein the inductor wiring pattern is formed in an inductor-forming region; a plurality of shielding patterns between the inductor wiring pattern and the substrate within the inductor-forming region; and at least one first oxide define (OD) pattern disposed in the substrate or between the inductor wiring pattern and the substrate.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, logical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
As shown in
Multiple layers of dielectric 110˜114 could be provided on the substrate 100. According to the embodiment, the inductor wiring pattern 10 is basically fabricated above the dielectric layer 110 that is interposed between the overlying dielectric layer 112 and the substrate 100. For example, the metal layer Mn-1, via plug layer Vn-1, metal layer Mn, and via plug layer Vn could be inlaid into the dielectric layer 112. The aluminum layer could be formed in the dielectric layer 114. The dielectric layers 110 and 112 may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon oxy-nitride, low-k or ultra low-k (ULK) materials such as organic (e.g., SiLK) or inorganic (e.g., HSQ). The dielectric layer 114 may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon oxy-nitride, polyimide or the like.
At least one oxide define (OD) dummy feature 102 is disposed in the substrate 100. The OD dummy features 102 are disposed within an inductor-forming region 101 that is under the inductor wiring pattern 10. In one embodiment, the OD dummy features 102 could be further disposed near at least one active device (not shown), such as a MOS transistor, around the semiconductor device 1. In one embodiment, the active device and the inductor wiring pattern 10 could be located in different levels. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the active device and at least a portion of the inductor wiring pattern 10 could be located in the same level. The OD dummy features 102 under the inductor wiring pattern 10 help alleviate the performance degradation of the active device, which may originate from the proximity of the active device to the inductor-forming region 101. According to the embodiment of this invention, the OD dummy features 102 occupy at least 5% of a predetermined area under the inductor wiring pattern 10. In one embodiment, the predetermined area could be about 100-250,000 μm2. However, the percentage of area the OD dummy features 102 occupy depends on the design requirements and no hard rules should be set. Even only one OD dummy feature 102 is present under the inductor wiring pattern 10 may help alleviate the performance degradation of the active device. In one embodiment, no dopant is implanted into the OD dummy features 102. That is, an LDD block mask and source/drain (S/D) implant block mask may be provided to cover the inductor wiring pattern 10 during the LDD implant and S/D implant respectively. However, it is understood that in some cases, dopants such as N type or P type dopants can be implanted into the OD dummy features 102. According to the embodiment of this invention, no silicide is formed on the OD dummy features 102. The OD dummy features 102 may be surrounded by a shallow trench isolation (STI) pattern 104 within the inductor-forming region 101 under the inductor wiring pattern 10.
Multiple layers of dielectric 110-114 could be provided on the substrate 100. According to the embodiment, the inductor wiring pattern 10 is basically fabricated above the dielectric layer 110 that is interposed between the overlying dielectric layer 112 and the substrate 100. For example, the metal layer Mn-1, via plug layer Vn-1, metal layer Mn, and via plug layer Vn could be inlaid into the dielectric layer 112. The aluminum layer could be formed in the dielectric layer 114. The dielectric layers 110 and 112 may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon oxy-nitride, low-k or ultra low-k (ULK) materials such as organic (e.g., SiLK) or inorganic (e.g., HSQ). The dielectric layer 114 may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon oxy-nitride, polyimide or the like.
At least one oxide define (OD) dummy feature 102 is disposed in the substrate 100 within an inductor-forming region 101 that is under the inductor wiring pattern 10. According to the embodiment of this invention, the OD dummy features 102 occupy at least 5% of a predetermined area under the inductor wiring pattern 10. In one embodiment, the predetermined area could be about 100-250,000 μm2. However, the percentage of area the OD dummy features 102 occupy depends on the design requirements and no hard rules should be set. Even only one OD dummy feature 102 is present under the inductor wiring pattern 10 may help alleviate the performance degradation of the active device. In one embodiment, no dopant is implanted into the OD dummy features 102. That is, an LDD block mask and source/drain (S/D) implant block mask may be provided to cover the inductor wiring pattern 10 during the LDD implant and S/D implant respectively. However, it is understood that in some cases, dopants such as N type or P type dopants can be implanted into the OD dummy features 102. According to the embodiment of this invention, no silicide is formed on the OD dummy features 102. The OD dummy features 102 may be surrounded by the STI pattern 104 within the inductor-forming region 101 under the inductor wiring pattern 10.
At least one OD dummy feature 202 is disposed in the substrate 100 within a peripheral region 201 that is proximate to the inductor-forming region 101. According to the embodiment of this invention, the peripheral region 201 is an annular region. However, the peripheral region 201 could be of any other shapes. According to the embodiment of this invention, for example, a width of the peripheral region 201 may range between 0 and 50 micrometers from an edge of the inductor-forming region 101. According to the embodiment of this invention, active devices 300 could be formed a distance d away from the peripheral region 201. According to the embodiment of this invention, the aforesaid distance d is less than 20 micrometers. However, the magnitude of the distance d depends on design requirements and no hard rules should be set. In one embodiment, the active devices 300 and the inductor wiring pattern 10 could be located in different levels. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the active device 300 and at least a portion of the inductor wiring pattern 10 could be located in the same level. In one embodiment, no dopant is implanted into the OD dummy features 202. That is, an LDD block mask and source/drain (S/D) implant block mask may be provided to cover the peripheral region 201 during the LDD implant and S/D implant respectively. However, it is understood that in some cases, dopants such as N type or P type dopants can be implanted into the OD dummy features 202. According to the embodiment of this invention, no silicide is formed on the OD dummy features 202. The OD dummy features 202 may be surrounded by the STI pattern 204. The STI pattern 204 could be disposed within the peripheral region 201.
According to the embodiment of this invention, active devices 300 could be formed a distance d away from the peripheral region 201. According to the embodiment of this invention, the aforesaid distance d is less than 20 micrometers. However, the magnitude of the distance d depends on design requirements and no hard rules should be set. In one embodiment, the active devices 300 and the inductor wiring pattern 10 could be located in different levels. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the active device 300 and at least a portion of the inductor wiring pattern 10 could be located in the same level. In one embodiment, no dopant is implanted into the OD dummy features 202. That is, an LDD block mask and source/drain (S/D) implant block mask may be provided to cover the peripheral region 201 during the LDD implant and S/D implant respectively. However, it is understood that in some cases, dopants such as N type or P type dopants can be implanted into the OD dummy features 202. According to the embodiment of this invention, no silicide is formed on the OD dummy features 202.
According to the embodiment of this invention, at least one OD pattern 702 may be disposed in the substrate 100 or between the inductor wiring pattern 10 and the substrate 100 within a peripheral region 201 that is proximate to the inductor-forming region 101. Though the OD pattern 702 shown in
As can be seen in
Multiple layers of dielectric 110-114 could be provided on the substrate 100. According to the embodiment, the inductor wiring pattern 10 is basically fabricated above the dielectric layer 110 that is interposed between the overlying dielectric layer 112 and the substrate 100. For example, the metal layer Mn-1, via plug layer Vn-1, metal layer Mn, and via plug layer Vn could be inlaid into the dielectric layer 112. The aluminum layer could be formed in the dielectric layer 114. The dielectric layers 110 and 112 may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon oxy-nitride, low-k or ultra low-k (ULK) materials such as organic (e.g., SiLK) or inorganic (e.g., HSQ). The dielectric layer 114 may comprise silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, silicon oxy-nitride, polyimide or the like.
According to the embodiment of this invention, the OD patterns 602 occupy at least 5% of a predetermined area under the inductor wiring pattern 10. In one embodiment, the predetermined area could be about 100-250,000 μm2. However, the percentage of area the OD patterns 602 occupy depends on the design requirements and no hard rules should be set. Even only one OD pattern 602 is present under the inductor wiring pattern 10 may help alleviate the performance degradation of the active device. In one embodiment, no dopant is implanted into the OD patterns 602. That is, an LDD block mask and source/drain (S/D) implant block mask may be provided to cover the inductor wiring pattern 10 during the LDD implant and S/D implant respectively. However, it is understood that in some cases, dopants such as N type or P type dopants can be implanted into the OD patterns 602. According to the embodiment of this invention, no silicide is formed on the OD patterns 602. The OD patterns 602 may be surrounded by the STI pattern 104 within the inductor-forming region 101 under the inductor wiring pattern 10. Similarly, in one embodiment, no dopant is implanted into the OD patterns 702. That is, an LDD block mask and source/drain (S/D) implant block mask may be provided to cover the peripheral region 201 during the LDD implant and S/D implant respectively. However, it is understood that in some cases, dopants such as N type or P type dopants can be implanted into the OD patterns 702. According to the embodiment of this invention, no silicide is formed on the OD patterns 702. The OD patterns 702 may be surrounded by the STI pattern 204 within the peripheral region 201.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/703,787 filed Feb. 11, 2010, which claims the priority of U. S. application No. 61/180,481 filed May 22, 2009. This application also claims the benefits from U.S. provisional application No. 61/321,965 filed Apr. 8, 2010.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61180481 | May 2009 | US | |
61321965 | Apr 2010 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 12703787 | Feb 2010 | US |
Child | 13029066 | US |