This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-194732 filed on Nov. 15, 2023, and the entire contents of the Japanese patent application are incorporated herein by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device.
A field effect transistor (FET) is known to have source electrode, gate electrode, and drain electrode. It is known that two FET groups each including a plurality of FETs aligned in the parallel direction of the electrodes, are arranged in the extending direction of the electrodes. It is known that a gate pad connected to the gate electrode and a drain pad connected to the drain electrode are provided between the FET groups (for example, see Patent literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H5-252036 and Patent literature 2: U.S. Pat. No. 11,417,746).
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor device includes a substrate having a main surface and a back surface opposite to the main surface, a first FET group provided on the main surface and including a plurality of first source electrodes, a plurality of first drain electrodes, and a plurality of first gate electrodes, the plurality of first source electrodes, the plurality of first drain electrodes, and the plurality of first gate electrodes being aligned in a first direction, a second FET group provided on the main surface and including a plurality of second source electrodes, a plurality of second drain electrodes, and a plurality of second gate electrodes, the second FET group overlapping the first FET group as viewed in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a plurality of first gate pads provided on the main surface between the first FET group and the second FET group and electrically connected to the plurality of first gate electrodes and the plurality of second gate electrodes, a plurality of drain wires provided on the main surface to be arranged alternately with the plurality of first gate pads between the first FET group and the second FET group, the plurality of drain wires electrically connecting the plurality of first drain electrodes and the plurality of second drain electrodes to each other, and a drain pad electrically connected to the plurality of first drain electrodes and disposed such that the first FET group is interposed between the drain pad and the plurality of first gate pads.
Since the gate pad and the drain pad are adjacent to each other, a gate-drain parasitic capacitance is generated. Thus, the characteristics of the FET deteriorate.
The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to make characteristics less likely to deteriorate.
First, the contents of embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and explained.
Specific examples of a semiconductor device according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. It is noted that the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of the claims.
A semiconductor device used in an amplifier for amplifying a high frequency signal from 0.5 GHz to 10 GHz in a base transceiver station of mobile communication will be described as an example.
The thickness direction of a substrate 10 is referred to as Z direction, the extending direction of a finger-shaped gate electrodes 14a and 14b is referred to as Y direction (second direction), and the arrangement direction of source electrode 12a, gate electrode 14a, and drain electrode 16a is referred to as X direction (first direction).
As illustrated in
FET 31 in FET group 30b is provided on active region 11b (second active region) and includes source electrode 12b (second source electrode), gate electrode 14b (second gate electrode), and drain electrode 16b (second drain electrode), each of which has a finger shape extending in the Y direction. The plurality of source electrodes 12b and the plurality of drain electrodes 16b are alternately provided in the X direction. One of the plurality of gate electrodes 14b is interposed between one of the plurality of source electrodes 12b and one of the plurality of drain electrodes 16b in the X direction. When viewed in the Y direction, the plurality of source electrodes 12b overlap the plurality of source electrodes 12a, respectively, and the plurality of drain electrodes 16b overlap the plurality of drain electrodes 16a, respectively.
A plurality of gate pads 34 (first gate pads) overlap source electrode 12a and source electrode 12b when viewed in the Y direction, are provided on an inactive region 13 of main surface 50 between source electrode 12a and source electrode 12b, and are electrically connected to gate electrode 14a and gate electrode 14b.
Gate wires 18a (first gate wire) and 19a electrically connecting gate pad 34 and gate electrode 14a and gate wires 18b (second gate wire) and 19b electrically connecting gate pad 34 and gate electrode 14b are provided on main surface 50.
Drain wire 26 extends in the Y direction and is provided on drain electrodes 16a and 16b. Drain wire 26 electrically connects and short-circuits drain electrodes 16a and 16b to a drain pad 36. Drain wire 26 electrically connects drain electrode 16a and drain electrode 16b.
The plurality of drain wires 26 are alternately provided with gate pads 34 on main surface 50 between corresponding drain electrode 16a and corresponding drain electrode 16b.
When viewed in the Z direction, a via hole 20a (first via hole) and a via hole 20b (second via hole) overlap source electrodes 12a and 12b, respectively.
As illustrated in
Active portion 21a extends in the X direction. Active portions 21b and 21c are arranged in the X direction. Active portion 21a is provided with an FET 31a and an FET 31d. Active portions 21b and 21c are provided with FETs 31b and 31c, respectively.
FET 31a includes source portion 13a, gate portion 15a, and drain portion 17a. Gate portion 15a is interposed between source portion 13a and drain portion 17a in the X direction. Source portion 13a, gate portion 15a, and drain portion 17a are aligned in order in the + direction of the X direction.
FET 31d includes source portion 13a, gate portion 15d, and drain portion 17d. Gate portion 15d is interposed gate portion 15d between source portion 13a and drain portion 17d in the X direction. Source portion 13a, gate portion 15d, and drain portion 17d are aligned in order in the − direction of the X direction. FETs 31a and 31d share source portion 13a.
FET 31b includes source portion 13b, gate portion 15b, and drain portion 17b. Gate portion 15b is interposed between source portion 13b and drain portion 17b in the X direction. Source portion 13b is provided in source portion 13a when viewed in the Y direction. That is, source portion 13b is not provided outside source portion 13a when viewed in the Y direction. Drain portion 17b overlaps drain portion 17a when viewed in the Y direction. Source portion 13b, gate portion 15b, and drain portion 17b are aligned in order in the + direction of the X direction.
FET 31c includes source portion 13c, a gate portion 15c, and drain portion 17c. Gate wire 18a is interposed between source portion 13c and source portion 13b, and is provided inside source portion 13a when viewed in the Y direction. That is, source portion 13c is not provided outside source portion 13a when viewed in the Y direction. Drain portion 17c overlaps drain portion 17d when viewed in the Y direction. Gate portion 15c is interposed between source portion 13c and drain portion 17c in the X direction. Source portion 13c, gate portion 15c, and drain portion 17c are aligned in order in the − direction of the X direction.
Wire portions 23a to 23c are provided on source portions 13a to 13c, respectively, in contact therewith. Wire portion 23b electrically connects source portion 13b and wire portion 23a. Wire portion 23c electrically connects source portion 13c and wire portion 23a. Thus, source portions 13a to 13c are electrically short-circuited and have the same potential.
Drain wire 26 on the right side of
Gate wire 18a extending in the Y direction is provided on inactive region 13 between FETs 31b and 31c. Gate wire 18a is provided in source portion 13a when viewed in the Y direction. That is, gate wire 18a is not provided outside source portion 13a when viewed in the Y direction. Gate wire 18a is electrically connected to gate pad 34.
Gate wires 19a extending in the X direction are provided on inactive region 13 between FETs 31a and 31b and between FETs 31d and 31c. Gate wire 19a crosses wire portions 23b and 23c in a non-contact manner and electrically connects gate wire 18a and gate portions 15a to 15d. Thus, gate portions 15a to 15d are electrically connected to gate pad 34 through gate wires 18a and 19a, and are short-circuited to have the same potential.
Gate wire 18a and gate pad 34 include a gate metal layer 27a provided on substrate 10 and a wire layer 27b provided on gate metal layer 27a. Gate wire 19a includes gate metal layer 27a, but does not include wire layer 27b.
Via hole 20a penetrates substrate 10. Via holes 20a overlap source portions 13a when viewed in the Z direction, and are electrically connected to source portions 13a. A metal layer 28 is provided on back surface 51 of substrate 10. A metal layer 28a is provided on the inner surface of via hole 20a. Thus, metal layer 28 (back-surface metal layer) is electrically connected to source portion 13a through via hole 20a, and is short-circuited to have the same potential. The planar shape of via holes 20a and 20b may be an ellipse, an oval, a rounded rectangle, or a circle.
A source potential (for example, a reference potential such as a ground potential) is supplied from metal layer 28 to source portion 13a through metal layer 28a in via hole 20a. Further, the source potential is supplied from wire portion 23a to source portions 13b and 13c through wire portions 23b and 23c, respectively. The gate potential (for example, a high frequency signal and a gate bias voltage) is supplied from gate pad 34 to gate portions 15a to 15d through gate wires 18a and 19a. The drain bias voltage is supplied from drain pad 36 to drain portions 17a to 17d through drain wire 26. The high frequency signal amplified in each of FETs 31a to 31d is output from drain wire 26 to drain pad 36.
When semiconductor device 100 is, for example, a nitride semiconductor device, substrate 10a is, for example, a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate, a silicon (Si) substrate, a gallium nitride (GaN) substrate, or a sapphire (Al2O3) substrate. Semiconductor layer 10b includes, for example, a nitride semiconductor layer such as a gallium nitride layer, an aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layer, and/or an indium gallium nitride (InGaN) layer. When FET 31 is a gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor (GaN HEMT), semiconductor layer 10b includes a gallium nitride channel layer provided on substrate 10a and an aluminum gallium nitride barrier layer provided on the channel layer. When semiconductor device 100 is, for example, a gallium arsenide (GaAs) based semiconductor device, substrate 10a is, for example, a gallium arsenide substrate. Semiconductor layer 10b includes an arsenide semiconductor layer such as a gallium arsenide layer, an aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) layer, and/or an indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) layer. Semiconductor device 100 may be a silicon semiconductor device such as a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS).
Source electrodes 12a and 12b and drain electrodes 16a and 16b are metal films, and are, for example, a titanium film and an aluminum film from substrate 10. Gate electrodes 14a and 14b and gate metal layer 27a are metal films, and are, for example, a nickel film and a gold film from substrate 10. Source wires 22a and 22b, drain wire 26, and wire layer 27b are, for example, a gold layer, a copper layer, or an aluminum layer. An insulating layer 25 provided on substrate 10 so as to cover FET 31 is an organic insulating layer such as a polyimide layer or a benzocyclobutene (BCB) layer.
The width of source portion 13a in the X direction is, for example, 50 μm to 150 μm. The width of source portions 13b and 13c in the X direction is, for example, 5 μm to 20 μm. The gate length of gate portions 15a to 15d in the X direction is, for example, 0.25 μm to 2 μm. The width of drain portions 17a to 17d in the X direction is, for example, 5 μm to 150 μm. The width of gate wire 18a in the X direction is, for example, 5 μm to 20 μm. The width of gate wire 19a in the Y direction is, for example, 3 μm to 20 μm. To reduce the gate resistance, the width of gate wire 18a in the X direction and the width of gate wire 19a in the Y direction are larger than the gate length, for example, twice or more the gate length. The gate width of FETs 31a to 31d in the Y direction is, for example, 100 μm to 400 μm. The width of via holes 20a and 20b in the X direction is, for example, 10 μm to 60 μm.
The widths of wire portions 23a to 23c in the X direction are the same as or slightly smaller than the widths of source portions 13a to 13c in the X direction, respectively. The width of drain wire 26 in the X direction is the same as or slightly smaller than the width of drain portions 17a to 17d in the X direction.
In the first comparative example, the gate resistance between gate electrode 14 and gate pad 34 can be reduced by using gate wires 18 and 19. However, the source inductance increases because source wire 22 becomes long. This causes deterioration in high frequency characteristics. In addition, since gate electrode 14 serving as a heat source is dense, the thermal resistance is increased.
In the second comparative example, gate pad 34 is provided between FET groups 30a and 30b, and via holes 20a and 20b are provided in both FET groups 30a and 30b, so that source wires 22a and 22b can be shortened. This can reduce the source inductance. In addition, the distance between gate electrodes 14a and 14b, which are heat sources, is increased. This can reduce the thermal resistance.
However, in the second comparative example, gate pad 34 overlaps source wires 22a and 22b and drain wire 26 when viewed in the Z direction. Thus, the gate-drain capacitance and the gate-source capacitance increase. This causes deterioration in high frequency characteristics.
According to the first embodiment, as illustrated in
Thus, gate pad 34 does not overlap source wires 22a and 22b and drain wire 26. Thus, the gate-drain capacitance and the gate-source capacitance can be reduced as compared with the second comparative example. In addition, the source inductance can be reduced as compared with the first comparative example. FET group 30a is interposed between drain pad 36 and gate pad 34. Thus, as described in Patent literature 1 and 2, the gate-drain capacitance between the gate pad and the drain pad can be reduced. Thus, the high frequency characteristics can be improved as compared with the first and second comparative examples and Patent literature 1 and 2.
Further, since FET groups 30a and 30b are separated from each other, the thermal resistance can be reduced as compared with the first comparative example.
As an example, thermal simulation was performed for the first embodiment and the first comparative example. In the simulation, 88 gate electrodes 14 were aligned in the X direction on the SiC substrate. In the first embodiment, the distance between FET groups 30a and 30b was 130 μm. As a result of the simulation, the maximum temperatures of the upper surface of the SiC substrate in the first embodiment and the first comparative example were 120.1° C. and 125.4° C., respectively. As described above, the thermal resistance of the first embodiment is lower than that of the first comparative example, and the maximum temperature can be reduced.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Similarly, source electrode 12b includes source portion 13a (fourth portion), source portion 13b (fifth portion), and source portion 13c (sixth portion). Gate wire 18b is provided between source portions 13b and 13c, and electrically connects gate electrode 14b and gate pad 34. Thus, the gate resistance in FET group 30b can be reduced without increasing the size. Thus, high frequency characteristics can be improved.
According to the second modification of the first embodiment, width Wc of drain wire 26 in the X direction between FET groups 30a and 30b is smaller than width Wa of drain electrode 16a and portion 26a in the X direction and width Wb of drain electrode 16b and portion 26b in the X direction. Thus, the distance between gate pad 34 and drain wire 26 is increased, and the gate-drain capacitance can be reduced. Thus, high frequency characteristics can be improved. Width Wc can be 0.9 times or less, 0.8 times or less, or 0.6 times or less width Wa or Wb. When the lengths of FET groups 30a and 30b in the Y direction are substantially the same, the density of the current flowing through portion 26c can be equal to the density of the current flowing through portion 26a at a position close to drain pad 36 when width Wc is about 0.5 times widths Wa and Wb. Thus, width Wc can be 0.5 times or more widths Wa and Wb.
According to the third modification of the first embodiment, by providing gate pads 34 and 35, bonding wires can be bonded to the gate pads at two positions in the Y direction.
In the fourth modification of the first embodiment, gate wires 18a, 18b, 19a, and 19b are not provided, and thus the gate resistance is increased as compared with the first embodiment. However, as compared with a general multi-finger type FET, the gate resistance can be reduced and the high frequency characteristics can be improved.
In the fifth modification of the first embodiment, guard rings 44a and 44b are electrically connected to source electrodes 12a and 12b on main surface 50 and surround FET groups 30a and 30b. This makes it possible to shield FET groups 30a and 30b. Guard rings 44a and 44b may partially surround FET groups 30a and 30b, but may also completely surround them. By providing source pads 42a and 42b, the characteristics of FET groups 30a and 30b can be evaluated before via holes 20a and 20b are formed. Although drain pad 36 may be provided integrally, connection wire 43a can be provided by dividing drain pad 36 into a plurality of parts. A connection wire for electrically connecting gate electrode 14b may be provided between source wire 22b and guard ring 44b. Connection wires 43a and 43b may not be provided.
In the first embodiment and the modification thereof, the example in which six FETs 31 are provided in the X direction has been described, but eight or more FETs 31 may be provided in the X direction. In each of FET groups 30a and 30b, the example in which two FETs 31 are provided in the Y direction has been described, but three or more FETs 31 may be provided in the Y direction.
In the first embodiment and the modification thereof, drain portions 17a and 17b (and 17d and 17c) electrically connected to same drain wire 26 are separated from each other in inactive region 13. The plurality of drain portions 17a to 17d electrically connected by drain wire 26 may be connected to each other in inactive region 13. In FET 31, source electrode 12a and source wire 22a can be collectively referred to as a source electrode, and drain electrode 16a and drain wire 26 can be collectively referred to as a drain electrode.
A second embodiment and its modification are examples of a semiconductor device in which the semiconductor chip of the first embodiment and its modification is mounted in a package.
As illustrated in
Frame body 54 has a substantially rectangular planar shape. A lead 58 (input lead) is provided on the − side of frame body 54 in the Y direction. A lead 59 (output lead) is provided on the + side of frame body 54 in the Y direction. Leads 58 and 59 are, for example, metal layers or metal plates made of copper or the like. A high frequency signal is input to lead 58, and a high frequency signal is output from lead 59. Lead 58, capacitive components 55a and 55b, semiconductor chip 60, and lead 59 are aligned in the Y direction.
Semiconductor chip 60 includes substrate 10, gate pad 34 and drain pad 36 provided on the upper surface of substrate 10, and metal layer 28 provided on the back surface of substrate 10 (see
A bonding wire 71 electrically connects lead 58 and electrode 57 of capacitive component 55a. A bonding wire 72 electrically connects electrode 57 of capacitive component 55a and electrode 57 of capacitive component 55b. A bonding wire 73 electrically connects electrode 57 of capacitive component 55b and gate pad 34. A bonding wire 74 electrically connects drain pad 36 and lead 59.
As illustrated in
The high frequency signal input to lead 58 is input to gate G through matching circuit 62. Matching circuit 62 matches the impedances of lead 58 and gate G with each other. The FETQ1 amplifies the high frequency signal input to gate G, and outputs the amplified high frequency signal to lead 59 through inductor L4.
Inductors L1 to L4 correspond to bonding wires 71 to 74, respectively, and capacitors C1 and C2 correspond to capacitive components 55a and 55b, respectively.
In the second embodiment, bonding wire 73 (first bonding wire) is connected to gate pad 34 and extends in the − direction (second direction) in the Y direction. Bonding wire 74 (second bonding wire) is connected to drain pad 36 and extends in the + direction (direction opposite to the second direction) in the Y direction. As a result, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The equivalent circuit of the third comparative example is the same as that of
In the first modification of the second embodiment, bonding wire 75 is connected to gate pad 34, and bonding wire 72a (third bonding wire) is connected to gate pad 35. This can reduce interference between different signals such as the signal of the fundamental wave from matching circuit 62 and the signal of harmonic processing circuit 63. Capacitor C3 (first capacitor) has a first end electrically connected to base 53 and a second end connected to bonding wire 75. Capacitor C1 (second capacitor) has a first end electrically connected to base 53 and a second end connected to bonding wire 72a. Thus, harmonic processing circuit 63 including capacitor C3 and bonding wire 75 can be formed, and matching circuit 62 including capacitor C1 and bonding wire 72a can be formed. Harmonic processing circuit 63 is connected to gate pad 34, so that the harmonic can be uniformly processed.
The embodiments disclosed herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2023-194732 | Nov 2023 | JP | national |