Semiconductor devices with wider field gates for reduced gate resistance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941377-B2
Application number	US-201615189325-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 29, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Semiconductor devices with wider field gates for reduced gate resistance are disclosed. In one aspect, a semiconductor device is provided that employs a gate. The gate is a conductive line disposed above the semiconductor device to form transistors corresponding to active semiconductor regions. Each active semiconductor region has a corresponding channel region. Portions of the gate disposed over each channel region are active gates, and portions not disposed over the channel region, but that are disposed over field oxide regions, are field gates. A voltage differential between each active gate and a source of each corresponding transistor causes current flow in a channel region when the voltage differential exceeds a threshold voltage. The width of each field gate is a larger width than each active gate. The larger width of the field gates results in reduced gate resistance compared to devices with narrower field gates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
one or more active semiconductor regions, each comprising a corresponding channel region having a channel length; and
a gate, comprising:
one or more field gates, each disposed over a top surface of a corresponding field oxide region, wherein each field gate has a first width; and
one or more active gates, each disposed over a top surface of a corresponding active semiconductor region and the corresponding channel region, wherein at least one of the one or more active gates has a second width less than the first width.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the second width of the one or more active gates is approximately equal to the channel length.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a gate contact disposed on a corresponding field gate.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 3 , wherein each field gate electrically couples a corresponding active gate to one of another active gate and the gate contact.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more field gates and the one or more active gates are disposed such that the gate is formed as an elongated conductive line.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein:
each field gate of the one or more field gates comprises:
a dielectric layer;
a work function layer disposed on the dielectric layer; and
a conductive layer disposed on the work function layer, wherein the conductive layer has a first conductive width; and

each active gate of the one or more active gates comprises:
the dielectric layer;
the work function layer disposed on the dielectric layer; and
the conductive layer having a second conductive width less than the first conductive width.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 6 , wherein the conductive layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, aluminum, and cobalt.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first width is approximately equal to twenty-four nanometers (24 nm); and
the second width is approximately equal to twenty nanometers (20 nm).

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 integrated into an integrated circuit (IC).

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 integrated into a device selected from the group consisting of: a set top box; an entertainment unit; a navigation device; a communications device; a fixed location data unit; a mobile location data unit; a mobile phone; a cellular phone; a smart phone; a tablet; a phablet; a server; a computer; a portable computer; a desktop computer; a personal digital assistant (PDA); a monitor; a computer monitor; a television; a tuner; a radio; a satellite radio; a music player; a digital music player; a portable music player; a digital video player; a video player; a digital video disc (DVD) player; a portable digital video player; and an automobile.

11. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a means for providing one or more active semiconductor regions, each comprising a corresponding channel region having a channel length;
a means for providing one or more field oxide regions; and
a means for providing voltage to the semiconductor device, comprising:
a means for transferring current disposed over a top surface of a corresponding field oxide region, wherein the means for transferring current has a first width; and
a means for receiving current disposed over a top surface of a corresponding active semiconductor region and the corresponding channel region, wherein the means for receiving current has a second width less than the first width.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the second width is approximately equal to the channel length.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , further comprising a means for coupling the means for providing voltage to a voltage source, wherein the means for coupling is disposed on the means for transferring current.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein the means for coupling has a width approximately equal to the first width.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first width is approximately equal to twenty-four nanometers (24 nm); and
the second width is approximately equal to twenty nanometers (20 nm).

16. A semiconductor device, comprising:
one or more active semiconductor regions, each comprising a corresponding channel region having a channel length;
a gate, comprising:
one or more field gates, each disposed over a top surface of a corresponding field oxide region, wherein each field gate has a first width; and
one or more active gates, each disposed over a top surface of a corresponding active semiconductor region and the corresponding channel region, wherein at least one of the one or more active gates has a second width less than the first width; and

a gate contact disposed on a corresponding field gate, wherein the gate contact has a width approximately equal to the first width.

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Yang Haining
• Chen Xiangdong

Classifications

• H10D64/01318

  the conductor comprising a layer of alloy material, compound material or organic material contacting the insulator, e.g. TiN (comprising a layer of alloys of Si, Ge or C H10D64/01314) · CPC title

• H01L29/4966 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L21/28088

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L29/78

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L29/66545

  Electricity · mapped topic