Pyroelectric device for a semiconductor device
A pyroelectric generator may be included in the same semiconductor device as a radio frequency (RF) switch (e.g., a phase-change material (PCM) RF switch and/or other types of RF switch). The pyroelectric generator includes a pyroelectric material layer between two electrodes. The pyroelectric generator is configured to scavenge thermal energy that is generated during the operation of the RF switch, and to convert the thermal energy into electrical energy that may be stored and reused.
1 . A semiconductor device, comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) switch in a dielectric layer,
wherein a portion of the dielectric layer is on a side of the RF switch along a first direction;
a pyroelectric device in the dielectric layer under the RF switch along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction,
wherein the pyroelectric device comprises an electrode on a pyroelectric material layer, and
wherein an end of the electrode is under at least part of the portion of the dielectric layer on the side of the RF switch; and
a plurality of conductive structures that electrically connect the pyroelectric device to a rectifier circuit,
wherein the plurality of conductive structures comprise a via on the end of the electrode and extending above the electrode along the second direction through the portion of the dielectric layer on the side of the RF switch.
2 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the RF switch comprises:
a heater;
a phase change material (PCM) layer over the heater;
a first electrode on a first side of the PCM layer; and
a second electrode on a second side of the PCM layer opposing the first side.
3 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the pyroelectric material layer comprises at least one of:
a hafnium oxide (HfO x ) material,
a hafnium oxide material that is doped with one or more types of dopants,
a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) material, or
a strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT) material.
4 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pyroelectric generator, comprising:
the pyroelectric device;
the rectifier circuit electrically connected with the pyroelectric device; and
an electrical storage device electrically connected with the rectifier circuit.
5 . The semiconductor device of claim 4 , wherein the pyroelectric device is configured to generate an electrical current based on changes in temperature of the RF switch.
6 . The semiconductor device of claim 5 , wherein the rectifier circuit is configured to generate a rectified current by rectifying the electrical current; and
wherein the electrical storage device is configured to store the rectified current.
7 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the pyroelectric device is configured to generate an electrical current during at least one of:
a set operation of the RF switch in which the RF switch transitions from an off state to an on state, or
a reset operation of the RF switch in transitions from the on state to the off state.
8 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the RF switch comprises a heater; and
wherein a vertical distance between the heater and the pyroelectric device is included in a range of approximately 0.1 microns to approximately 1 micron.
9 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conductive structures further comprise a second via extending along the second direction through the portion of the dielectric layer on the side of the PCM RF switch.
10 . A semiconductor device, comprising:
a phase change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switch in a dielectric layer,
wherein a portion of the dielectric layer is on a side of the PCM RF switch;
a pyroelectric device in the dielectric layer below the RF switch,
wherein the pyroelectric device comprises a top electrode on a pyroelectric material layer, and
wherein an end of the top electrode overlaps at least part of the portion of the dielectric layer on the side of the PCM RF switch; and
a plurality of conductive structures that electrically connect the pyroelectric device to a rectifier circuit,
wherein the plurality of conductive structures comprise a via above the end of the top electrode and extending above the top electrode through the portion of the dielectric layer on the side of the PCM RF switch.
11 . The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of conductive structures further comprise:
a second via extending through the portion of the dielectric layer on the side of the PCM RF switch in a direction that is approximately parallel with the via,
wherein the second via electrically connects a bottom electrode of the pyroelectric device with the rectifier circuit.
12 . The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of conductive structures further comprise:
a first metallization layer electrically connected with and above the via;
a second via electrically connected with and below the first metallization layer,
wherein the via and the second via are approximately parallel;
a second metallization layer below the second via and electrically connecting the second via with the rectifier circuit;
a third via electrically connected with and below a bottom electrode of the pyroelectric device; and
a third metallization layer below the third via and electrically connecting the third via with the rectifier circuit.
13 . The semiconductor device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second dielectric layer under the dielectric layer;
an etch stop layer (ESL) between the dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer; and
a metallization layer between the pyroelectric device and the PCM RF switch,
wherein the pyroelectric device, the metallization layer, and a first subset of the plurality of conductive structures are included in the first-second dielectric layer, and
wherein the PCM RF switch and a second subset of the plurality of conductive structures are included in the dielectric layer.
14 . The semiconductor device of claim 10 , further comprising:
a PCM RF switch array comprising a plurality of PCM RF switches above the pyroelectric device,
wherein the PCM RF switch is included in the plurality of PCM RF switches, and
wherein the PCM RF switch array comprises:
respective sets of contacts for each of the plurality of PCM RF switches;
a plurality of heaters under the respective sets of contacts; and
respective PCM layers that extend between contacts in the respective sets of contacts,
wherein the respective PCM layers are approximately U-shaped PCM layers.
15 . The semiconductor device of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of conductive structures further comprise:
a plurality of second vias electrically connected with a bottom electrode of the pyroelectric device and extending below the bottom electrode.
16 . The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein the pyroelectric device comprises at least one of:
a hafnium oxide (HfO x ) material,
a hafnium oxide material that is doped with one or more types of dopants,
a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) material, or
a strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT) material.
17 . The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the second via extends through the portion of the dielectric layer on the side of the PCM RF switch.
18 . A semiconductor device, comprising:
a first oxide layer;
a bottom electrode of a pyroelectric device over the first oxide layer;
a pyroelectric material layer of the pyroelectric device over the bottom electrode;
a top electrode of the pyroelectric device over the pyroelectric material layer;
a second oxide layer of a phase change material (PCM) radio frequency (RF) switch over the top electrode of the pyroelectric device;
a heater of the PCM RF switch in a recess in the second oxide layer;
a PCM layer of the PCM RF switch over the heater;
a plurality of contacts of the PCM RF switch at least partially over the PCM layer,
wherein a portion of the second oxide layer is on a side of the PCM RF switch;
wherein an end of the top electrode overlaps at least part of the portion of the second oxide layer on the side of the PCM RF switch; and
a plurality of conductive structures that electrically connect the pyroelectric device to a rectifier circuit,
wherein the plurality of conductive structures comprise a via on the end of the top electrode and extending above the top electrode through the portion of the second oxide layer on the side of the PCM RF switch.
19 . The semiconductor device of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of conductive structures electrically connect the pyroelectric device with the rectifier circuit and an electrical storage device.
20 . The semiconductor device of claim 18 , wherein the pyroelectric device comprises at least one of:
a hafnium oxide (HfO x ) material,
a hafnium oxide material that is doped with one or more types of dopants,
a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) material, or
a strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT) material.