IP Library Granted Patent US 8,878,334
Granted Patent B1
US 8,878,334 · App. 13/429,284 · Granted Nov 4, 2014

Integrated circuit resistors with reduced parasitic capacitance

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,878,334
App. No.
13/429,284
Granted
Nov 4, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

Integrated circuits that include resistors are provided. An integrated circuit resistor may include a conductive structure disposed over a semiconductor substrate. An oxide layer may be interposed between the conductive structure and a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. A shallow trench isolation structure may be formed in the substrate directly beneath the oxide layer. The shallow trench isolation structure may be formed in a given region in the substrate that is contained within a surrounding n-well and a deep n-well. The given region within which the shallow trench isolation structure is formed may exhibit native substrate dopant concentration levels; the given region is neither an n-well nor a p-well. The surrounding n-well and the deep n-well may be reversed biased to help fully deplete the given region so that parasitic capacitance levels associated with the resistor are minimized.

Claims (32)

1. An integrated circuit resistor comprising:

a substrate having a first dopant concentration level;

a resistor structure disposed over a region in the substrate, wherein the region has a second dopant concentration level that is substantially equal to the first dopant concentration level;

a plurality of well structures in the substrate that surrounds the region, wherein the plurality of well structures and at least a portion of the region have opposite doping types; and

dielectric material interposed between the resistor structure and the substrate.

2. The integrated circuit resistor defined in claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a p-type semiconductor substrate.

3. The integrated circuit resistor defined in claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a surface over which the resistor structure is disposed, the resistor further comprising:

a shallow trench isolation structure formed within the region of the substrate under the resistor structure, wherein the shallow trench isolation structure is formed in the surface of the substrate.

4. The integrated circuit resistor defined in claim 3 , wherein the dielectric material is interposed between the resistor structure and the shallow trench isolation structure.

5. The integrated circuit resistor defined in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of well structures comprises n-wells.

6. The integrated circuit resistor defined in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of well structures includes a first n-well formed below the shallow trench isolation structure, and wherein the first n-well comprises a deep n-well.

7. The integrated circuit resistor defined in claim 6 , wherein the plurality of well structures further includes a second n-well that extends from the surface of the substrate down into the substrate to make electrical contact with the first n-well.

8. The integrated circuit resistor defined in claim 7 , wherein the plurality of well structures comprises reversed-biased n-well regions.

9. Integrated circuit resistor circuitry comprising:

a substrate;

a conductive structure disposed over a region in the substrate, wherein the conductive structure has portions forming first and second terminals for the integrated circuit resistor circuitry; and

a plurality of well structures in the region that surrounds the region, wherein the region is fully depleted of mobile carriers.

10. The integrated circuit resistor circuitry defined in claim 9 , wherein the region and the plurality of well structures have opposite doping types.

11. The integrated circuit resistor circuitry defined in claim 10 , wherein the region has a first dopant concentration level, and wherein the plurality of well structures has a second dopant concentration level that is substantially greater than the first dopant concentration level.

12. The integrated circuit resistor circuitry defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a first power supply line on which a first power supply voltage is provided; and

a second power supply line on which a second power supply voltage that is less than the first power supply voltage is provided, wherein the integrated circuit resistor circuitry is coupled between the first and second power supply lines, and wherein the n-well structures are biased using a voltage that is greater than the second power supply voltage.

13. The integrated circuit resistor circuitry defined in claim 9 further comprising:

a shallow trench isolation structure that is formed in the fully depleted region under the conductive structure.

14. The integrated circuit resistor circuitry defined in claim 13 further comprising:

a dielectric liner interposed between the conductive structure and the shallow trench isolation structure.

15. The integrated circuit resistor circuitry defined in claim 1 , wherein the resistor structure comprises an undoped conductive structure.

16. Integrated circuit resistor circuitry comprising:

a substrate having a surface and a first dopant concentration level;

a resistor structure disposed over a region in the substrate, wherein the region has a second dopant concentration level that is substantially equal to the first dopant concentration level and wherein the resistor structure is formed from material selected from the group consisting of metal and polysilicon;

a plurality of well structures in the substrate that surrounds the region, wherein the plurality of well structures and at least a portion of the region have opposite doping types; and

a shallow trench isolation structure formed under the surface of the substrate, wherein the shallow trench isolation is interposed between the resistor structure and the region.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2025
From: ALTERA CORPORATION
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073431/0309 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2012
From: RATNAKUMAR, ALBERT; SMEYS, PETER
To: ALTERA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027922/0057 →