IP Library Granted Patent US 10,566,416
Granted Patent B2
US 10,566,416 · App. 16/103,949 · Granted Feb 18, 2020

Semiconductor device with improved field layer

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,566,416
App. No.
16/103,949
Granted
Feb 18, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device constituted of: a semiconductor layer; and a field layer patterned on said semiconductor layer, said field layer constituted of material having characteristics which block diffusion of mobile ions and maintain structural integrity at activation temperatures of up to 1200 degrees centigrade.

Claims (53)

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor layer having at least one doped well formed therein; and

a field layer patterned on said semiconductor layer, said field layer adjacent at least a portion of said at least one doped well, said field layer constituted of material having characteristics that:

block diffusion of mobile ions; and

maintain structural integrity at processing temperatures of up to 1200 degrees centigrade.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a metal layer deposited on at least a portion of said semiconductor layer, said field layer and said metal layer completely covering said at least one doped well.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein said patterned field layer material characteristics block said diffusion of mobile ions for at least 1 hour at a temperature of 450 degrees centigrade.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein said patterned field layer material characteristics block said diffusion of mobile ions for at least 1000 hours at a temperature of 200 degrees centigrade.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits residual film stress of less than 1 giga-dyne per centimeter squared.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of: silicon oxynitride; phosphosilicate glass; borosilicate glass; and borophosphosilicate glass.

7. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor layer; and

a field layer patterned on said semiconductor layer, said field layer constituted of material having characteristics that:

exhibit residual film stress of less than 2 giga-dynes per centimeter squared;

block diffusion of mobile ions; and

maintain structural integrity at processing temperatures of up to 1200 degrees centigrade.

8. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor layer; and

a field layer patterned on said semiconductor layer, said field layer constituted of material having characteristics that:

exhibit a refractive index of 1.55-1.60 as determined by an ellipsometer with a 633 nm light source;

block diffusion of mobile ions; and

maintain structural integrity at processing temperatures of up to 1200 degrees centigrade.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a semiconductor layer; and

a field layer patterned on said semiconductor layer, said field layer having a first face and a second face opposing said first face, said field layer patterned on said semiconductor layer at said first face, and wherein the refractive index of said patterned field layer increases from said first face to said second face, said field layer constituted of material having characteristics that:

block diffusion of mobile ions and

maintain structural integrity at processing temperatures of up to 1200 degrees centigrade.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 9 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits a refractive index of 1.47-1.49 at said first face, said refractive index at said first face determined by an ellipsometer with a 633 nm light source.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 10 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits a refractive index of 1.71-1.72 at said second face, said refractive index at said second face determined by the ellipsometer with the 633 nm light source.

12. A semiconductor device fabrication method, the method comprising:

patterning a field layer on a first face of a semiconductor layer, the field layer constituted of material having characteristics which block diffusion of mobile ions;

depositing at least one doped well in the semiconductor layer; and activating said at least one doped well,

wherein said field layer material characteristics maintain structural integrity at processing temperatures of up to 1200 degrees centigrade.

13. The method of claim 12

wherein said patterned field layer is adjacent at least a portion of said at least one doped well, said method further comprising:

depositing a metal layer on at least a portion of the first face of the semiconductor layer, said patterned field layer and said deposited metal layer completely covering said at least one doped well; and

depositing a low contact resistance metal on a second face of the semiconductor layer, the second face opposing the first face thereof,

wherein said patterning of the field layer is performed after said at least one doped well activation.

14. The method of claim 12 ,

wherein said patterned field layer is adjacent at least a portion of said at least one doped well, said method further comprising:

forming a silicide layer on a second face of the semiconductor layer, the second face opposing the first face thereof; and

depositing a metal layer on at least a portion of the first face of the semiconductor layer, said patterned field layer and said deposited metal layer completely covering said at least one doped well,

wherein said patterning of the field layer is performed after said at least one doped well activation and said formation of the silicide layer.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said patterned field layer material characteristics block said diffusion of mobile ions for at least 1 hour at a temperature of 450 degrees centigrade.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said patterned field layer material characteristics block said diffusion of mobile ions for at least 1000 hours at a temperature of 200 degrees centigrade.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits residual film stress of less than 2 giga-dynes per centimeter squared.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits residual film stress of less than 1 giga-dyne per centimeter squared.

19. The method claim 12 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits a refractive index of 1.55-1.60 as determined by an ellipsometer with a 633 nm light source.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits a first face and a second face, opposing the first face thereof, the first face of the field layer patterned on the first face of the semiconductor layer, and

wherein the refractive index of said patterned field layer increases from the first face of the field layer to the second face thereof.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits a refractive index of 1.47-1.49 at said first face, said refractive index at said first face determined by an ellipsometer with a 633 nm light source.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein said patterned field layer exhibits a refractive index of 1.71-1.72 at said second face, said refractive index at said second face determined by the ellipsometer with the 633 nm light source.

23. The method of claim 12 , wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of: silicon oxynitride; phosphosilicate glass; borosilicate glass; and borophosphosilicate glass.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059263/0001 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052856/0909 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2018
From: GENDRON-HANSEN, AMAURY; ODEKIRK, BRUCE; BERLINER, NATHANIEL; SDRULLA, DUMITRU
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046786/0917 →