18520998. ESD STRUCTURE simplified abstract (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)
Contents
ESD STRUCTURE
Organization Name
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Inventor(s)
Chun-Chia Hsu of Kaohsiung City (TW)
Tung-Heng Hsieh of Hsinchu County (TW)
Yung-Feng Chang of Hsinchu City (TW)
Bao-Ru Young of Zhubei City (TW)
Chih-Hung Wang of Hsinchu City (TW)
ESD STRUCTURE - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18520998 titled 'ESD STRUCTURE
Simplified Explanation
The abstract describes an Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) structure for semiconductor devices, which includes various epitaxy regions and conductive features to protect against ESD events.
- The ESD structure includes a semiconductor substrate, first and second epitaxy regions with different conductivities, and multiple semiconductor layers stacked between them.
- Conductive features are formed over the epitaxy regions, both inside and outside of an oxide diffusion region, to provide ESD protection.
- The oxide diffusion region is located between the conductive features to enhance the ESD protection capabilities of the structure.
Potential Applications
The ESD structure can be used in various semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits, microprocessors, and memory chips to protect them from ESD events.
Problems Solved
The ESD structure helps prevent damage to semiconductor devices caused by electrostatic discharge, which can lead to malfunctions or failures in electronic components.
Benefits
- Improved reliability and longevity of semiconductor devices - Enhanced ESD protection capabilities - Increased performance and functionality of electronic products
Potential Commercial Applications
"ESD Structure for Semiconductor Devices: Enhancing Protection and Reliability"
Possible Prior Art
There may be prior art related to ESD protection structures in semiconductor devices, such as different configurations of conductive features and epitaxy regions for ESD protection.
Unanswered Questions
How does the ESD structure impact the overall performance of the semiconductor device?
The article does not delve into the specific effects of the ESD structure on the performance metrics of the semiconductor device. It would be interesting to explore how the ESD protection features may influence factors such as speed, power consumption, or signal integrity.
What are the manufacturing challenges associated with implementing the ESD structure in semiconductor devices?
The article does not address the potential difficulties or complexities in manufacturing semiconductor devices with the described ESD structure. Understanding the manufacturing challenges could provide insights into the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of incorporating such features into commercial products.
Original Abstract Submitted
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) structures are provided. An ESD structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a first epitaxy region with a first type of conductivity over the semiconductor substrate, a second epitaxy region with a second type of conductivity over the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of semiconductor layers. The semiconductor layers are stacked over the semiconductor substrate and between the first and second epitaxy regions. A first conductive feature is formed over the first epitaxy region and outside an oxide diffusion region. A second conductive feature is formed over the second epitaxy region and outside the oxide diffusion region. A third conductive feature is formed over the first epitaxy region and within the oxide diffusion region. A fourth conductive feature is formed over the second epitaxy region and within the oxide diffusion region. The oxide diffusion region is disposed between the first and second conductive features.
