# US 10,319,866 B2 · Layout techniques for transcap area optimization

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- Number: US 10,319,866 B2
- Document ID: US10319866B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/431,109
- Filed: 2017-02-13
- Published: 2018-08-16
- Granted: 2019-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-02-13
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Inventors: Fabio Alessio Marino; Paolo Menegoli; Narasimhulu Kanike; Francesco Carobolante
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319866B2

## CPC

- H10D 1/64: Variable-capacitance diodes, e.g. varactors
- H01G 7/00: Capacitors in which the capacitance is varied by non-mechanical means; Processes of their manufacture
- H01G 7/06: having a dielectric selected for the variation of its permittivity with applied voltage, i.e. ferroelectric capacitors (electrets H01G7/02)
- H10D 1/045: {of capacitors having potential barriers, e.g. varactors}
- H10D 1/048: {having PN junctions, e.g. hybrid capacitors with MOS control}
- H10D 1/66: Conductor-insulator-semiconductor capacitors, e.g. MOS capacitors
- H10D 62/126: {Top-view geometrical layouts of the regions or the junctions}
- H10D 84/215: {of only varactors}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)

## Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a semiconductor variable capacitor. The semiconductor variable capacitor generally includes a semiconductor region, an insulative layer disposed above the semiconductor region, and a first non-insulative region disposed above the insulative layer. In certain aspects, a second non-insulative region is disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region, and a control region is disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region such that a capacitance between the first non-insulative region and the second non-insulative region is configured to be adjusted by varying a control voltage applied to the control region. In certain aspects, the first non-insulative region is disposed above a first portion of the semiconductor region and a second portion of the semiconductor region, and the first portion and the second portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to a first side and a second side, respectively, of the control region or the second non-insulative region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor variable capacitor comprising:
a semiconductor region;
an insulative layer disposed above the semiconductor region;
a first non-insulative region disposed above the insulative layer;
a second non-insulative region disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region; and
a control region disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region such that a capacitance between the first non-insulative region and the second non-insulative region is configured to be adjusted by varying a control voltage applied to the control region, wherein:
the first non-insulative region is disposed above a first portion of the semiconductor region and a second portion of the semiconductor region;
the control region or the second non-insulative region comprises a first side and a second side;
the first portion and the second portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to the first side and the second side, respectively; and
the first side is perpendicular to the second side with respect to a top view, and the first portion being adjacent to the first side with respect to the top view, and the second portion being adjacent to the second side with respect to the top view.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 1, wherein:
the first portion and the second portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to the first side and the second side of the control region, respectively;
the first non-insulative region is disposed above a third portion of the semiconductor region and a fourth portion of the semiconductor region; and
the third portion and the fourth portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to the first side and the second side of the second non-insulative region, respectively.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 1, wherein:
the first portion and the second portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to the first side and the second side of the control region, respectively;
the first non-insulative region is disposed above a third portion of the semiconductor region and a fourth portion of the semiconductor region; and
the third portion and the fourth portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to a third side and a fourth side of the control region, respectively.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 3, further comprising:
another control region disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region such that a capacitance between the first non-insulative region and the second non-insulative region is configured to be adjusted by varying another control voltage applied to the other control region, wherein:
the first non-insulative region is disposed above a fifth portion of the semiconductor region and a sixth portion of the semiconductor region; and
the fifth portion and the sixth portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to a first side and a second side of the other control region, respectively.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 3, further comprising:
another insulative layer disposed above the semiconductor region;
a third non-insulative region disposed above the other insulative layer; and
another control region disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region such that a capacitance between the second non-insulative region and the third non-insulative region is configured to be adjusted by varying another control voltage applied to the other control region, wherein:
the third non-insulative region is disposed above a fifth portion of the semiconductor region and a sixth portion of the semiconductor region; and
the fifth portion and the sixth portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to a first side and a second side of the other control region, respectively.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 5, wherein the second non-insulative region is disposed between the control region and the other control region.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 1, further comprising:
another insulative layer disposed above the semiconductor region;
a third non-insulative region disposed above the other insulative layer; and
another control region disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region such that a capacitance between the second non-insulative region and the third non-insulative region is configured to be adjusted by varying another control voltage applied to the other control region, wherein:
the third non-insulative region is disposed above a third portion of the semiconductor region;
the first portion of the semiconductor region is disposed adjacent to a portion of the first side of the control region or the second non-insulative region; and
the third portion of the semiconductor region is disposed adjacent to another portion of the first side of the control region or the second non-insulative region.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 7, further comprising a fourth non-insulative region disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region, wherein:
the first non-insulative region is disposed above a fourth portion of the semiconductor region;
the third non-insulative region is disposed above a fifth portion of the semiconductor region;
the fourth portion of the semiconductor region is disposed adjacent to a portion of the first side of the fourth non-insulative region; and
the fifth portion of the semiconductor region is disposed adjacent to another portion of the first side of the fourth non-insulative region.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 1, further comprising:
another insulative layer disposed above the semiconductor region;
a third non-insulative region disposed above the other insulative layer; and
another control region disposed adjacent to the semiconductor region such that a capacitance between the second non-insulative region and the third non-insulative region is configured to be adjusted by varying another control voltage applied to the other control region, wherein:
the third non-insulative region is disposed above a third portion of the semiconductor region;
the first portion and the second portion of the semiconductor region are disposed adjacent to the first side and the second side of the control region; and
the third portion of the semiconductor region is disposed adjacent to a corner portion of the second non-insulative region.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor variable capacitor of claim 1, wherein the control voltage is applied to the control region with respect to the second non-insulative region.