# US 10,504,859 B2 · Electronic component guard ring

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- Number: US 10,504,859 B2
- Document ID: US10504859B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/283,327
- Filed: 2016-10-01
- Published: 2018-04-05
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-01
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Hongbin Zhu; Minsoo Lee; Gordon A. Haller; Philip J. Ireland
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504859B2

## CPC

- H10W 42/00: Arrangements for protection of devices (arrangements for thermal protection H10W40/00)
- H10P 14/412: {Deposition of metallic or metal-silicide materials}
- H10P 50/242: {of Group IV materials}
- H10W 20/4451: {Semiconductor materials, e.g. polysilicon}
- H10W 42/121: {protecting against mechanical damage (H10W76/00, H10W74/00 take precedence)}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Guard ring technology is disclosed. In one example, an electronic component guard ring can include a barrier having a first barrier portion and a second barrier portion oriented end to end to block ion diffusion and crack propagation in an electronic component. The guard ring can also include an opening in the barrier between the first and second barrier portions extending between a first side and a second side of the barrier. Associated systems and methods are also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic component guard ring, comprising:
a barrier comprising a contiguous material extending through layers of conductive material and layers of insulative material, the barrier having a first portion and a second barrier portion oriented end to end to block ion diffusion and crack propagation in an electronic component; and
an opening in the barrier between the first and second barrier portions extending between a first side and a second side of the barrier, wherein the opening comprises bridges of semiconductor material extending between conductive material on the first side and conductive material on the second side of the barrier.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 1, wherein the first barrier portion and the second barrier portion are separated from one another by a gap to form the opening.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises at least three barrier portions and the opening comprises a plurality of openings in the barrier between adjacent barrier portions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises a plurality of barriers spaced from one another on at least one of the first side and the second side.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 4, wherein the plurality of barriers comprises at least three barriers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 1, further comprising a second barrier spaced from the first barrier on the first side or the second side, wherein the second barrier is continuous and devoid of an opening.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 6, wherein the first barrier comprises a plurality of barriers spaced from one another on at least one of the first side and the second side.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 6, wherein the second barrier is an innermost barrier.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 1, wherein the barrier is disposed about a perimeter of the electronic component.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises tungsten.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 1, wherein the layers of conductive material and layers of insulative material are alternating layers of conductive material and insulative material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 11, wherein the electronic component is a memory component.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The electronic component guard ring of claim 12, wherein the memory component is a NAND memory component.