Esd protection scheme for semiconductor devices having dummy pads
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsShih-Hsorng Shen, Yu-Ting Lin, Yung-Sheng Huang
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Abstract
A semiconductor device formed in a semiconductor substrate for dissipating electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge in an integrated circuit is provided. In one embodiment, the device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of layers of metal lines formed overlying the substrate; a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines; and a dummy pad formed over the plurality of layers of metal lines, the dummy pad having a diode connected thereto and to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
Claims15
A semiconductor device formed in a semiconductor substrate for protecting an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge, the device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a plurality of layers of metal lines formed overlying the substrate;
- a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers formed between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines;
- and
- a dummy pad formed over the plurality of layers of metal lines, the dummy pad having a diode connected thereto and to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
A semiconductor device formed in a semiconductor substrate for protecting an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge, the device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a plurality of layers of metal lines formed overlying the substrate;
- a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers formed between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines;
- and
- a dummy pad formed over the plurality of layers of metal lines, the dummy pad having a gate-grounded NMOS (ggNMOS) connected thereto, the drain being connected to the dummy pad and the gate and source being connected to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
A semiconductor device formed in a semiconductor substrate for protecting an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge, the device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a plurality of layers of metal lines formed overlying the substrate;
- a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers formed between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines;
- and
- a dummy pad formed over the plurality of layers of metal lines, the dummy pad comprising:
- a gate-grounded NMOS (ggNMOS), the drain being connected to the dummy pad and the gate and source being connected to ground;
- and
- a diode connected to the dummy pad and to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
A method for forming a semiconductor device in a semiconductor substrate for protecting an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge, the method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a plurality of layers of metal lines overlying the substrate;
- forming a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines;
- and
- providing a dummy pad over the plurality of layers of metal lines, the dummy pad having a diode connected thereto and to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
A method for forming a semiconductor device in a semiconductor substrate for protecting an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge, the method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a plurality of layers of metal lines overlying the substrate;
- forming a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines;
- and
- providing a dummy pad over the plurality of layers of metal lines, the dummy pad having a gate-grounded NMOS (ggNMOS) connected thereto, the drain being connected to the dummy pad and the gate and source being connected to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
A method for forming a semiconductor device in a semiconductor substrate for protecting an integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge, the method comprising:
- providing a semiconductor substrate;
- forming a plurality of layers of metal lines overlying the substrate;
- forming a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines;
- and
- providing a dummy pad over the plurality of layers of metal lines, the dummy pad comprising:
- a gate-grounded NMOS (ggNMOS), the drain being connected to the dummy pad and the gate and source being connected to ground;
- and
- a diode connected to the dummy pad and to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
A semiconductor device formed in a semiconductor substrate for protecting an adjacent integrated circuit from electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge, the device comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- a plurality of layers of metal lines formed overlying the substrate;
- a plurality of via plugs through intermetal dielectric layers formed between the layers of metal lines and wherein the via plugs interconnect the metal lines;
- and
- a dummy pad connected at one end to a top via plug and at another end to ground for providing a discharge path for the electrostatic discharge and/or accumulated charge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.