Wafer reinforcement to reduce wafer curvature
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsErdem Kaltalioglu, Andrew T. Kim, Chengwen Pei, Ping-Chuan Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A semiconductor structure includes filled dual reinforcing trenches that reduce curvature of the semiconductor structure by stiffening the semiconductor structure. The filled dual reinforcing trenches reduce curvature by acting against transverse loading, axial loading, and/or torsional loading of the semiconductor structure that would otherwise result in semiconductor structure curvature. The filled dual reinforcing trenches may be located in an array throughout the semiconductor structure, in particular locations within the semiconductor structure, or at the perimeter of the semiconductor structure.
Claims8
A wafer comprising:
- a silicon on insulator (SOI) layer formed directly upon a buried insulating layer, the buried insulating layer formed directly upon a substrate;
- a filled deep trench associated with a microdevice within the wafer, wherein the filled deep trench is filled with a trench material;
- filled dual reinforcement trenches separated by dielectric material within the wafer, each filled dual reinforcement trench comprising trench material directly upon the sidewalls and directly upon lower surfaces of each of the dual reinforcement trenches and reinforcing material directly upon the trench material;
- wherein the deep trench and filled dual reinforcing trenches extend through the SOI layer, through the buried insulating layer, and partially through the substrate;
- a first conductive contact directly upon at least the trench material that fills the deep trench;
- and
- a second conductive contact directly upon at least the trench material that is directly upon a sidewall of one of the dual reinforcing trenches.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.