Thermal conductivity enhanced semiconductor structures and fabrication processes
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRobert J. Gauthier, Jr., Dominic J. Schepis, William R. Tonti, Steven H. Voldman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Silicon is formed at selected locations on a substrate during fabrication of selected electronic components. A dielectric separation region is formed within the top silicon layer, and filled with a thermally conductive material. A liner material may be optionally deposited prior to depositing the thermally conductive material. In a second embodiment, a horizontal layer of thermally conductive material is also deposited in an oxide layer or bulk silicon layer below the top layer of silicon.
Claims26
A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of:
- isolating regions of surface silicon of a substrate comprised of bulk silicon and surface silicon separated by an insulator to produce at least first and second regions of surface silicon separated by an isolation region having a top surface that is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the at least first and second regions and which extends to the insulator;
- applying a mask pattern to a surface of the isolation region, the mask pattern having openings which expose at least a portion of the isolation region;
- adding a thermally conductive material used for heat dissipation only to the isolation region at openings defined in the mask pattern such that a top surface of the thermally conductive material is substantially coplanar with the top surface of the first and second regions;
- and
- removing the mask pattern.
A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure, comprising the steps of:
- forming a trough within a first insulator layer formed on a layer of bulk silicon to produce at least first and second regions of the insulator;
- depositing in the trough a first thermally conductive material having a top surface that is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the at least first and second regions;
- depositing a second insulator layer on the first insulator layer and the first thermally conductive material;
- depositing a layer of surface silicon over the second insulator layer;
- isolating regions of the surface silicon to produce at least first and second regions of surface silicon separated by an isolation region having a top surface that is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the at least first and second regions of the surface silicon;
- applying a mask pattern to a surface of the isolation region, the mask pattern having openings which expose at least a portion of the isolation region;
- etching an opening within the isolation region;
- depositing a second thermally conductive material used for heat dissipation only in the opening such that a top surface of the second thermally conductive material is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the first and second regions of the surface silicon;
- and
- removing the mask pattern.
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device having increased heat dissipation properties, said method including the steps of
- forming a recess in a substrate,
- filling said recess with a thermally conductive material to form a plug,
- forming active devices at a surface of said substrate adjacent said plug,
- applying an insulator layer over said active devices and said plug, and
- forming a thermally conductive path from said plug through said insulator layer to a surface of said insulator layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.