US 7,067,342 B2 · Method of integrating optical devices and electronic devices on an integrated circuit · patentgrep

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Abstract

A semiconductor structure has a waveguide a transistor on the same integrated circuit. One trench isolation technique is used for defining a transistor region and another is used for optimizing a lateral boundary of the waveguide. Both the waveguide and the transistor have trenches with liners that can be separately optimized. The transistor has a salicide for source/drain contacts. During this process, a salicide block is used over the waveguide to prevent salicide formation in unwanted areas of the waveguide. The depth of the trench for the waveguide can be lower than that of the trench for the transistor isolation. Trench isolation depth can be set by an etch stop region that can be either a thin oxide layer or a buffer layer that is selectively etchable with respect to the top semiconductor layer and that can be used as a seed layer for growing the top semiconductor layer.

Claims67

Dependent claims

A method for integrating an optical device and an electronic device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having an active semiconductor layer;
forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and openings within the active semiconductor layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first region corresponds to an optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the second region corresponds to an electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming optical liners on sidewalls within the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming trench liners on sidewalls within the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein forming the optical liners in the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and forming the trench liners in the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate comprises one of:
(i) simultaneously forming the optical liners and the trench liners, or (ii) independently forming the optical liners in the optical device portion from the trench liners in the electronic device portion;
filling the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate with a fill material;
forming at least a portion of an electronic device on the active semiconductor layer within the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming a salicide blocking layer overlying the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
saliciding the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the salicide blocking layer prevents salicidation of the active semiconductor layer within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
and
forming an interlevel dielectric layer overlying the optical device portion and the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the interlevel dielectric can act as an upper cladding layer of an optical device formed within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate.

8 more elements

A method for integrating an optical device and an electronic device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having an active semiconductor layer;
forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and openings within the active semiconductor layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first region corresponds to an optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the second region corresponds to an electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in the first region and within the active semiconductor layer in the second region comprises one of:
(i) simultaneously forming openings in the optical device portion and the electronic device portion, or (ii) independently forming openings in the optical device portion from openings in the electronic device portion, or (iii) using a dual trench process that includes forming the openings in the optical device portion to a first depth, and forming the openings in the electronic device portion to a second depth, the second depth being greater than the first depth;
forming optical liners on sidewalls within the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming trench liners on sidewalls within the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein forming the optical liners in the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and forming the trench liners in the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate comprises one of:
(i) simultaneously forming the optical liners and the trench liners, or (ii) independently forming the optical liners in the optical device portion from the trench liners in the electronic device portion;
filling the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate with a fill material;
forming at least a portion of an electronic device on the active semiconductor layer within the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
and
forming an interlevel dielectric layer overlying the optical device portion and the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the interlevel dielectric can act as an upper cladding layer of an optical device formed within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate.

7 more elements

A method for integrating an optical device and an electronic device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having an active semiconductor layer, wherein the active semiconductor layer comprises one of:
(i) a top semiconductor layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, or (ii) a top semiconductor layer of a dual semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, or (iii) a top semiconductor layer overlying a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer having an etch selectivity different from an etch selectivity of the top semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer overlying a bottom semiconductor layer, the bottom semiconductor layer overlying an insulator, or (iv) a top semiconductor layer overlying a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer overlying a bottom semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer being lattice matched to the bottom semiconductor layer, and the bottom semiconductor layer overlying an insulator;
forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and openings within the active semiconductor layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first region corresponds to an optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the second region corresponds to an electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming optical liners on sidewalls within the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming trench liners on sidewalls within the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein forming the optical liners in the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and forming the trench liners in the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate comprises one of:
(i) simultaneously forming the optical liners and the trench liners, or (ii) independently forming the optical liners in the optical device portion from the trench liners in the electronic device portion;
filling the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate with a fill material;
forming at least a portion of an electronic device on the active semiconductor layer within the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
and
forming an interlevel dielectric layer overlying the optical device portion and the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the interlevel dielectric can act as an upper cladding layer of an optical device formed within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate.

7 more elements

A method for integrating an optical device and an electronic device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having an active semiconductor layer;
forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and openings within the active semiconductor layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first region corresponds to an optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the second region corresponds to an electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in the first region and within the active semiconductor layer in the second region comprises one of:
(i) simultaneously forming openings in the optical device portion and the electronic device portion, or (ii) independently forming openings in the optical device portion from openings in the electronic device portion, or (iii) using a dual trench process that includes forming the openings in the optical device portion to a first depth, and forming the openings in the electronic device portion to a second depth, the second depth being greater than the first depth;
filling the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate with a fill material;
forming at least a portion of an electronic device on the active semiconductor layer within the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming a salicide blocking layer overlying the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
saliciding the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the salicide blocking layer prevents salicidation of the active semiconductor layer within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
and
forming an interlevel dielectric layer overlying the optical device portion and the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the interlevel dielectric can act as an upper cladding layer of an optical device formed within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate.

6 more elements

A method for integrating an optical device and an electronic device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having an active semiconductor layer, wherein the active semiconductor layer comprises one of:
(i) a top semiconductor layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, or (ii) a top semiconductor layer of a dual semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, or (iii) a top semiconductor layer overlying a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer having an etch selectivity different from an etch selectivity of the top semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer overlying a bottom semiconductor layer, the bottom semiconductor layer overlying an insulator, or (iv) a top semiconductor layer overlying a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer overlying a bottom semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer being lattice matched to the bottom semiconductor layer, and the bottom semiconductor layer overlying an insulator;
forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and openings within the active semiconductor layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first region corresponds to an optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the second region corresponds to an electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
filling the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate with a fill material;
forming at least a portion of an electronic device on the active semiconductor layer within the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
forming a salicide blocking layer overlying the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
saliciding the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the salicide blocking layer prevents salicidation of the active semiconductor layer within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
and
forming an interlevel dielectric layer overlying the optical device portion and the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the interlevel dielectric can act as an upper cladding layer of an optical device formed within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate.

6 more elements

A method for integrating an optical device and an electronic device on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having an active semiconductor layer;
forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in a first region of the semiconductor substrate and openings within the active semiconductor layer in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first region corresponds to an optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the second region corresponds to an electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein forming openings within the active semiconductor layer in the first region and within the active semiconductor layer in the second region comprises one of:
(i) simultaneously forming openings in the optical device portion and the electronic device portion, or (ii) independently forming openings in the optical device portion from openings in the electronic device portion, or (iii) using a dual trench process that includes forming the openings in the optical device portion to a first depth, and forming the openings in the electronic device portion to a second depth, the second depth being greater than the first depth;
filling the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate and the openings of the active semiconductor layer in the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate with a fill material;
forming at least a portion of an electronic device on the active semiconductor layer within the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate;
and
forming an interlevel dielectric layer overlying the optical device portion and the electronic device portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the interlevel dielectric can act as an upper cladding layer of an optical device formed within the optical device portion of the semiconductor substrate.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/988,963Filed 15 Nov 2004
Published: US 2006/0105488 A118 May 2006
Granted: 27 Jun 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H10D 84/40
Integrated devices formed in or on semiconductor substrates that comprise only semiconducting layers, e.g. on Si wafers or on GaAs-on-Si wafers:…
H10D 84/80
Integrated devices formed in or on semiconductor substrates that comprise only semiconducting layers, e.g. on Si wafers or on GaAs-on-Si wafers:…
H10D 86/01
Integrated devices formed in or on insulating or conducting substrates, e.g. formed in silicon-on-insulator [SOI] substrates or on stainless…
H10D
Inorganic electric semiconductor devices

Family

US 2006/0105488 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 May 2006
US 7,067,342 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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