Versatile system for charge dissipation in the formation of semiconductor device structures

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for dissipating any aberrant charge that may accumulate during the fabrication of a semiconductor device segment (200), obviating overstress or break down damage to a focal device structure (208) that might result from uncontrolled dissipation of the aberrant charge. A substrate (202) has first and second intermediate structures (204, 206) disposed atop the substrate, with the focal structure disposed atop the substrate therebetween. A first conductive structure (210) is disposed atop the second intermediate structure, the focal structure, and a portion of the first intermediate structure. A third intermediate structure (214) is disposed contiguously atop the first conductive structure and the first intermediate layer. A void (216) is formed in a peripheral region (218) of device segment, through the first and third intermediate layers down to the substrate. A second conductive structure (220) is disposed atop the third intermediate structure such that it couples the substrate through the void.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.