Salicide structures for heat-influenced semiconductor applications

• US 7,693,354 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Carothers, Daniel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, TINA MEI SENG
• Application Number:
  US12/201,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20100054653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 385/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12061 Silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12097 Ridge, rib or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12135 Temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12142 Modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/122 Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/136 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0147 based on thermo-optic effects G02F1/132 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/025 in an optical waveguide structure G02F1/017, G02F1/2257 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/2257 the optical waveguides being made of semiconducting material

Abstract

A salicide heater structure for use in thermo-optic and other heat-influenced semiconductor devices is disclosed. In one example embodiment, a system is provided that includes a silicon substrate, and a salicide heating element formed on the substrate, for delivering heat radiation to a heat-influenced semiconductor device. Another example embodiment is a salicide semiconductor system that includes a silicon substrate and a salicide structure formed on the substrate, wherein the salicide structure is for delivering heat radiation to a heat-influenced semiconductor device.

Claims

1. A heater system for use with heat-influenced semiconductor devices, the system comprising:

a silicon substrate; and

a salicide heating element formed on the substrate, for delivering heat radiation to a heat-influenced semiconductor device proximate the salicide heating element, wherein the salicide heating element is free standing from the heat-influenced semiconductor device and is thermally separated from the heat-influenced semiconductor device by a dielectric layer.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

contact pad portions conductively coupled to the salicide heating element, for applying power to the salicide heating element.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the contact pad portions are conductively coupled to metal contacts.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising the heat-influenced semiconductor device.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the salicide heating element is buried in a dielectric cladding layer and is not in direct physical contact with the heat-influenced semiconductor device.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the system is a thermo-optic system and the heat-influenced semiconductor device is an optical waveguide.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the heat-influenced semiconductor device is an active device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of salicide heating elements formed on the substrate, for delivering the heat radiation.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the substrate is a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate.

10. A method of making a heater system for use with heat-influenced semiconductor devices, the method comprising:

providing a silicon substrate; and

forming one or more salicide heating elements on the substrate, for delivering heat radiation to a heat-influenced semiconductor device proximate the one or more salicide heating elements, wherein the salicide heating element is free standing from the heat-influenced semiconductor device and is thermally separated from the heat-influenced semiconductor device by a dielectric layer.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein forming one or more salicide heating element on the substrate comprises:

depositing metal on the substrate for heating element portions and contact pad portions; and

heating the substrate to react the substrate with the metal to form a salicide heater.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising etching away excess metal.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising repeating the heating step at a higher temperature after the etching step.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising depositing metal contacts that are conductively coupled to the contact pad portions.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming the heat-influenced semiconductor device on the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the heat-influenced semiconductor device is a waveguide or active device.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein forming the heat-influenced semiconductor device and forming the one or more salicide heating elements are performed, at least in part, contemporaneously.

18. A salicide semiconductor system, comprising:

a silicon substrate; and

a salicide structure formed on the substrate, for delivering heat radiation to a heat-influenced semiconductor device, wherein the salicide heating element is free standing from the heat-influenced semiconductor device and is thermally separated from the heat-influenced semiconductor device by a dielectric layer.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the salicide structure is buried in a silicon dioxide cladding layer and is not in direct physical contact with the heat-influenced semiconductor device.

20. The device of claim 18 wherein there is a plurality of salicide structures formed on the substrate, for delivering the heat radiation to the heat-influenced semiconductor device.