Cavity formation in interface layer in semiconductor devices

• US 9,837,362 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Petzold, David T., Whitefield, David Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US15/154,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20160336214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 455 73, 455 78, 455 84, 438143, 438149, 438238, 438240, 438241, 438242, 438310, 438311, 438329, 438359
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30604 Chemical etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/7624 using semiconductor on insulator [SOI] technology H01L21/76297 takes precedence; manufacture of integrated circuits on insulating substrates H01L21/84; silicon on sapphire [SOS] technology H01L21/86
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76251 using bonding techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/764 Air gaps H01L21/76264 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/768 Applying interconnections to be used for carrying current between separate components within a device comprising conductors and dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76802 by forming openings in dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76895 Local interconnects; Local pads, as exemplified by patent document EP0896365
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76898 formed through a semiconductor substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/84 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. being an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68318 Auxiliary support including means facilitating the separation of a device or wafer from the auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68327 used during dicing or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/6834 used to protect an active side of a device or wafer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68359 used as a support during manufacture of interconnect decals or build up layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68368 used in a transfer process involving at least two transfer steps, i.e. including an intermediate handle substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/03 Manufacturing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/03002 for supporting the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/04042 Bonding areas specifically adapted for wire connectors, e.g. wirebond pads
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 : being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/06135 : Covering only the peripheral area of the surface to be connected, i.e. peripheral arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 : Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 : Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/94 : at wafer-level, i.e. with connecting carried out on a wafer comprising a plurality of undiced individual devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3121 : a substrate forming part of the encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5283 : Cross-sectional geometry
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/535 : including internal interconnections, e.g. cross-under constructions internal lead connections H01L23/481
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/562 : Protection against mechanical damage H01L23/02, H01L23/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 : High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/05 : of an individual bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/06 : of a plurality of bonding areas
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 : Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 : the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 : the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 28/10 : Inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0649 : Dielectric regions, e.g. SiO2 regions, air gaps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66772 : Monocristalline silicon transistors on insulating substrates, e.g. quartz substrates H01L29/66666 takes precedence; thin film FinFETs H01L29/66795
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 : with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/786 : Thin film transistors, i.e. transistors with a channel being at least partly a thin film transistors having only the source or the drain region on an insulator layer H01L29/0653; thin film FinFETs H01L29/785
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 : characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78648 : arranged on opposing sides of the channel
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78654 : Monocrystalline silicon transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1421 : RF devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15192 : Resurf arrangement of the internal vias
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15313 : being a land array, e.g. LGA
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/02566 : of semiconductor substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/24 : Constructional features of resonators of material which is not piezoelectric, electrostrictive, or magnetostrictive
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 : Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/44 : Transmit/receive switching
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 39/00 : Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive element covered by groups H10N30/00 – H10N35/00

Abstract

Fabrication of radio-frequency (RF) devices involves providing a field-effect transistor (FET), forming one or more electrical connections to the FET, forming one or more dielectric layers over at least a portion of the electrical connections, and disposing an electrical element at least partially above the one or more dielectric layers, the electrical element being in electrical communication with the FET via the one or more electrical connections. RF device fabrication further involves applying an interface material over at least a portion of the one or more dielectric layers, removing at least a portion of the interface material to form a trench above at least a portion of the electrical element, and covering at least a portion of the interface material and the trench with a substrate layer to form a cavity, the electrical element being disposed at least partially within the cavity.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a radio-frequency device, the method comprising:

providing a field-effect transistor;

forming one or more electrical connections to the field-effect transistor;

forming one or more dielectric layers over at least a portion of the electrical connections;

disposing an electrical element at least partially above the one or more dielectric layers, the electrical element being in electrical communication with the field-effect transistor via the one or more electrical connections;

applying an interface material over at least a portion of the one or more dielectric layers;

removing at least a portion of the interface material to form a trench above at least a portion of the electrical element; and

covering at least a portion of the interface material and the trench with a substrate layer to form a cavity, the electrical element being disposed at least partially within the cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical element is a surface acoustic wave device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical element is a bulk acoustic wave device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical element is a passive device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the electrical element is an inductor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the field-effect transistor is formed over a semiconductor substrate and an oxide layer formed on the semiconductor substrate.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising at least partially removing the semiconductor substrate thereby exposing at least a portion of a backside of the oxide layer.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising disposing an electrical contact structure on the backside of the oxide layer to provide electrical contact to the one or more electrical connections via a through-oxide via.

9. A radio-frequency device comprising:

a field-effect transistor implemented over an oxide layer;

one or more electrical connections to the field-effect transistor;

one or more dielectric layers formed over at least a portion of the electrical connections;

an electrical element disposed over the one or more dielectric layers, the electrical element being in electrical communication with the field-effect transistor via the one or more electrical connections;

an interface layer covering at least a portion of the one or more dielectric layers, the interface layer having a trench therein above at least a portion of the electrical element; and

a substrate layer covering at least a portion of the interface layer and the trench to form a cavity, the electrical element being disposed at least partially within the cavity.

10. The radio-frequency device of claim 9 wherein the electrical element is a surface acoustic wave device.

11. The radio-frequency device of claim 9 wherein the electrical element is a bulk acoustic wave device.

12. The radio-frequency device of claim 9 wherein the electrical element is a passive device.

13. A wireless device comprising:

a transceiver configured to process radio-frequency signals;

a radio-frequency module in communication with the transceiver, the radio-frequency module including a switching device having a field-effect transistor implemented over an oxide layer, the switching device further including one or more electrical connections to the field-effect transistor, one or more dielectric layers formed over at least a portion of the electrical connections, an electrical element disposed over the one or more dielectric layers that is electrically coupled to the field-effect transistor via the one or more electrical connections, an interface layer covering at least a portion of the one or more dielectric layers and having a trench therein above the at least a portion of the electrical element, and a substrate layer covering at least a portion of the interface layer and the trench to form a cavity, the electrical element being disposed at least partially within the cavity; and

an antenna in communication with the radio-frequency module, the antenna configured to facilitate transmitting and/or receiving of the radio-frequency signals.

14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein the electrical element is a surface acoustic wave device.

15. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the electrical element is a bulk acoustic wave device.

16. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the electrical element is a passive device.

17. The wireless device of claim 16 wherein the electrical element is an inductor.

18. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the field-effect transistor is formed over a semiconductor substrate.

19. The wireless device of claim 18 wherein the radio-frequency module further includes an electrical contact structure disposed on a backside of the oxide layer to provide electrical contact to the one or more electrical connections via a through-oxide via.