Abstract
A method to integrate a vertical IMPATT diode in a planar process.
Claims
1. An IMPATT diode, comprising: a substrate; a p-type region and an n-type region that are vertically arranged on the substrate, the n-type region including a lightly doped n-type layer and a heavily doped n-type layer, the p-type region and the lightly doped n-type layer being in contact with each other and forming an IMPATT diode junction; a vertical access to the highly doped n-type region; an isolation structure disposed between and configured to isolate the vertical access and the p-type region; and two Ohmic contacts, on a top surface of the IMPATT diode, electrically coupled to the vertical access and the p-type region from the top surface of the IMPATT diode.
2. The diode of claim 1, further comprising: an un-doped layer extending below the isolation structure, the un-doped layer interposed between the vertical access and the light doped n-type layer.
3. The diode of claim 1, further comprising: a deep trench isolation structure laterally surrounding the n-type region and extending to the substrate.
4. The diode of claim 1, further comprising: a buried oxide layer interposed between the n-type region and the substrate.
5. The diode of claim 1, wherein the p-type region includes a p-doped SiGe layer interfacing with the n-type region.
6. The diode of claim 1, wherein the n-type region includes an n-doped SiGe layer interfacing the bottom surface of the p-type region.
7. The diode of claim 1, wherein the n-type region includes a vertical portion interfacing with the bottom surface of the p-type region, the vertical portion having a lower doping concentration than the p-type region.
8. The diode of claim 1, wherein the n-type region includes: a first vertical portion laterally surrounding the isolation structure; a buried layer positioned on the substrate and under the p-type region, the buried layer contacting the first vertical portion; and a second vertical portion laterally surrounded by the isolation structure and the first vertical portion, the second vertical portion vertically interposed between the buried layer and the p-type region, the second vertical portion interfacing with the bottom surface of the p-type region.
9. The diode of claim 8, wherein the second vertical portion is separated from the first vertical portion.
10. The diode of claim 8, wherein the second vertical portion contacts the first vertical portion.
11. A method of making an IMPATT diode, comprising: providing a substrate; providing a p-type region and an n-type region that are vertically arranged on the substrate, the n-type region including a lightly doped n-type layer and a heavily doped n-type layer, the p-type region and the lightly doped n-type layer being in contact with each other and forming an IMPATT diode junction; providing a vertical access to the highly doped n-type region; providing an isolation structure disposed between and configured to isolate the vertical access and the p-type region; and providing two Ohmic contacts, on a top surface of the IMPATT diode, electrically coupled to the vertical access and the p-type region from the top surface of the IMPATT diode.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing an un-doped layer extending below the isolation structure, the un-doped layer interposed between the vertical access and the light doped n-type layer.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a deep trench isolation structure laterally surrounding the n-type region and extending to the substrate.
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising a buried oxide layer interposed between the n-type region and the substrate.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the p-type region includes a p-doped SiGe layer interfacing with the n-type region.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the n-type region includes an n-doped SiGe layer interfacing the bottom surface of the p-type region.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein the n-type region includes a vertical portion interfacing with the bottom surface of the p-type region, the vertical portion having a lower doping concentration than the p-type region.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the n-type region includes: a first vertical portion laterally surrounding the isolation structure; a buried layer positioned on the substrate and under the p-type region, the buried layer contacting the first vertical portion; and a second vertical portion laterally surrounded by the isolation structure and the first vertical portion, the second vertical portion vertically interposed between the buried layer and the p-type region, the second vertical portion interfacing with the bottom surface of the p-type region.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second vertical portion is separated from the first vertical portion.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
(1) FIG. 1 is a cross section of a typical IMPATT diode.
(2) FIG. 2 is a plan view of an IMPATT diode detailing the structure below the first metal level and the first inter-level dielectric material according to the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3-9.
(3) FIG. 3 is a cross section through section A-A of FIG. 2 of an IMPATT diode according to an embodiment of the present invention.
(4) FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate the fabrication steps required to fabricate the IMPATT diode of FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
(5) FIG. 4 is a cross section through section A-A of FIG. 2 of an IMPATT diode according to another embodiment of the present invention.
(6) FIG. 5 is a cross section through section A-A of FIG. 2 of an IMPATT diode according to another embodiment of the present invention.
(7) FIG. 6 is a cross section through section A-A of FIG. 2 of an IMPATT diode according to another embodiment of the present invention.
(8) FIG. 7 is a cross section through section A-A of FIG. 2 of an IMPATT diode according to another embodiment of the present invention.
(9) FIG. 8 is a cross section through section A-A of FIG. 2 of an IMPATT diode according to another embodiment of the present invention.
(10) FIG. 9 is a cross section through section A-A of FIG. 2 of an IMPATT diode according to another embodiment of the present invention.
(11) In the drawings, like reference numerals are sometimes used to designate like structural elements. It should also be appreciated that the depictions in the figures are diagrammatic and not to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
(12) The present invention is described with reference to the attached figures. The figures are not drawn to scale and they are provided merely to illustrate the invention. Several aspects of the invention are described below with reference to example applications for illustration. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide an understanding of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art, however, will readily recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the invention. The present invention is not limited by the illustrated ordering of acts or events, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required to implement a methodology in accordance with the present invention.
(13) The IMPATT diode FIG. 1 consists of three distinct regions, a heavily doped P.sup.++ 101 region for breakdown, a lightly doped N region 102 for charge drift, and a heavily doped N.sup.++ region 103 for charge collection. The diode is reverse biased at breakdown condition, and holes are generated by avalanche in the high field region between P.sup.++ and N layers. The electrical field in the N region is high enough for the holes to move at saturation velocity but low enough to prevent the additional charges from being created by impact ionization. The holes finally reach the low field N.sup.++ region and are absorbed by the bottom Ohmic contact.
(14) Typically, a silicon IMPATT diode is fabricated vertically in a mesa structure. Although this solution works, it cannot be integrated with modern analog processing.
(15) FIG. 2 is a plan view of an IMPATT diode detailing the structure below the first metal level 401 and the first inter-level dielectric material 402 according to the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3-9.
(16) FIG. 3 depicts a partial sectional depiction of a semiconductor substrate with an n-type IMPATT diode embodying the present invention.
(17) FIGS. 3A through 3D illustrate various parts of a process that can be utilized to fabricate an IMPATT diode in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that many or all portions of the process can be implemented with a bipolar or Bi-CMOS process. Additionally, while the following process steps will be described mainly with respect of forming an n-type IMPATT diode, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that a p-type IMPATT diode can also could be fabricated in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. Additionally, it is to be understood and appreciated that the particular order shown in the figures can be deviated and still produce an IMPATT diode in accordance with an aspect of the present invention.
(18) Turning to FIG. 3A, the process begins by providing a substrate composed of p-type single crystal silicon 301, then forming an n-type buried (NBL) layer 302 overlaying and touching the top surface of the substrate as shown in FIGS. 3-8, and then epitaxially depositing an un-doped layer (EPI) 303 overlaying and touching the top surface of the NBL layer 302. In this embodiment, substrate 301 is p-type silicon wafer. Note that an IMPATT diode may be built on substrate of other group IV elements or compound semiconductor materials such as gallium arsenide and mercury telluride. The substrate may be mono-crystalline or poly-crystalline. It may be a bonded wafer where a layer of insulator is bonded to layers of semiconductor material.
(19) Also depicted in FIG. 3A is a NBL layer 302. The NBL layer is usually a heavily doped, mono-crystalline silicon layer, and this layer serves as low-resistance current path between the drift layer 307 and the sinker layer 306. The drift layer 307 and the sinker layer 306 will be discussed in a later section. In a high-performance bipolar or Bi-CMOS integrated-circuit chip, an NBL layer is usually present for other circuit considerations. Note that a second, p-type buried layer may be incorporated atop the NBL layer for building a p-type IMPATT diode in a p-type substrate. In many circuit applications, having a second buried layer is advantageous since the avalanche noise within the IMPATT diode will not interfere with the components in surrounding environment.
(20) Also depicted in FIG. 3A is an epitaxial layer 303 which is an un-doped mono-crystalline silicon layer with high resistivity. In this embodiment, the entire device 300 is mono-crystalline. Note that an IMPATT diode may also be built with poly-crystalline material in the breakdown layer 308, drift layer 307, and sinker layer 306, although mono-crystalline material tends to have some physical properties such as charge carrier mobility that are superior to those associated with polycrystalline material. The breakdown layer 308, drift layer 307, and sinker layer 306 will be discussed in a later section.
(21) Turning to FIG. 3B, the process is followed by forming a field oxide layer 304 covering the top surface of the wafer, wherein openings are included to provide for drift layers 307 under the breakdown layer 308 and the N.sup.++ sinker opening 306 of the IMPATT diode. The drift layer 307 and breakdown layer 308 will be discussed in a later section. The field oxide layer 304 is typically silicon dioxide between 250 and 600 nanometers thick, commonly formed preferably by shallow trench isolation (STI) process, or possibly by local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) processes. The STI layer 304 electrically isolates the sinker layer 306 from breakdown layer 308.
(22) Also depicted in FIG. 3B, the process is then followed by forming another field oxide layer 305 extending from the top surface of the un-doped EPI layer 303 down to the substrate and completely surrounding the IMPATT diode, thereby separating the diode from the rest of the elements in an analog circuit. The field oxide layer 305 is typically silicon dioxide between 1 and 10 micrometers thick, commonly formed preferably by deep trench isolation (DT) process. With the DT layer 305, the IMPATT diode 300 is electrically isolated from other electrical components, and is communicable to other circuit elements of an integrated circuit through metallic leads 401. The metallic lead 401 will be discussed in a later section.
(23) Turning to FIG. 3C, the process is followed by forming a deep N.sup.++ sinker layer 306 through the N.sup.++ opening surrounded by the STI layer 304, partially separated from the breakdown layer 308 by the STI layer 304 and a portion of the un-doped EPI layer 303, wherein the deep N.sup.++ sinker layer 306 extends through the un-doped EPI layer 303 and touches the top surface of the NBL layer 302. The sinker layer 306 is an n-type layer, which is heavily doped, mono-crystalline silicon layer. It creates a low resistive path between the underneath NBL layer 302 and top metallic leads 401. The metallic lead 401 will be discussed in a later section.
(24) Turning to FIG. 3D, the process is followed by forming a drift layer 307 through the opening in the STI layer 304, wherein the drift layer 307 extends through the un-doped EPI layer 303 and touches the top surface of the NBL layer 302. The drift layer 307 is an n-type layer, which is lightly doped, mono-crystalline silicon layer. When the IMPATT diode is reverse biased, the free charge is depleted from the drift layer 307, and high electrical field is built up in this drift layer. On one hand, the electrical field in the drift layer 307 is high enough that charges will move at their saturation velocity from the breakdown layer 308 to the NBL layer 302. The breakdown layer 308 will be discussed in a later section. On the other hand, the electrical field in the drift region 307 is low enough that no additional avalanche breakdown will occur in this drift layer.
(25) Also depicted in FIG. 3D, the process is followed by forming a breakdown layer 308 touching the top of the drift layer 307. The breakdown layer 308 is a p-type layer, which is heavily doped, mono-crystalline silicon layer. Since the drift layer 307 and the sinker layer 306 are doped with n-type dopant, the same doping polarity as that in the NBL layer, there exists a p-n junction at the intersection between the breakdown layer 308 and the drift layer 307, while the intersections between the NBL layer 302 and the drift layer 307 and the sinker layer 306 will be Oohmic. When the diode is reverse biased, the electrical field at the p-n junction described above is high enough that breakdown will occur. Charges will be generated in this breakdown layer 308, by either avalanche breakdown or tunneling breakdown, or mixed avalanche-tunneling breakdown. Since the electric field in the drift layer 307 is high enough, the electrons created by the avalanche process will drift at their saturation velocity across the drift layer 307. Since the epitaxial layer 303 is un-doped, there exists a potential barrier to prevent the current flow directly from the drift layer 307 to the sinker layer 306. In addition, the sinker layer 306 is electrically isolated from the breakdown layer 308 by the STI layer 304. Therefore the electrons created by the breakdown process will drift through the whole drift layer 307, providing necessary transit-time and creating phase delay between the AC current and the AC voltage. After drifting across the drift layer 307, the electrons will flow through the low resistive paths from the NBL layer 302 and sinker layer 306, and reach the top metallic leads 401. The metallic lead 401 will be discussed in a later section.
(26) The process steps described above are only a portion of the total manufacturing process with which to make an n-type IMPATT diode embodying this invention. FIG. 3 further depicts a portion of the metallic-lead structure associated with the IMPATT diode where elements 401 are the first metal level and elements 402 are the first inter-level dielectric material. Not shown in FIG. 3 are regions of silicidation, which are commonly employed in the art for reducing the contact resistance between the semiconductor material and the metallic leads 401. Refractory metals such as nickel, titanium and cobalt are commonly employed in the silicidation process.
(27) The doping of the various layers listed above may be implemented by ion-implant techniques, diffusion techniques, or other techniques known in the art of semiconductor processing. In this embodiment of FIG. 3, the NBL layer 302 is heavily doped, so are the sinker layer 306 and breakdown layer 308. The drift layer 307 is generally doped more lightly than the breakdown layer 308 and the NBL layer 302, in order to deplete the free charge in the drift layer and create necessary high electric field for the charges to transport at their saturation velocity.
(28) FIG. 4 depicts an alternative approach to implement IMPATT diode, where a heavily doped N.sup.++ mono-crystalline silicon layer 309 is formed between the breakdown layer 308 and the drift layer 307. With this additional N.sup.++ layer 309, the electrical field at the p-n junction between the layers 308 and 309 can be independently adjusted to create desired breakdown composition between avalanche and tunneling, and therefore create preferred device noise performance. In addition, the electrical field in the drift layer 307 can be reduced to minimize the chance of additional breakdown in the drift layer 307.
(29) FIG. 5 depicts another approach to implement IMPATT diode where both N-type and P-type SiGe heterostructures are available. The heavily doped breakdown layers 308 and 309 in FIG. 4 can be replaced with a heavily doped P.sup.++ SiGe layer 310 and N.sup.++ SiGe layer 311, respectively. Because the SiGe material has smaller bandgap, the electrical properties, especially the avalanche breakdown and tunneling breakdown, will be different from that of the bulk mono-crystalline silicon. It requires less electrical field to create either avalanche breakdown or tunneling breakdown within the SiGe layers 310 and 311. Such feature is advantages since the breakdown will be confined within the narrow bandgap SiGe layer, and the doping requirement for the drift layer 307 is relaxed.
(30) FIG. 6 depicts another approach to implement IMPATT diode where only P-type SiGe material is available. The P.sup.++ breakdown layer 308 in FIG. 3 is replaced with the P.sup.++ SiGe breakdown layer 310. With proper design, the breakdown will be confined within the P.sup.++ SiGe breakdown layer 310, and doping requirement for the drift layer 307 is relaxed.
(31) FIG. 7 depicts another approach to implement IMPATT diode where only N-type SiGe material is available. The N.sup.++ breakdown layer 309 in FIG. 4 is replaced with the N.sup.++ SiGe breakdown layer 311. In this case, the breakdown will be confined within both the P.sup.++ breakdown layer 308 and the N.sup.++ SiGe breakdown layer 311. Compared to the example in FIG. 4, the doping requirement for the drift layer 307 is relaxed.
(32) A modified process can be used to design a lateral IMPATT diode, as in FIG. 8. In this implementation, the epitaxial layer 312 is doped with n-type, and current will flow under the STI layer 304 and through the n-type EPI layer 312 rather than through the NBL layer 302 as in FIG. 3. The advantage of such structure is that the diode operation frequency, as defined by the thickness of the drift layer 307 as in FIG. 3, is now controlled by the width of the STI layer 304 through lithography. Since the thickness of the drift layer 307 is usually fixed, the lateral example in FIG. 8 is more flexible to design diode oscillation frequency by designing the width of the STI layer 304 through lithography. Multiple oscillators at varies frequencies can be implemented on the same technology. Still the p-n junction field between the breakdown layer 308 and the drift layer 312 is uniform which is necessary to control the avalanche breakdown.
(33) FIG. 9 depicts another approach to implement a lateral IMPATT diode, where the buried NBL layer 302 is replaced with a buried oxide layer 313. Since the current flows under the STI layer 304 and through the n-type EPI layer 312 rather than through the NBL layer 302 as in FIG. 3, there is no electrical benefit to keep the NBL layer 302. The advantage of such structure is that the diode is isolated from rest of component by the buried oxide layer 313 and the DT layer 305, and the avalanche noise within the IMPATT diode will not interfere with the components in surrounding environment. Still the p-n junction field between the breakdown layer 308 and the drift layer 312 is uniform which is necessary to control the avalanche breakdown.
(34) The advantage the present invention is that it presents new device architectures which allow silicon IMPATT diodes to be integrated into an analog process.
(35) While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only and not limitation. Numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described embodiments. Rather, the scope of the invention should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
