WO2002103785A2 - Cmos process - Google Patents

Cmos process Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002103785A2
WO2002103785A2 PCT/US2002/019074 US0219074W WO02103785A2 WO 2002103785 A2 WO2002103785 A2 WO 2002103785A2 US 0219074 W US0219074 W US 0219074W WO 02103785 A2 WO02103785 A2 WO 02103785A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
conductivity type
buried
regions
silicon
silicon substrate
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2002/019074
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French (fr)
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WO2002103785A3 (en
Inventor
James P. Baukus
Lap-Wai Chow
William M. Clark, Jr.
Original Assignee
Hrl Laboratories, Llc
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Publication date
Application filed by Hrl Laboratories, Llc filed Critical Hrl Laboratories, Llc
Priority to AU2002316261A priority Critical patent/AU2002316261A1/en
Publication of WO2002103785A2 publication Critical patent/WO2002103785A2/en
Publication of WO2002103785A3 publication Critical patent/WO2002103785A3/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L27/00—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
    • H01L27/02—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/70—Manufacture or treatment of devices consisting of a plurality of solid state components formed in or on a common substrate or of parts thereof; Manufacture of integrated circuit devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/71—Manufacture of specific parts of devices defined in group H01L21/70
    • H01L21/768—Applying interconnections to be used for carrying current between separate components within a device comprising conductors and dielectrics
    • H01L21/76838—Applying interconnections to be used for carrying current between separate components within a device comprising conductors and dielectrics characterised by the formation and the after-treatment of the conductors
    • H01L21/76895—Local interconnects; Local pads, as exemplified by patent document EP0896365
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
    • H01L23/57—Protection from inspection, reverse engineering or tampering
    • H01L23/573—Protection from inspection, reverse engineering or tampering using passive means
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L27/00—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
    • H01L27/02—Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components specially adapted for rectifying, oscillating, amplifying or switching and having at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier; including integrated passive circuit elements with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L27/0203—Particular design considerations for integrated circuits

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the prevention of reverse engineering of integrated circuits, and more particularly to an integrated circuit structure comprising a programmable connector/isolator between polysilicon (i.e. polycrystalline silicon) and source/ drain N+ or P+ regions, to be used in a MOS-type circuit, like nMOS, pMOS or CMOS, and a single or double polysilicon layer CMOS process with buried contact using a programmable connector/isolator.
  • a programmable connector/isolator between polysilicon (i.e. polycrystalline silicon) and source/ drain N+ or P+ regions
  • transistor sizes and metal connection routings are modified, to eliminate keys by which the reverse engineer can find inputs, outputs, gate lines etc. as keys to the circuit functionality.
  • the reverse engineer is forced to examine every transistor within the IC to determine functionality and connectivity, so that he is prevented from making effective progress. In this way, the task for the reverse engineer to discover the entire functionality of an IC containing many tens of thousands transistors is clearly impractical.
  • the present invention prevents the above cited automatic, high level taxonomic approaches from working because the apparent routing of the signal to a transistor is broken in a way that is very difficult to detect.
  • the protection is applied via the programming of the masks, under instruction from the circuit designer, and fits unobtrusively and cost-effectively within the standard, commercial IC process.
  • an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising: a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; first gate insulating regions selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; a first polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; second gate insulating regions selectively placed over the first gate insulating regions and the first polycrystalline silicon layer; a second polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the second gate insulating regions; first buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the first polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the second gate insulating regions, under the second polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
  • a process for forming an integrated circuit structure comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; depositing a first insulating layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first gate insulating regions in the insulating layer; forming first and second buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; depositing a first polycrystalline silicon layer, said first polycrystalline silicon layer contacting said first buried silicon regions; depositing a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer, the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second buried silicon regions; and depositing a second polycrystalline silicon layer over said second insulating layer and said second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, said second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type being insulated from said second polycrystalline silicon layer.
  • an arrangement is provided for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type to the polysilicon layers or alternatively programmably isolating the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type from the polysilicon layers.
  • a process for forming a programmable multi-level polysilicon device in an integrated MOS-type circuit structure comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; depositing a first polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a second polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type contacts the first polycrystalline silicon layer and is isolated from the second polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions is insulated from the first and the second polycrystalline silicon layer.
  • an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising: a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; gate insulating regions selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; a polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; first buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the gate insulating regions, under the polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
  • a process for forming an integrated circuit structure comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; depositing an insulating layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first gate insulating regions in the insulating layer; forming first and second buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer, wherein said polycrystalline silicon layer contacts said first buried silicon regions and said second buried silicon regions are isolated from said polycrystalline silicon layer.
  • an arrangement is provided for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type to the polysilicon layer or alternatively programmably isolating the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type from the ' polysilicon layer.
  • a process for forming a programmable polysilicon device in an integrated MOS-type circuit structure comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type contacts polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type is insulated from the polycrystalline silicon layer.
  • a buried contact is a known structure in integrated circuit fabrication technology, firstly developed in the late 1970's with nMOS circuits.
  • a buried contact provides a direct connection between polysilicon, normally the gate of a first MOS transistor, and the source/drain region of a second MOS transistor.
  • contact openings are masked and etched after gate oxide growth and before deposition and patterning of polysilicon. In this way the polysilicon over the source and/or drain regions can make direct contact to the source and/or drain regions by means of the buried contact openings.
  • the present invention discloses an integrated circuit structure and a process for preventing reverse engineering of integrated circuits, by use of a buried contact process that provides the opportunity for a programmable connector/isolator.
  • the buried contact process employs at least one polysilicon layer.
  • the process according to the present invention will make it possible to selectively interrupt the apparent conduction connections at various transistors sources and drains throughout the circuit.
  • Polysilicon has long been used to form the gates for MOS transistors, see for example VLSI technology, S.M. Sze, McGraw-Hill, 1983 p. 99. This requires a CMOS process having one level of deposited polysilicon.
  • CMOS processes employing two polysilicon layers, the two layers typically being separated by an oxide layer, make possible the formation of capacitors and electrically eraseable read only memories (EEPROMs), see Hodges and Jackson, Analysis and Design of Digital Integrated Circuits, 2d. ed., McGraw-Hill, 1988, p. 353. See also S.M. Sze, supra, pp. 461-465, for a reference to buried contact devices.
  • the concept of the buried contact using two levels of polysilicon is preferably being considered for processes having minimum feature sizes approaching or below 0.2 ⁇ m.
  • the buried contact can be placed in correspondence of a first or a second level of polysilicon placed thereover, and in this way be programmed to be a connection or isolation.
  • the buried contact when the buried contact is placed under the first level of polysilicon, it acts as a connection.
  • the buried contact when the buried contact is placed under the second level of polysilicon, it acts as an isolation.
  • a thin gate oxide under the second level polysilicon is provided, in order to insulate the second level polysilicon from the buried contact. Therefore, the circuit designer can "program" the use of the buried contact according to different schemes, by provision of a dual deposition of the thin gate oxide, as later explained in detail.
  • a reverse engineer will find it very difficult to determine the presence of a thin gate oxide between the polysilicon and the source and /or drain region of a nMOS device, a pMOS device or a CMOS device.
  • Figure 1 is a cross section of a first step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a cross section of a second step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention
  • Figure 3 is a cross section of a third step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention
  • Figure 4 is a cross section of a fourth step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention.
  • Figure 5 is a cross section of a fifth step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention.
  • Figure 6 is a cross section of a sixth step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention.
  • > ' Figure 7 is a cross section of a seventh step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention.
  • Figure 8 is a cross section of a second step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention;
  • Figure 9 is a cross section of a third step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention.
  • Figure 10 is a cross section of a fourth step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention; and
  • Figure 11 is a cross section of a fifth step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention.
  • Figures 1 to 7 show the process steps preferably utilized to realize the circuit structure comprising the camouflaged connector/isolator according to the present invention.
  • a standard CMOS process proceeds as follows (see also S. M. Sze, supra, p. 447): 1) P- and N-well formation via ion implantation in the substrate; 2) Deposition of the first insulating layer of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride;
  • Figure 1 shows the cross section of the P well portion of a CMOS integrated circuit, processed similarly to the foregoing processes through gate oxide.
  • the field insulating regions for example field oxide regions
  • the first gate insulating regions for example first gate oxide regions
  • Numeral 3 indicates a silicon well region of a first conductivity type, in this embodiment a P well silicon region.
  • the field oxide shown here can be for example the conventional LOCOS (LOCal Oxidation of Silicon) oxide. Newer technology like the shallow trench field oxide can also be used. However, these techniques will be not described here in detail, both because they are well-known and because they are not important to an understanding of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 shows a subsequent step of the process according to the invention.
  • surfaces 4 for the subsequent implantation of buried contact regions are opened by masking and etching.
  • Figure 3 shows a subsequent step, in which buried regions 5, 15 of a second conductivity type, in this embodiment highly doped N+ regions, are implanted in the P well 3.
  • Figure 4 shows the result after a subsequent step of deposition and patterning of a first polysilicon layer 6.
  • the first polysilicon layer 6 contacts some of the N+ regions implanted in the previous step. As shown in Figure 4, the first polysilicon layer 6 contacts the N+ region 5, creating a conductive path between the polysilicon layer 6 and the buried N+ region 5.
  • Figure 5 shows a subsequent step, in which a second gate oxide layer 7, usually at 100 A to 200 A, is grown or deposited on top, i.e. covering in part the first polysilicon layer 6, in part the first gate insulator 2, and in part buried N+ regions like the buried N+ region 15.
  • a second gate oxide layer 7, usually at 100 A to 200 A is grown or deposited on top, i.e. covering in part the first polysilicon layer 6, in part the first gate insulator 2, and in part buried N+ regions like the buried N+ region 15.
  • Figure 6 shows a subsequent step, in which a second polysilicon layer 8 is deposited and patterned by etching.
  • the second polysilicon layer 8 is also placed over some of the N+ regions previously implanted, without contacting them.
  • the second polysilicon layer 8 is for example placed over the N+ region 15, isolated therefrom by means of the second gate oxide 7.
  • Figure 7 shows a cross section after a subsequent source /drain implant, where source/drain N+ regions 9 have been created, preferably by implantation.
  • the first polysilicon layer 6 makes contact to the N+ source/drain implant 5 while the second polysilicon layer 8 is isolated from the N+ source/drain implant 15 by means of the second gate oxide 7.
  • these two structures are virtually undistinguishable from a top plan view. Even in the cross section, it is very hard to detect the presence of the 100 A thick gate oxide 7.
  • This contact could be for example a gate to power supply or an input-gate contact.
  • what appears to be a normal buried contact namely polysilicon over an N+ implanted area
  • the block occurs because the second polysilicon layer 8 and the second gate oxide 7 are used.
  • the structure according to the present invention represents a very good candidate for protecting integrated circuit design from reverse engineering. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for the reverse engineer, viewing structures realized according to the present invention, to see that the buried contact insulation is not a normal buried contact. Moreover, it would be inordinately time consuming and expensive for the reverse engineer to make enough cross sections at possible connecting points within the circuit to determine all the times such buried contact insulation is present.
  • the polysilicon layer 8' on the left of Figure 7 shows a typical N-channel transistor formed in the process with both the first and second level of gate oxide. This transistor has been put in the drawing of Figure 7 as a reference.
  • a single polysilicon process is used.
  • the first step of the process according to the second embodiment is identical to the step shown in Figure 1.
  • the second step is shown in Figure 8.
  • Figure 8 is similar to Figure 2, the only difference being that no surface 4 is opened on the right side of Figure 8.
  • Figure 9 shows a subsequent step of the second embodiment, in which buried regions 5', 15', for example highly doped N+ regions, are implanted in the P well 3.
  • This step is identical to the step shown in Figure 3, the only difference between the Figures being that no surface 4 is present on the right side of Figure 9.
  • Implantation of region 15' is accomplished without problems, given the reduced thickness of the oxide layer 2.
  • Figure 10 shows a subsequent step of the second embodiment, in which a polysilicon layer 6 is deposited and patterned over the N+ regions 5', 15'.
  • Figure 11 shows a subsequent step of the second embodiment, where source/ drain regions 9' have been created, similarly to what shown in Figure 7.

Abstract

An integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; a first gate insulating regions selectivelyplaced over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; a first polycrystallinesilicon layer selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type;a second gate insulating regions selectively placed over the first gate insulating regionsand the first polycrystalline silicon layer; a second polycrystalline silicon layer selectivelyplaced over the second gate insulating regions; first buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placedunder the first polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and second buriedsilicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the second gate insulating regions, under the secondpolycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.

Description

TITLE
PROGRAMMABLE CONNECTOR/ISOLATOR AND POLYSILICON LAYER CMOS
PROCESS WITH BURIED CONTACT USING THE SAME
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to the prevention of reverse engineering of integrated circuits, and more particularly to an integrated circuit structure comprising a programmable connector/isolator between polysilicon (i.e. polycrystalline silicon) and source/ drain N+ or P+ regions, to be used in a MOS-type circuit, like nMOS, pMOS or CMOS, and a single or double polysilicon layer CMOS process with buried contact using a programmable connector/isolator.
2. Description of the related art
The design, development and manufacturing efforts pertaining to semiconductor integrated circuits involve the understanding of complex structures, processes and manufacturing techniques involving smaller and smaller electronic circuitry. Efforts to be able to achieve such understanding and establish successful design, development and production manufacturing of such integrated circuits involve many man-hours of highly skilled professionals and considerable expense.
On the other hand, to avoid costly man-hours and other significant expenses some developers resort to reverse engineering practices wherein existing devices are taken apart, probed and otherwise examined to determine the physical structures of the resultant integrated circuit under review for subsequent copying. This reverse engineering, which typically relies primarily on obtaining planar optical image of the circuit, in essence attempts to by-pass typical product development efforts and expenses by studying and copying a competitive product.
Various approaches have been developed in an attempt to thwart such reverse engineering efforts, particularly in the field of semiconductor integrated circuits.
For example, US Pat. No. 5,866,933 in the name of the same inventors of the present application teaches how transistors in a CMOS circuit can be connected by hidden lines between the transistors, via modifying the P+ and N+ source/ drain masks. These implanted interconnections are further used to make a 3-input AND and OR circuit look substantially the same.
Moreover, US Pat. No. 5,783,846 in the name of the same inventors of the present application teaches a further modification in the source /drain implant masks so that the implanted connecting lines between transistors have a gap inserted, the length of which is approximately the length of the feature size of the CMOS technology being used. If the gap is "filled" with one kind of implant (depending on the implanted connecting line being p or n) the line conducts. But, if the gap is filled with the other kind of implant the line does not conduct. These gaps are called "channel blocks". Thereby the reverse engineer must determine connectivity on the basis of resolving the n or p implant at the minimum feature size of the channel block. Moreover, transistor sizes and metal connection routings are modified, to eliminate keys by which the reverse engineer can find inputs, outputs, gate lines etc. as keys to the circuit functionality. Hence, the reverse engineer is forced to examine every transistor within the IC to determine functionality and connectivity, so that he is prevented from making effective progress. In this way, the task for the reverse engineer to discover the entire functionality of an IC containing many tens of thousands transistors is clearly impractical.
However, the modern reverse engineer has many tools to automate the viewing and analysis of the planar images of the IC. Automatic pattern recognition techniques, applied to the metal and polysilicon routing lines in the circuit, can be very effective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention prevents the above cited automatic, high level taxonomic approaches from working because the apparent routing of the signal to a transistor is broken in a way that is very difficult to detect. The protection is applied via the programming of the masks, under instruction from the circuit designer, and fits unobtrusively and cost-effectively within the standard, commercial IC process.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices is provided, comprising: a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; first gate insulating regions selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; a first polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; second gate insulating regions selectively placed over the first gate insulating regions and the first polycrystalline silicon layer; a second polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the second gate insulating regions; first buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the first polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the second gate insulating regions, under the second polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a process for forming an integrated circuit structure is provided, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; depositing a first insulating layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first gate insulating regions in the insulating layer; forming first and second buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; depositing a first polycrystalline silicon layer, said first polycrystalline silicon layer contacting said first buried silicon regions; depositing a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer, the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second buried silicon regions; and depositing a second polycrystalline silicon layer over said second insulating layer and said second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, said second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type being insulated from said second polycrystalline silicon layer.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type, a first- level polysilicon layer, a second-level polysilicon layer and buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, an arrangement is provided for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type to the polysilicon layers or alternatively programmably isolating the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type from the polysilicon layers.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a process for forming a programmable multi-level polysilicon device in an integrated MOS-type circuit structure is provided, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; depositing a first polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a second polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type contacts the first polycrystalline silicon layer and is isolated from the second polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions is insulated from the first and the second polycrystalline silicon layer.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices is provided, comprising: a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; gate insulating regions selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; a polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; first buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the gate insulating regions, under the polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a process for forming an integrated circuit structure is provided, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; depositing an insulating layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first gate insulating regions in the insulating layer; forming first and second buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer, wherein said polycrystalline silicon layer contacts said first buried silicon regions and said second buried silicon regions are isolated from said polycrystalline silicon layer.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type, a polysilicon layer, and buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, an arrangement is provided for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type to the polysilicon layer or alternatively programmably isolating the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type from the' polysilicon layer.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, a process for forming a programmable polysilicon device in an integrated MOS-type circuit structure is provided, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type contacts polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type is insulated from the polycrystalline silicon layer. A buried contact is a known structure in integrated circuit fabrication technology, firstly developed in the late 1970's with nMOS circuits. A buried contact provides a direct connection between polysilicon, normally the gate of a first MOS transistor, and the source/drain region of a second MOS transistor. To create buried contacts, contact openings are masked and etched after gate oxide growth and before deposition and patterning of polysilicon. In this way the polysilicon over the source and/or drain regions can make direct contact to the source and/or drain regions by means of the buried contact openings.
The present invention discloses an integrated circuit structure and a process for preventing reverse engineering of integrated circuits, by use of a buried contact process that provides the opportunity for a programmable connector/isolator. In particular, the buried contact process employs at least one polysilicon layer. The process according to the present invention will make it possible to selectively interrupt the apparent conduction connections at various transistors sources and drains throughout the circuit.
Polysilicon has long been used to form the gates for MOS transistors, see for example VLSI technology, S.M. Sze, McGraw-Hill, 1983 p. 99. This requires a CMOS process having one level of deposited polysilicon. CMOS processes employing two polysilicon layers, the two layers typically being separated by an oxide layer, make possible the formation of capacitors and electrically eraseable read only memories (EEPROMs), see Hodges and Jackson, Analysis and Design of Digital Integrated Circuits, 2d. ed., McGraw-Hill, 1988, p. 353. See also S.M. Sze, supra, pp. 461-465, for a reference to buried contact devices. The concept of the buried contact using two levels of polysilicon is preferably being considered for processes having minimum feature sizes approaching or below 0.2 μm.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the buried contact can be placed in correspondence of a first or a second level of polysilicon placed thereover, and in this way be programmed to be a connection or isolation. In particular, when the buried contact is placed under the first level of polysilicon, it acts as a connection. On the contrary, when the buried contact is placed under the second level of polysilicon, it acts as an isolation. In this last case, a thin gate oxide under the second level polysilicon is provided, in order to insulate the second level polysilicon from the buried contact. Therefore, the circuit designer can "program" the use of the buried contact according to different schemes, by provision of a dual deposition of the thin gate oxide, as later explained in detail.
In an integrated circuit realized according to the present invention, a reverse engineer will find it very difficult to determine the presence of a thin gate oxide between the polysilicon and the source and /or drain region of a nMOS device, a pMOS device or a CMOS device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a cross section of a first step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross section of a second step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention- Figure 3 is a cross section of a third step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is a cross section of a fourth step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention;
Figure 5 is a cross section of a fifth step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention;
Figure 6 is a cross section of a sixth step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention; > , ' Figure 7 is a cross section of a seventh step of a first embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention; Figure 8 is a cross section of a second step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention;
Figure 9 is a cross section of a third step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention; Figure 10 is a cross section of a fourth step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention; and Figure 11 is a cross section of a fifth step of a second embodiment for realizing the circuit structure according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will be now made to the drawings where the showings are for the purpose of describing the preferred embodiment of the invention and not for limiting same.
Figures 1 to 7 show the process steps preferably utilized to realize the circuit structure comprising the camouflaged connector/isolator according to the present invention.
A standard CMOS process proceeds as follows (see also S. M. Sze, supra, p. 447): 1) P- and N-well formation via ion implantation in the substrate; 2) Deposition of the first insulating layer of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride;
3) Patterning for field oxide growth to define active areas; and
4) Growth of the first gate oxide, a thermal oxide of about 100 A (larger for processes having larger feature sizes).
In this way a structure like the one shown in Figure 1 is obtained.
Figure 1 shows the cross section of the P well portion of a CMOS integrated circuit, processed similarly to the foregoing processes through gate oxide. In Figure 1, the field insulating regions, for example field oxide regions, are indicated by numeral 1, while the first gate insulating regions, for example first gate oxide regions, are indicated by numeral 2. Numeral 3 indicates a silicon well region of a first conductivity type, in this embodiment a P well silicon region. The field oxide shown here can be for example the conventional LOCOS (LOCal Oxidation of Silicon) oxide. Newer technology like the shallow trench field oxide can also be used. However, these techniques will be not described here in detail, both because they are well-known and because they are not important to an understanding of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a subsequent step of the process according to the invention. In this step surfaces 4 for the subsequent implantation of buried contact regions are opened by masking and etching.
Figure 3 shows a subsequent step, in which buried regions 5, 15 of a second conductivity type, in this embodiment highly doped N+ regions, are implanted in the P well 3.
Figure 4 shows the result after a subsequent step of deposition and patterning of a first polysilicon layer 6. The first polysilicon layer 6 contacts some of the N+ regions implanted in the previous step. As shown in Figure 4, the first polysilicon layer 6 contacts the N+ region 5, creating a conductive path between the polysilicon layer 6 and the buried N+ region 5.
Figure 5 shows a subsequent step, in which a second gate oxide layer 7, usually at 100 A to 200 A, is grown or deposited on top, i.e. covering in part the first polysilicon layer 6, in part the first gate insulator 2, and in part buried N+ regions like the buried N+ region 15.
Figure 6 shows a subsequent step, in which a second polysilicon layer 8 is deposited and patterned by etching. The second polysilicon layer 8 is also placed over some of the N+ regions previously implanted, without contacting them. As shown in Figure 6, the second polysilicon layer 8 is for example placed over the N+ region 15, isolated therefrom by means of the second gate oxide 7. •
Figure 7 shows a cross section after a subsequent source /drain implant, where source/drain N+ regions 9 have been created, preferably by implantation. In figure 7, it should be noted that the first polysilicon layer 6 makes contact to the N+ source/drain implant 5 while the second polysilicon layer 8 is isolated from the N+ source/drain implant 15 by means of the second gate oxide 7. Optically, these two structures are virtually undistinguishable from a top plan view. Even in the cross section, it is very hard to detect the presence of the 100 A thick gate oxide 7.
As a consequence, for each P well region, "buried contact" areas of two types can be created. A first type of N+ regions 5, connected to the first polysilicon layer 6 and insulated from the second polysilicon layer 8, serve as a "buried contact" connection, and therefore act as an usual buried contact. This contact could be for example a gate to power supply or an input-gate contact. A second type of N+ regions 15, insulated from the first polysilicon layer 6 and from the second polysilicon layer 8, serve as a "buried contact" insulation, and therefore act a faked buried contact. As a consequence, what appears to be a normal buried contact (namely polysilicon over an N+ implanted area) is in fact blocked. The block occurs because the second polysilicon layer 8 and the second gate oxide 7 are used.
The structure according to the present invention represents a very good candidate for protecting integrated circuit design from reverse engineering. It will be difficult, if not impossible, for the reverse engineer, viewing structures realized according to the present invention, to see that the buried contact insulation is not a normal buried contact. Moreover, it would be inordinately time consuming and expensive for the reverse engineer to make enough cross sections at possible connecting points within the circuit to determine all the times such buried contact insulation is present. The polysilicon layer 8' on the left of Figure 7 shows a typical N-channel transistor formed in the process with both the first and second level of gate oxide. This transistor has been put in the drawing of Figure 7 as a reference.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a single polysilicon process is used. The first step of the process according to the second embodiment is identical to the step shown in Figure 1. The second step is shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is similar to Figure 2, the only difference being that no surface 4 is opened on the right side of Figure 8.
Figure 9 shows a subsequent step of the second embodiment, in which buried regions 5', 15', for example highly doped N+ regions, are implanted in the P well 3. This step is identical to the step shown in Figure 3, the only difference between the Figures being that no surface 4 is present on the right side of Figure 9. Implantation of region 15' is accomplished without problems, given the reduced thickness of the oxide layer 2.
Figure 10 shows a subsequent step of the second embodiment, in which a polysilicon layer 6 is deposited and patterned over the N+ regions 5', 15'.
Figure 11 shows a subsequent step of the second embodiment, where source/ drain regions 9' have been created, similarly to what shown in Figure 7.
As a consequence, also in this second embodiment, "buried contact" areas of two types are created, a first type of N+ regions 5', and a second type of N+ regions 15'.
The invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding this specification. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations are included insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof.

Claims

1.
An integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising: a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; first gate insulating regions selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; a first polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; second gate insulating regions selectively placed over the first gate insulating regions and the first polycrystalline silicon layer; a second polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the second gate insulating regions; first buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the first polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the second gate insulating regions, under the second polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
2.
The integrated circuit structure of claim 1, further comprising third buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the first gate insulating regions and the second gate insulating regions, and being insulated from the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second polycrystalline silicon layer.
3.
The integrated circuit structure of claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and first and second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, wherein said first gate insulating regions are selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said first polycrystalline silicon layer is selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said first buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the first polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and said second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the second gate insulating regions, under the second polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
4. The integrated circuit structure of claim 3, further comprising third buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, placed under the first gate insulating regions and the second gate insulating regions, and being insulated from the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second polycrystalline silicon layer.
5.
A process for forming an integrated circuit structure, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; depositing a first insulating layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first gate insulating regions in the insulating layer; forming first and second buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; depositing a first polycrystalline silicon layer, said first polycrystalline silicon layer contacting said first buried silicon regions; depositing a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer, the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second buried silicon regions; and depositing a second polycrystalline silicon layer over said second insulating layer and said second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, said second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type being insulated from said second polycrystalline silicon layer.
6.
The process of claim 5, further comprising the step of forming third buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type.
7.
The process of claim 5 or 6, further comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first and second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, wherein said first gate insulating regions are selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said first polycrystalline silicon layer is selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said first buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the first polycrystalline silicon layer and said second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the second gate insulating regions and the second polycrystalline silicon layer.
8.
The process of claim 7, further comprising the step of forming third buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, placed under the first gate insulating regions and the second gate insulating regions, and being insulated from the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the second polycrystalline silicon layer.
9. In an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type, a first-level polysilicon layer, a second-level polysilicon layer and buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, the improvement comprising an arrangement for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type to the polysilicon layers or alternatively programmably isolating the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type from the polysilicon layers.
10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein programmably connected buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type are connected to the first-level polysilicon layer.
11. The arrangement of claim 9 or 10, wherein the integrated circuit structure further comprises: a silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, and wherein an arrangement for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type to the polysilicon layers or alternatively isolating the buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type from the polysilicon layers is further comprised.
12. The arrangement of claim 11, wherein programmably connected buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are connected to the first-level polysilicon layer.
13.
A process for forming a programmable multi-level polysilicon device in an integrated MOS-type circuit structure, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; depositing a first polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a second polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type contacts the first polycrystalline silicon layer and is isolated from the second polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions is insulated from the first and the second polycrystalline silicon layer.
14.
The process of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; depositing the first polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; and depositing the second polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type contacts the first polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type is insulated from the first and second polycrystalline silicon layer.
15. An integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising: a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; gate insulating regions selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; a polycrystalline silicon layer selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; first buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and second buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the gate insulating regions, under the polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
16.
The integrated circuit structure of claim 15, further comprising third buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, placed under the gate insulating regions and insulated from the polycrystalline silicon layer.
17. The integrated circuit structure of claim 15 or 16, further comprising: a silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and first and second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, wherein said gate insulating regions are selectively placed, over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said polycrystalline silicon layer is selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said first buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the polycrystalline silicon layer and in contact therewith; and said second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the gate insulating regions, under the polycrystalline silicon layer and insulated therefrom.
18.
The integrated circuit structure of claim 17, further comprising third buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, placed under the gate insulating regions and insulated from the polycrystalline silicon layer.
19.
A process for forming an integrated circuit structure, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; depositing an insulating layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first gate insulating regions in the insulating layer; forming first and second buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer, wherein said polycrystalline silicon layer contacts said first buried silicon regions and said second buried silicon regions are isolated from said polycrystalline silicon layer.
20.
The process of claim 19, further comprising the step of forming third buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type.
21.
The process of claim 19 or 20, further comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming first and second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, wherein said gate insulating regions are selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said polycrystalline silicon layer is selectively placed over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; said first buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the polycrystalline silicon layer and said second buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type are placed under the gate insulating regions and the polycrystalline silicon layer.
22.
The process of claim 21, further comprising the step of forming third buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, placed under the gate insulating regions and insulated from the polycrystalline silicon layer.
23. In an integrated circuit structure for MOS-type devices comprising a silicon substrate of a first c nductivity type, a polysilicon layer, and buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, the improvement comprising an arrangement for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type to the polysilicon layer or alternatively programmably isolating the buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type from the polysilicon layer.
24.
The arrangement of claim 23, wherein the integrated circuit structure further comprises: a silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type buried within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, and wherein an arrangement for programmably connecting the buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type to the polysilicon layer or alternatively isolating the buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type from the polysilicon layer is further comprised.
25.
A process for forming a programmable polysilicon device in an integrated MOS-type circuit structure, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of a second conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and depositing a polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type contacts polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions of the second conductivity type is insulated from the polycrystalline silicon layer.
26.
The process of claim 25, further comprising the steps of: providing a silicon substrate of a second conductivity type, buried within the silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; forming buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type within the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type; and depositing the polycrystalline silicon layer over the silicon substrate of the second conductivity type, wherein a first portion of said buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type contacts the polycrystalline silicon layer, and a second portion of said buried silicon regions of the first conductivity type is insulated from the polycrystalline silicon layer.
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