Semiconductor Devices and Methods of Manufacture Thereof

Abstract

Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a capacitor plate includes a first propeller-shaped portion and a second propeller-shaped portion. A via portion is disposed between the first propeller-shaped portion and the second propeller-shaped portion.

1 . A capacitor plate, comprising:
 a first propeller-shaped portion;   a second propeller-shaped portion; and   a via portion disposed between the first propeller-shaped portion and the second propeller-shaped portion.   
     
     
         2 . The capacitor plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the first propeller-shaped portion comprises a first member and a second member, the second member being substantially orthogonal to and coupled to the first member, the first member and the second member intersecting proximate a substantially central region of the first member and the second member, and wherein the second propeller-shaped portion comprises a third member and a fourth member, the fourth member being substantially orthogonal to and coupled to the third member, the third member and the fourth member intersecting proximate a substantially central region of the third member and the fourth member. 
     
     
         3 . The capacitor plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the first propeller-shaped portion is disposed within a first insulating material of a semiconductor device, wherein the via portion is disposed within a second insulating material of the semiconductor device, the second insulating material being adjacent the first insulating material, and wherein the second propeller-shaped portion is disposed within a third insulating material of the semiconductor device, the third insulating material being adjacent the second insulating material. 
     
     
         4 . The capacitor plate according to  claim 3 , wherein the via portion comprises a first via portion, further comprising a second via portion disposed within a fourth insulating material of the semiconductor device, the fourth insulating material being adjacent the third insulating material, further comprising a third propeller-shaped portion disposed in a fifth insulating material of the semiconductor device, the fifth insulating material being adjacent the fourth insulating material, and wherein the second via portion is disposed between the second propeller-shaped portion and the third propeller-shaped portion. 
     
     
         5 . The capacitor plate according to  claim 4 , wherein the second via portion comprises a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the second via portion is coupled to the second propeller-shaped portion, and wherein the second end of the second via portion is coupled to the third propeller-shaped portion. 
     
     
         6 . The capacitor plate according to  claim 1 , wherein the via portion comprises a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the via portion is coupled to the first propeller-shaped portion, and wherein the second end of the via portion is coupled to the second propeller-shaped portion. 
     
     
         7 . A capacitor, comprising:
 a first plate;   a second plate; and   an insulating material disposed between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the first plate and/or the second plate comprises a first propeller-shaped portion, a second propeller-shaped portion, and a via portion disposed between the first propeller-shaped portion and the second propeller-shaped portion.   
     
     
         8 . The capacitor according to  claim 7 , wherein the first propeller-shaped portion, the via portion, or the second propeller-shaped portion comprises a metal or a semiconductor material. 
     
     
         9 . The capacitor according to  claim 7 , wherein the first propeller-shaped portion or the second propeller-shaped portion comprises three or more blades. 
     
     
         10 . The capacitor according to  claim 7 , wherein the first propeller-shaped portion or the second propeller-shaped portion comprises a shape of a cross, the letter “X,” or the letter “T.” 
     
     
         11 . The capacitor according to  claim 7 , wherein the first propeller-shaped portion or the second propeller-shaped portion comprises a first member and a second member, the second member being substantially orthogonal to and coupled to the first member, wherein the first member and the second member intersect, wherein the first member comprises a first length, and wherein the second member comprises a second length, the second length being substantially the same as the first length. 
     
     
         12 . The capacitor according to  claim 7 , wherein the first propeller-shaped portion or the second propeller-shaped portion comprises a first member and a second member, the second member being substantially orthogonal to and coupled to the first member, wherein the first member and the second member intersect, wherein the first member comprises a first length, and wherein the second member comprises a second length, the second length being different than the first length. 
     
     
         13 . A semiconductor device, comprising:
 a workpiece;   a first conductive material layer disposed over the workpiece, the first conductive material layer including a first insulating material and at least one first propeller-shaped portion of a capacitor plate disposed within the first insulating material;   a second conductive material layer disposed over the first conductive material layer, the second conductive material layer including a second insulating material and at least one via portion of the capacitor plate disposed within the second insulating material, the at least one via portion of the capacitor plate being coupled to the at least one first propeller-shaped portion of the capacitor plate; and   a third conductive material layer disposed over the second conductive material layer, the third conductive material layer including a third insulating material and at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the capacitor plate disposed within the third insulating material, the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the capacitor plate being coupled to the at least one via portion of the capacitor plate, wherein the at least one first propeller-shaped portion, the at least one via portion, and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion comprise at least one capacitor plate.   
     
     
         14 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least two capacitor plates comprising the at least one first propeller-shaped portion, the at least one via portion, and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion, wherein the at least two capacitor plates comprise a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate of a capacitor, and wherein portions of the first insulating material, the second insulating material, and the third insulating material comprise a capacitor dielectric of the capacitor. 
     
     
         15 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 14 , wherein the first capacitor plate or the second capacitor plate comprises two or more capacitor plates comprising the at least one first propeller-shaped portion, the at least one via portion, and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion, and wherein the two or more capacitor plates are coupled together. 
     
     
         16 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 15 , wherein the two or more capacitor plates are coupled together by a conductive line in a conductive material layer adjacent the first conductive material layer or the third conductive material layer. 
     
     
         17 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 15 , wherein the two or more capacitor plates are coupled together at ends of adjacent at least one first propeller-shaped portions or at least one second propeller-shaped portions. 
     
     
         18 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 13 , wherein the semiconductor device comprises a minimum feature size, wherein the at least one first propeller-shaped portion or the at least one second propeller-shaped portion comprises a width comprising substantially the minimum feature size, or wherein the at least one first propeller-shaped portion and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion are spaced apart by a distance comprising substantially the minimum feature size. 
     
     
         19 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 18 , further comprising at least two capacitor plates comprising the at least one first propeller-shaped portion, the at least one via portion, and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion, wherein the at least two capacitor plates comprise a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate of a capacitor, wherein the at least one first propeller-shaped portion or the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the first capacitor plate comprises an inner corner, wherein the at least one first propeller-shaped portion or the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the second capacitor plate comprises an outer corner, and wherein the inner corner of the at least one first propeller-shaped portion or the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the first capacitor plate is spaced apart from the at least one first propeller-shaped portion or the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the second capacitor plate by a distance of about 1.4 times the minimum feature size of the semiconductor device. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing a capacitor, the method comprising:
 providing a workpiece;   forming a first conductive material layer over the workpiece, the first conductive material layer including a first insulating material and at least one first propeller-shaped portion of a capacitor plate disposed within the first insulating material;   forming a second conductive material layer over the first conductive material layer, the second conductive material layer including a second insulating material and at least one via portion of the capacitor plate disposed within the second insulating material, the at least one via portion of the capacitor plate being coupled to the at least one first propeller-shaped portion of the capacitor plate; and   forming a third conductive material layer over the second conductive material layer, the third conductive material layer including a third insulating material and at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the capacitor plate disposed within the third insulating material, the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the capacitor plate being coupled to the at least one via portion of the capacitor plate, wherein the at least one first propeller-shaped portion, the at least one via portion, and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion comprise at least one capacitor plate.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein forming the first conductive material layer, forming the second conductive material layer, and/or forming the third conductive material layer comprises a single damascene process or a dual damascene process. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein forming the first conductive material layer, forming the second conductive material layer, and/or forming the third conductive material layer comprises a subtractive etch process. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein forming the first conductive material layer, forming the second conductive material layer, and forming the third conductive material layer comprise forming a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate, wherein a first propeller-shaped portion or a second propeller-shaped portion of the first capacitor plate comprises at least one elongated first blade, wherein a first propeller-shaped portion or a second propeller-shaped portion of the second capacitor plate comprises at least one elongated second blade, further comprising interweaving the at least one elongated second blade with the at least one elongated first blade. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein forming the first conductive material layer, forming the second conductive material layer, and forming the third conductive material layer comprise forming the at least one first propeller-shaped portion, the at least one via portion, and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the at least one capacitor plate in a dedicated region of the workpiece. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein forming the first conductive material layer, forming the second conductive material layer, and forming the third conductive material layer comprise forming the at least one first propeller-shaped portion, the at least one via portion, and the at least one second propeller-shaped portion of the at least one capacitor plate in an unused region of the workpiece. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein forming the first conductive material layer comprises forming a first metallization layer, wherein forming the second conductive material layer comprises forming a second metallization layer, and wherein forming the third conductive material layer comprises forming a third metallization layer.