Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor integrated circuit devices including means for reducing noise generated by high frequency internal circuitry

US5449948A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
6References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 1, 1991
Grant dateSep 12, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 1, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/3025
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Integrated circuit devices, chips and methods of making and operating them are disclosed. The devices are specially adapted for high frequency operation e.g. at or above 1 GHz. Inductive noise caused by switching at these frequencies--and which can interfere with switching--is inhibited by using a large bypass capacitor connected between power and ground connections outside the chip, and a small bypass capacitor connected between the same power and ground connections but formed inside the chip. The smaller capacitor cuts noise attributable to the wiring between the larger capacitor and the chip. The chip can have many of the smaller capacitors, even one or more per gate. In the preferred embodiments, the small capacitors from power and ground bonding pads are formed at the front surface of the chip substrate. Tantalum pentoxide, and other suitable dielectrics having relative dielectric constant of 10 or more at 1 GHz, are used to form the capacitors.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.