ANTENNA EFFECT

GUIDELINE STANDARDS
1. What is ANTENNA EFFECT ?
definition: Charge accumulation on an insulating gate oxide may puncture gate poly
oxide is said to be Antenna Effect.
During the Fabrication Process a large amount of charge is induced in Plasma etching, ion
implantation and in other process. The charge due to these extra carriers might be too much for
the thin gate to handle it, and it may also damage the thin gate oxide layer. Example (Fig1)

Large Area Metal

Via charge
Poly Gate

Gate oxide Damage

S Defect D

P-

Fig.1
2. Why ANTENNA?
The 'antenna ratio' of an inter-connect is used to predict if the antenna effect will occur. 'Antenna
ratio' is defined as the ratio between the physical area of the conductors making up the antenna to the total
gate oxide area to which the antenna is electrically connected. A higher ratio implies a greater propensity to
fail due to the antenna effect. This can result either from a relatively larger area to collect charge or a
reduced gate oxide area on which the charge is concentrated. Example(Fig.2)

Area of Metal
Antenna Ratio =
Gate Area
Fig.2

Example :

100μ2

M2
V1 V1

Case:1 M1
contact contact
Poly

diffusion

2
Let assume gate area = 2u
Given M1 area 2
= 100u
By applying this values in Fig.2 formula
Antenna Ratio = 100/2 = 50
Case:2
2000μ2
M2
V1 V1

M1
contact contact
Poly

diffusion

2
Let assume gate area = 2u
Given M1 area 2
= 2000u
By applying this values in Fig.2 formula
Antenna Ratio = 2000/2 = 1000

Antenna Ratio is more when compare to case:1

NOTE:
Antenna Ratio < 1000 (For 1.1V transistors)
Antenna Ratio < 2000 (For 1.8V transistors)
Antenna Ratio < 5000 (For 3.3V transistors)
3. How to solve ANTENNA EFFECT ?

There are 4 ways to solve antenna effects. They are

• Metal Jumper

• Diode Insertion

• Adding Dummy

• Adding Buffer

METAL JUMPER
In below diagram, the large area Metal is connected to the poly gate. During fabrication
process the charge accumulated through the large area Metal may damage the poly gate
oxide. Use metal jumping near to gate diode to avoid antenna violations.

Antenna Violation

M2
V1 V1

M1 M1

Gate diode Reverse bias diode

M2 Diffusion area
V1 V1

M1 M1
No antenna violation

Gate diode Reverse bias diode

Steps to be handle.
1. Metal jumper needs to be near to poly gates as shown in above diagram . If the metal
jumper is far from poly gate the area of metal will be high and leads to antenna.
2. If the antenna violations are there in one metal, then always do metal jumping for
metal+1 order and don't go for metal-1 order. Example

c
V2 V2
b M3 a
b a
M2 M2 When fabrication of M2
V1 V1 process
M2 M2 When fabrication of M2
V1
c V1
process
V1 V1
M1 M1
Antenna violation through metal jump
M1 M1

Poly gate Poly gate

Poly gate Poly gate
Gate oxide Gate oxide
Gate oxide Gate oxide
S D S D
S D S D

P- P-
Metal jump metal2-1 (Fig.3)

Metal jump metal2+1 (Fig.4)

3. In fig.3 when fabricating M2 the accumulating charge from both a and b metal have
connected through c. So again there is a chance to damage the poly gate oxide
through the metal path c , so there is no use of doing metal jumping one level below.

4. In fig.4 when fabricating M2 the accumulating charge from both a and b metal will be
equally distributed to their respective sides as shown in figure. When we go for metal3
fabrication, the area of the metal will be very small than metal2. So the charge
produces while fabricating is very less. Poly gate oxide will be safe.
DIODE INSERTION
As we seen before, When area of metal crosses the limit of antenna ratio. It will lead to antenna
effect. One of the way is to add reverse bias diode near to that affected metal as given below.

antenna violation
M2 Very long wire on metal2
V1

M1
Gate diode

Avoid antenna by adding diode

M2 Very long wire on metal2

V1 V1

M1
Gate diode Reverse bias diode

Fig.5
By adding reverse bias diode in Fig.5, the accumulated charges will find the low
resistance path as reverse bias diode and discharge through them. The conduction in reverse
bias diode is faster than the charge which may affect poly gate oxide.
Example Diagram

IN

GND

NET1 NET2

Dummy transistor as diode Actual device

ADDING DUMMY DEVICE
As we seen above Fig.2 when area of gate poly increases the antenna ratio will
decrease. Below diagram shows that the area of active poly may increased by adding dummy
transistors. This will reduce the antenna ratio.

Example Diagram

IN

GND NET1 NET2

Dummy transistor to Actual device

increase gate oxide area

ADDING BUFFER
If any large area metal is violating antenna to poly gate . By using buffer we can avoid
antenna as shown below

Antenna Violation
VDD

Large

area
1 0 1 metal
Antenna
gates
violating
antenna

affecting
VSS
 Buffer Addition

VDD
Large

area
1 0 1 metal
violating
Gate output antenna

Dar niou pt ut

VSS 1 0

Buffer

Addition of buffer will give same input and avoid direct connection to poly gate by replacing
with drain