Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor device having a rectifying junction (5) which is situated between two (semiconductor) regions (1, 2) of an opposite conductivity type. The second region (2), which includes silicon, is thicker and has a smaller doping concentration than the first region (1) which includes a sub-region comprising a mixed crystal of silicon and germanium. The two regions (1, 2) are each provided with a connection conductor (3, 4).

Abstract: A semiconductor body (1) is provided having a first semiconductor region (3) of one conductivity type separated from a first major surface (5a) by a second semiconductor region (5) of the opposite conductivity type. A trench (7) is etched through the second semiconductor region (5) to an etch stop layer (4) provided in the region of the pn junction between the first (3) and second (5) regions, by using an etching process which enables the etching process to be stopped at the etch stop layer. A gate (8, 9) is provided within the trench (7). A source (12) separated from the first region (3) by the second region (5) is formed adjacent the trench so that a conduction channel area (50) of the second region (5) adjacent the trench provides a conduction path between the source and first regions which is controllable by the gate.

Abstract: A trench gate field effect device has a semiconductor body (2) with a trench (3) extending into a first major surface (2a) so as to define a regular array of polygonal source cells (4). Each source cell contains a source region (5a,5b) and a body region (6a,6b) with the body regions separating the source regions from a common further region (20). A gate (G) extends within and along said trench (3) for controlling a conduction channel through each of the body regions. Each source cell (4) has a central semiconductor region (60) which is more highly doped than said body regions, is of opposite conductivity type to the further region and forms a diode with the further region. Each source cell (4) has an inner trench boundary (3a) and an outer polygonal trench boundary (3b) with the inner trench boundary bounding a central subsidiary cell (10a) containing the central semiconductor region (60).

Abstract: A trench-gate MOSFET or ACCUFET has its gate (21) in a first trench (20) that extends through a channel-accommodating body region (15) to a drain region (14). Within the transistor cells, a second trench (40) comprising deposited highly-doped semiconductor material (41) extends to the drain region (14). This highly-doped material (41) is of opposite conductivity type to the drain region (14) and, together with a possible out-diffusion profile (42), forms a localized region (41, 42) that is separated from the first trench (20) by the body region 15. A source electrode (23) contacts the source region (13) and the whole top area of the localized region (41, 42). In a MOSFET, the localized region (41, 42) provides protection against turning on of the cell's parasitic bipolar transistor. In an ACCUFET (FIG. 9), the localized region (41, 42) depletes the channel-accommodating body region (15A). In both devices the localized region (41, 42) is well-defined and can be narrow to enable a small transistor cell size.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a tunnel diode (23) is particularly suitable for various applications. Such a device comprises two mutually adjoining semiconductor regions (2, 3) of opposed conductivity types and having doping concentrations which are so high that breakdown between them leads to conduction by means of tunnelling. A disadvantage of the known device is that the current-voltage characteristic is not yet steep enough for some applications.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a tunnel diode (23) is particularly suitable for various applications. Such a device comprises two mutually adjoining semiconductor regions (2, 3) of opposed conductivity types and having doping concentrations which are so high that breakdown between them leads to conduction by means of tunnelling. A disadvantage of the known device is that the current-voltage characteristic is not yet steep enough for some applications. In a device according to the invention, the portions (2A, 3A) of the semiconductor regions (2, 3) adjoining the junction (23) comprise a mixed crystal of silicon and germanium. It is surprisingly found that the doping concentration of both phosphorus and boron are substantially increased, given the same amount of dopants being offered as during the formation of the remainder of the regions (2, 3).

Abstract: Devices with Schottky junctions are manufactured in that a semiconductor body with a substrate is provided with a first, for example n-type semiconductor region in the form of an epitaxial layer. A Schottky metal is locally provided thereon. A second semiconductor region is advantageously formed directly below the Schottky metal, with the purpose of adjusting the level of the Schottky barrier. Around this, a third semiconductor region is formed in the first region at at least two sides, which third region is then of the p-conductivity type and, when it entirely surrounds the second region, forms a so-called guard ring. A disadvantage of the above known method is that the devices obtained thereby have a (forward) current-voltage characteristic which is not very well controllable and reproducible. This hampers mass manufacture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing thiophene-containing or furan-containing conjugated compounds such as polythiophene. The method uses a precursor compound having tetrahydrothiophene or tetrahydrofuran precursor units having arylthio or alkylthio substituents. The precursor units can be thermally converted into thiophene or furan units. Due to the presence of the precursor units the precursor compound is soluble and can, unlike the corresponding conjugated compound, be processed from solution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing thiophene-containing or furan-containing conjugated compounds such as polythiophene. The method uses a precursor compound having tetrahydrothiophene or tetrahydrofuran precursor units having arylthio or alkylthio substituents. The precursor units can be thermally converted into thiophene or furan units. Due to the presence of the precursor units the precursor compound is soluble and can, unlike the corresponding conjugated compound, be processed from solution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing thiophene-containing or furan-containing conjugated compounds such as polythiophene. The method uses a precursor compound having tetrahydrothiophene or tetrahydrofuran precursor units having arylthio or alkylthio substituents. The precursor units can be thermally converted into thiophene or furan units. Due to the presence of the precursor units the precursor compound is soluble and can, unlike the corresponding conjugated compound, be processed from solution.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided with an organic material which is formed by a solid-state mixture of organic donor and organic acceptor molecules. A semiconducting solid-state mixture is known with molar ratios between donor and acceptor molecules of 1.3:2 and 1.66:2. The known solid-state mixture has the disadvantage that its electrical conductivity is comparatively high, so that it is not possible to manufacture switchable devices from the mixture. Here the material includes an n- or p-type semiconductor material, the n-type semiconductor material having a molar ratio between the donor and acceptor molecules below 0.05, and the p-type semiconductor material having this ratio above 20. These solid-state mixtures may be used for manufacturing switchable semiconductor devices. The n- and p-type organic solid-state mixtures can be used for manufacturing transistors, diodes, and field effect transistors in a same manner as, for example, doped silicon or germanium.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming in a semiconductive conjugated polymer at least first and second legions having different optical properties. The method comprises: forming a layer of a precursor polymer and permitting the first region to come into contact with a reactant, such as an acid, and heat while permitting the second region to come into contact with a lower concentration of the reactant. The reactant affects the conversion conditions of the precursor polymer in such a way as to control the optical properties of at least the first region so that the optical properties of the first region are different from those of the second region. The precursor polymer may comprise a poly(arylene-1, 2-ethanediyl) polymer, at least some of the ethane groups of which include a modifier group whose susceptibility to elimination is increased in the presence of the reactant.