Patents by Inventor Hideaki Kawahara

Hideaki Kawahara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170222041
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a semiconductor substrate having a top surface to form a trench having sidewalls and a bottom surface that extends from the top surface into the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric liner of a first dielectric material is formed on the bottom surface and sidewalls of the trench to line the trench. A second dielectric layer of a second dielectric material is deposited to at least partially fill the trench. The second dielectric layer is partially etched to selectively remove the second dielectric layer from an upper portion of the trench while preserving the second dielectric layer on a lower portion of the trench. The trench is filled with a fill material which provides an electrical conductivity that is at least that of a semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: HIDEAKI KAWAHARA, HONG YANG, CHRISTOPHER BOGUSLAW KOCON, YUFEI XIONG, YUNLONG LIU
  • Patent number: 9711639
    Abstract: A semiconductor device contains a vertical MOS transistor having a trench gate in trenches extending through a vertical drift region to a drain region. The trenches have field plates under the gate; the field plates are adjacent to the drift region and have a plurality of segments. A dielectric liner in the trenches separating the field plates from the drift region has a thickness great than a gate dielectric layer between the gate and the body. The dielectric liner is thicker on a lower segment of the field plate, at a bottom of the trenches, than an upper segment, immediately under the gate. The trench gate may be electrically isolated from the field plates, or may be connected to the upper segment. The segments of the field plates may be electrically isolated from each other or may be connected to each other in the trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Seetharaman Sridhar, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, Hong Yang
  • Publication number: 20170179329
    Abstract: A photodetector cell includes a substrate having a semiconductor surface layer, and a trench in the semiconductor surface layer. The trench has tilted sidewalls including a first tilted sidewall and a second tilted sidewall. A pn junction, a PIN structure, or a phototransistor includes an active p-region and an active n-region that forms a junction including a first junction along the first tilted sidewall to provide a first photodetector element and a second junction spaced apart from the first junction along the second tilted sidewall to provide a second photodetector element. At least a p-type anode contact and at least an n-type cathode contact contacts the active p-region and active n-region of the first photodetector element and second photodetector element. The tilted sidewalls provide an outer exposed or optically transparent surface for passing incident light to the first and second photodetector elements for detection of incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: HIDEAKI KAWAHARA, HENRY LITZMANN EDWARDS
  • Patent number: 9673317
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical MOS transistor with a plurality of parallel RESURF drain trenches separated by a constant spacing in a vertical drain drift region. The vertical MOS transistor has chamfered corners; each chamfered corner extends across at least five of the drain trenches. A RESURF termination trench surrounds the drain trenches, separated from sides and ends of the drain trenches by distances which are functions of the drain trench spacing. At the chamfered corners, the termination trench includes external corners which extend around an end of a drain trench which extends past an adjacent drain trench, and includes internal corners which extend past an end of a drain trench which is recessed from an adjacent drain trench. The termination trench is separated from the drain trenches at the chamfered corners by distances which are also functions of the drain trench spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, Jayhoon Chung, John Manning Savidge Neilson
  • Patent number: 9653342
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a semiconductor substrate having a top surface to form a trench having sidewalls and a bottom surface that extends from the top surface into the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric liner of a first dielectric material is formed on the bottom surface and sidewalls of the trench to line the trench. A second dielectric layer of a second dielectric material is deposited to at least partially fill the trench. The second dielectric layer is partially etched to selectively remove the second dielectric layer from an upper portion of the trench while preserving the second dielectric layer on a lower portion of the trench. The trench is filled with a fill material which provides an electrical conductivity that is at least that of a semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Hong Yang, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Yufei Xiong, Yunlong Liu
  • Publication number: 20170062573
    Abstract: A vertical, high-voltage MOS transistor, which has a source region, a body contact region, and a number of trenches structures with field plates, and a method of forming the MOS transistor increase the on-state resistance of the MOS transistor by reducing the trench pitch. Trench pitch can be reduced with metal contacts that simultaneously touch the source regions, the body contact regions, and the field plates. Trench pitch can also be reduced with a gate that increases the size of the LDD region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, John Manning Savidge Neilson, Hideaki Kawahara
  • Publication number: 20170025525
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical drift region over a drain contact region, abutted on opposite sides by RESURF trenches. A split gate is disposed over the vertical drift region. A first portion of the split gate is a gate of an MOS transistor and is located over a body of the MOS transistor over a first side of the vertical drift region. A second portion of the split gate is a gate of a channel diode and is located over a body of the channel diode over a second, opposite, side of the vertical drift region. A source electrode is electrically coupled to a source region of the channel diode and a source region of the MOS transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, John Manning Savidge Neilson, Hideaki Kawahara
  • Patent number: 9525035
    Abstract: A vertical, high-voltage MOS transistor, which has a source region, a body contact region, and a number of trenches structures with field plates, and a method of forming the MOS transistor increase the on-state resistance of the MOS transistor by reducing the trench pitch. Trench pitch can be reduced with metal contacts that simultaneously touch the source regions, the body contact regions, and the field plates. Trench pitch can also be reduced with a gate that increases the size of the LDD region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, John Manning Savidge Neilson, Hideaki Kawahara
  • Publication number: 20160359039
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical MOS transistor with a plurality of parallel RESURF drain trenches separated by a constant spacing in a vertical drain drift region. The vertical MOS transistor has chamfered corners; each chamfered corner extends across at least five of the drain trenches. A RESURF termination trench surrounds the drain trenches, separated from sides and ends of the drain trenches by distances which are functions of the drain trench spacing. At the chamfered corners, the termination trench includes external corners which extend around an end of a drain trench which extends past an adjacent drain trench, and includes internal corners which extend past an end of a drain trench which is recessed from an adjacent drain trench. The termination trench is separated from the drain trenches at the chamfered corners by distances which are also functions of the drain trench spacing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Hideaki KAWAHARA, Christopher Boguslaw KOCON, Simon John MOLLOY, Jayhoon CHUNG, John Manning Savidge NEILSON
  • Publication number: 20160329423
    Abstract: A semiconductor device contains a vertical MOS transistor having a trench gate in trenches extending through a vertical drift region to a drain region. The trenches have field plates under the gate; the field plates are adjacent to the drift region and have a plurality of segments. A dielectric liner in the trenches separating the field plates from the drift region has a thickness great than a gate dielectric layer between the gate and the body. The dielectric liner is thicker on a lower segment of the field plate, at a bottom of the trenches, than an upper segment, immediately under the gate. The trench gate may be electrically isolated from the field plates, or may be connected to the upper segment. The segments of the field plates may be electrically isolated from each other or may be connected to each other in the trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Seetharaman Sridhar, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, Hong Yang
  • Patent number: 9484450
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical drift region over a drain contact region, abutted on opposite sides by RESURF trenches. A split gate is disposed over the vertical drift region. A first portion of the split gate is a gate of an MOS transistor and is located over a body of the MOS transistor over a first side of the vertical drift region. A second portion of the split gate is a gate of a channel diode and is located over a body of the channel diode over a second, opposite, side of the vertical drift region. A source electrode is electrically coupled to a source region of the channel diode and a source region of the MOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, John Manning Savidge Neilson, Hideaki Kawahara
  • Patent number: 9455222
    Abstract: A fuse circuit includes a substrate, a top semiconductor layer doped a first conductivity type having a well doped a second conductivity type formed therein including a well contact. A field dielectric layer (FOX) is on the semiconductor layer. A fuse is on the FOX within the well including a fuse body including electrically conductive material having a first and second fuse contact. A transistor is formed in the semiconductor layer including a control terminal (CT) with CT contact, a first terminal (FT) with FT contact, and a second terminal (ST) with a ST contact. A coupling path is between the CT contact and well contact, a first resistor is coupled between the FT contact and CT contact, and a coupling path is between the ST contact and the first fuse contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Hong Yang, Eugen Pompiliu Mindricelu, Robert Graham Shaw
  • Patent number: 9450082
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical MOS transistor with a plurality of parallel RESURF drain trenches separated by a constant spacing in a vertical drain drift region. The vertical MOS transistor has chamfered corners; each chamfered corner extends across at least five of the drain trenches. A RESURF termination trench surrounds the drain trenches, separated from sides and ends of the drain trenches by distances which are functions of the drain trench spacing. At the chamfered corners, the termination trench includes external corners which extend around an end of a drain trench which extends past an adjacent drain trench, and includes internal corners which extend past an end of a drain trench which is recessed from an adjacent drain trench. The termination trench is separated from the drain trenches at the chamfered corners by distances which are also functions of the drain trench spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, Jayhoon Chung, John Manning Savidge Neilson
  • Publication number: 20160240653
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a medium voltage MOSFET having a vertical drain drift region between RESURF trenches containing field plates which are electrically coupled to a source electrode of the MOSFET. A split gate with a central opening is disposed above the drain drift region between the RESURF trenches. A two-level LDD region is disposed below the central opening in the split gate. A contact metal stack makes contact with a source region at lateral sides of the triple contact structure, and with a body contact region and the field plates in the RESURF trenches at a bottom surface of the triple contact structure. A perimeter RESURF trench surrounds the MOSFET. A field plate in the perimeter RESURF trench is electrically coupled to the source electrode of the MOSFET. An integrated snubber may be formed in trenches formed concurrently with the RESURF trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Hideaki Kawahara, Simon John Molloy, Satoshi Suzuki, John Manning Savidge Neilson
  • Publication number: 20160240667
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a medium voltage MOSFET having a vertical drain drift region between RESURF trenches containing field plates which are electrically coupled to a source electrode of the MOSFET. A split gate with a central opening is disposed above the drain drift region between the RESURF trenches. A two-level LDD region is disposed below the central opening in the split gate. A contact metal stack makes contact with a source region at lateral sides of the triple contact structure, and with a body contact region and the field plates in the RESURF trenches at a bottom surface of the triple contact structure. A perimeter RESURF trench surrounds the MOSFET. A field plate in the perimeter RESURF trench is electrically coupled to the source electrode of the MOSFET. An integrated snubber may be formed in trenches formed concurrently with the RESURF trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Hideaki Kawahara, Simon John Malloy, Satoshi Suzuki, John Manning Savidge Neilson
  • Publication number: 20160163804
    Abstract: A vertical, high-voltage MOS transistor, which has a source region, a body contact region, and a number of trenches structures with field plates, and a method of forming the MOS transistor increase the on-state resistance of the MOS transistor by reducing the trench pitch. Trench pitch can be reduced with metal contacts that simultaneously touch the source regions, the body contact regions, and the field plates. Trench pitch can also be reduced with a gate that increases the size of the LDD region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, John Manning Savidge Neilson, Hideaki Kawahara
  • Patent number: 9356133
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a medium voltage MOSFET having a vertical drain drift region between RESURF trenches containing field plates which are electrically coupled to a source electrode of the MOSFET. A split gate with a central opening is disposed above the drain drift region between the RESURF trenches. A two-level LDD region is disposed below the central opening in the split gate. A contact metal stack makes contact with a source region at lateral sides of the triple contact structure, and with a body contact region and the field plates in the RESURF trenches at a bottom surface of the triple contact structure. A perimeter RESURF trench surrounds the MOSFET. A field plate in the perimeter RESURF trench is electrically coupled to the source electrode of the MOSFET. An integrated snubber may be formed in trenches formed concurrently with the RESURF trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Hideaki Kawahara, Simon John Molloy, Satoshi Suzuki, John Manning Savidge Neilson
  • Publication number: 20160141204
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching a semiconductor substrate having a top surface to form a trench having sidewalls and a bottom surface that extends from the top surface into the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric liner of a first dielectric material is formed on the bottom surface and sidewalls of the trench to line the trench. A second dielectric layer of a second dielectric material is deposited to at least partially fill the trench. The second dielectric layer is partially etched to selectively remove the second dielectric layer from an upper portion of the trench while preserving the second dielectric layer on a lower portion of the trench. The trench is filled with a fill material which provides an electrical conductivity that is at least that of a semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: HIDEAKI KAWAHARA, HONG YANG, CHRISTOPHER BOGUSLAW KOCON, YUFEI XIONG, YUNLONG LIU
  • Patent number: 9299830
    Abstract: A semiconductor device contains a vertical MOS transistor having a trench gate in trenches extending through a vertical drift region to a drain region. The trenches have field plates under the gate; the field plates are adjacent to the drift region and have a plurality of segments. A dielectric liner in the trenches separating the field plates from the drift region has a thickness great than a gate dielectric layer between the gate and the body. The dielectric liner is thicker on a lower segment of the field plate, at a bottom of the trenches, than an upper segment, immediately under the gate. The trench gate may be electrically isolated from the field plates, or may be connected to the upper segment. The segments of the field plates may be electrically isolated from each other or may be connected to each other in the trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Seetharaman Sridhar, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, Hong Yang
  • Patent number: 9245994
    Abstract: A metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) in and on a semiconductor surface provides a drift region of a first conductivity type. A plurality of active area trenches in the drift region, and first and second termination trenches are each parallel to and together sandwiching the active area trenches. The active area trenches and termination trenches include a trench dielectric liner and electrically conductive filler material filled field plates. A gate is over the drain drift region between active area trenches. A body region of a second conductivity abuts the active region trenches. A source of the first conductivity type is in the body region on opposing sides of the gate. A vertical drain drift region uses the drift region below the body region. A first and second curved trench feature couples the field plate of the first and second termination trench to field plates of active area trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hideaki Kawahara, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon, Simon John Molloy, John Manning Savidge Neilson