Transistor With Vertical Current Flow (epo) Patents (Class 257/E29.198)
  • Patent number: 11923832
    Abstract: A gate driver system includes a transistor configured to be driven between switching states, the transistor including a control terminal controlled by a control voltage that has a maximum rated limit; and a gate driver coupled to the control terminal by a turn-on current path, the gate driver being configured to control the control voltage in order to drive the transistor between the switching states. The turn-on current path includes a resistor and a Zener diode connected in series, with an anode of the Zener diode connected to the control terminal and a cathode of the Zener diode connected to the resistor. The turn-on current path is configured to provide an on-current to increase the control voltage above a switching threshold. While the transistor is turned on, the Zener diode is configured to limit the control voltage to a voltage level limit that is less than the maximum rated limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Kuiwei Xu, Weiwei Cao
  • Patent number: 11876127
    Abstract: An IGBT capable of handling high-speed switching while reducing a leakage current of a semiconductor device including the IGBT is provided. The semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes an IGBT including a p-type collector layer on a back surface of a silicon substrate and a dislocation suppressing layer for forming a hetero junction with silicon in the p-type collector layer. The dislocation suppressing layer includes a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Imai, Yoshito Nakazawa, Katsumi Eikyu
  • Patent number: 11869961
    Abstract: A plug electrode is subject to etch back to remain in a contact hole and expose a barrier metal on a top surface of an interlayer insulating film. The barrier metal is subject to etch back, exposing the top surface of the interlayer insulating film. Remaining element structures are formed. After lifetime is controlled by irradiation of helium or an electron beam, hydrogen annealing is performed. During the hydrogen annealing, the barrier metal is not present on the interlayer insulating film covering a gate electrode, enabling hydrogen atoms to reach a mesa part, whereby lattice defects generated in the mesa part by the irradiation of helium or an electron beam are recovered, recovering the gate threshold voltage. Thus, predetermined characteristics of a semiconductor device having a structure where a plug electrode is provided in a contact hole, via barrier metal are easily and stably obtained when lifetime control is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyata, Seiji Noguchi, Souichi Yoshida, Hiromitsu Tanabe, Kenji Kouno, Yasushi Okura
  • Patent number: 11848377
    Abstract: A semiconductor component includes a semiconductor body having opposing first surface and second surfaces, and a side surface surrounding the semiconductor body. The semiconductor component also includes an active region including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, which is electrically contacted via the first surface, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, which is electrically contacted via the second surface. The semiconductor component further includes an edge termination region arranged in a lateral direction between the first semiconductor region of the active region and the side surface, and includes a first edge termination structure and a second edge termination structure. The second edge termination structure is arranged in the lateral direction between the first edge termination structure and the side surface and extends from the first surface in a vertical direction more deeply into the semiconductor body than the first edge termination structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Anton Mauder, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Matteo Dainese, Elmar Falck, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide, Manfred Pfaffenlehner
  • Patent number: 11830939
    Abstract: An IGBT capable of handling high-speed switching while reducing a leakage current of a semiconductor device including the IGBT is provided. The semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes an IGBT including a p-type collector layer on a back surface of a silicon substrate and a dislocation suppressing layer for forming a hetero junction with silicon in the p-type collector layer. The dislocation suppressing layer includes a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Imai, Yoshito Nakazawa, Katsumi Eikyu
  • Patent number: 11824523
    Abstract: Semiconductor device with multiple independent gates. A gate-controlled semiconductor device includes a first plurality of cells of the semiconductor device configured to be controlled by a primary gate, and a second plurality of cells of the semiconductor device configured to be controlled by an auxiliary gate. The primary gate is electrically isolated from the auxiliary gate, and sources and drains of the semiconductor device are electrically coupled in parallel. The first and second pluralities of cells may be substantially identical in structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Vishay-Siliconix, LLC
    Inventors: Sanjay Havanur, M. Ayman Shibib
  • Patent number: 11824111
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes first to third electrodes, a conductive member, a semiconductor member, and an insulating member. The second electrode includes a conductive portion. The conductive portion is between the third electrode and the conductive member. The conductive member is electrically connected with the second electrode. The semiconductor member includes first to third semiconductor regions. The second semiconductor region is between the third semiconductor region and a portion of the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region is between the third electrode and the conductive member. The conductive portion is electrically connected with the second and third semiconductor regions. The first electrode is electrically connected with the first semiconductor region. At least a portion of the first insulating member is between the semiconductor member and the third electrode and between the semiconductor member and the first conductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiro Gangi, Tomoaki Inokuchi, Yusuke Kobayashi, Hiroki Nemoto
  • Patent number: 11810974
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes: a U-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (UMOS) structure; and a trench junction barrier Schottky (TJBS) diode, wherein an insulating layer of a sidewall of the TJBS diode does not have a side gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chih-Fang Huang, Jia-Wei Hu, You-An Lin, Yong-Shiang Jan
  • Patent number: 11798994
    Abstract: An embodiment relates to a n-type planar gate DMOSFET comprising a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate. The SiC substrate includes a N+ substrate, a N? drift layer, a P-well region and a first N+ source region within each P-well region. A second N+ source region is formed between the P-well region and a source metal via a silicide layer. During third quadrant operation of the DMOSFET, the second N+ source region starts depleting when a source terminal is positively biased with respect to a drain terminal. The second N+ source region impacts turn-on voltage of body diode regions of the DMOSFET by establishing short-circuitry between the P-well region and the source metal when the second N+ source region is completely depleted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GeneSiC Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Siddarth Sundaresan, Ranbir Singh, Jaehoon Park
  • Patent number: 11776955
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second surfaces, an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and a diode formed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the diode comprises a drift layer of a first conductivity type formed so as to have a first region on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, a first body layer of a second conductivity type formed so as to have a second region adjacent to the first region at an upper portion of the drift layer, a first floating layer of the second conductivity type formed so as to have a third region adjacent to the first region at an upper portion of the drift layer, a first trench electrode formed in a region adjacent to the first floating layer at an upper portion of the drift layer, and a first control gate formed on top of the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nao Nagata
  • Patent number: 11742207
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes substrate, a first gate structure, a second gate structure, and an epitaxy layer. The first gate structure and the second gate structure are over the substrate, in which the first gate structure and the second gate structure each comprises a shielding electrode, a gate electrode over the shielding electrode, and a first gate dielectric layer vertically separating the shielding electrode from the gate electrode. The epitaxy layer is over the substrate and cups an underside of the first gate structure and the second gate structure, in which the epitaxy layer comprises a doped region laterally between the first gate dielectric layer of the first gate structure and the first gate dielectric layer of the second gate structure, a dopant concentration of the doped region being non-uniform along a lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., TSMC CHINA COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Zheng-Long Chen
  • Patent number: 11728396
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part including a first surface, a second surface, a first region provided between the first surface and the second surface, and a second region provided between the first surface and the second surface; a common electrode provided at the second surface; a first electrode provided on the first surface at the first region; a second electrode provided on the first surface at the second region and separated from the first electrode; a first control electrode provided in the first region; and a second control electrode provided in the second region. A first trench is provided in the common electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11695069
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device includes: a first active cell area comprising a first plurality of parallel gate trenches; a second active cell area comprising a second plurality of parallel gate trenches; and a metallization layer above the first and the second active cell areas. The metallization layer includes: a first part contacting a semiconductor mesa region between the plurality of parallel gate trenches in the first and the second active cell areas; and a second part surrounding the first part. The second part of the metallization layer contacts the first plurality of gate trenches along a first direction and the second plurality of gate trenches along a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Markus Zundel, Stefan Mieslinger, Thomas Ostermann, Andrew Christopher Graeme Wood
  • Patent number: 11631763
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having opposed first and second major surface, an active area, and a termination area. Insulated trenches extend from the first major surface toward the second major surface, each of the insulated trenches including a conductive field plate and a gate electrode overlying the conductive field plate, the gate electrode being separated from the field plate by a gate-field plate insulator. The field plate extends longitudinally in both of the active and termination areas and the gate electrode is absent in the termination area. A body region of a first conductivity type extends laterally between pairs of the insulated trenches. First and second spacer regions of a second conductivity type extend laterally between the pairs of the insulated trenches at the termination area to produce segments of the first conductivity type between the first and second spacer regions that are isolated from the body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Tanuj Saxena, Vishnu Khemka, Bernhard Grote, Ganming Qin, Moaniss Zitouni
  • Patent number: 11610992
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type. A well region that is a second conductivity type well region is formed on a surface layer portion of the semiconductor layer and has a channel region defined therein. A source region that is a first conductivity type source region is formed on a surface layer portion of the well region. A gate insulating film is formed on the semiconductor layer and has a multilayer structure. A gate electrode is opposed to the channel region of the well region where a channel is formed through the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuhei Mitani, Yuki Nakano, Heiji Watanabe, Takayoshi Shimura, Takuji Hosoi, Takashi Kirino
  • Patent number: 11605725
    Abstract: An insulated gate bipolar transistor and a fabrication method therefor, wherein the fabrication method for the insulated gate bipolar transistor comprises the following steps: implanting hydrogen ions, arsenic ions, or nitrogen ions into a substrate from a back surface of the insulated gate bipolar transistor so as to form an n-type heavily doped layer (202) of a reverse conduction diode, the reverse conduction diode being a reverse conduction diode built into the insulated gate bipolar transistor. The described fabrication method and the obtained insulated gate bipolar transistor from a recombination center in an n+ junction of the reverse conduction diode, thereby accelerating the reverse recovery speed of the built-in reverse conduction diode, shortening the reverse recovery time thereof, and improving the performance of the insulated gate bipolar transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CORPORATION., LTD.
    Inventors: Xueliang Wang, Jianhua Liu, Jinrong Lang, Yaneng Min
  • Patent number: 11588042
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulating film disposed above the semiconductor substrate, a temperature detecting element disposed on the insulating film, and an anode side region and a cathode side region respectively located on an anode side and a cathode side of the temperature detecting element. The anode side region or the cathode side region includes one or more capacitance elements, and a sum of capacitance values of the capacitance elements is larger than a capacitance value of the temperature detecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunsuke Harada, Takashi Nomura
  • Patent number: 11581428
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes an active cell region with a drift region of a first conductivity type, a plurality of IGBT cells arranged within the active cell region, each of the IGBT cells includes at least one trench that extends into the drift, an edge termination region surrounding the active cell region, a transition region arranged between the active cell region and the edge termination region, at least some of the IGBT cells are arranged within or extend into the transition region, a barrier region of a second conductivity type, the barrier region is arranged within the active cell region and in contact with at least some of the trenches of the IGBT cells and does not extend into the transition region, and a first load terminal and a second load terminal, the power semiconductor device is configured to conduct a load current along a vertical direction between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Alexander Philippou, Markus Beninger-Bina, Matteo Dainese, Christian Jaeger, Johannes Georg Laven, Francisco Javier Santos Rodriguez, Antonio Vellei, Caspar Leendertz, Christian Philipp Sandow
  • Patent number: 11574998
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate including a front surface, a back surface that is opposite to the front surface, and a drift layer of a first conductive type disposed between the front surface and the back surface; a first diffusion layer of a second conductive type provided between the drift layer and the front surface; a second diffusion layer provided between the drift layer and the back surface; a first buffer layer of the first conductive type provided between the drift layer and the second diffusion layer, having a concentration higher than that of the drift layer, and into which a proton is injected; and a second buffer layer of the first conductive type provided between the first buffer layer and the second diffusion layer and having a concentration higher than that of the drift layer, wherein a peak concentration of the second buffer layer is higher than a peak concentration of the first buffer layer, an impurity concentration of the first buffer layer gradually decreases t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tanaka, Koichi Nishi, Ze Chen
  • Patent number: 11569371
    Abstract: We disclose herein a gate controlled bipolar semiconductor device comprising: a collector region of a first conductivity type; a drift region of a second conductivity type located over the collector region; a body region of a first conductivity type located over the drift region; a plurality of first contact regions of a second conductivity type located above the body region and having a higher doping concentration than the body region; a second contact region of a first conductivity type located laterally adjacent to the plurality of first contact regions, the second contact region having a higher doping concentration than the body region; at least two active trenches each extending from a surface into the drift region; an emitter trench extending from the surface into the drift region; wherein each first contact region adjoins an active trench so that, in use, a channel is formed along said each active trench and within the body region; wherein the second contact region adjoins the emitter trench; and where
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: DYNEX SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED, ZHUZHOU CRRC TIMES ELECTRIC CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Ian Deviny, Luther-King Ngwendson, John Hutchings
  • Patent number: 11563094
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part, a first electrode at a back surface of the semiconductor part; a second electrode at a front surface of the semiconductor part; third and fourth electrodes provided between the semiconductor part and the second electrode. The third and fourth electrodes are arranged in a first direction along the front surface of the semiconductor part. The third electrode is electrically insulated from the semiconductor part by a first insulating film. The third electrode is electrically insulated from the second electrode by a second insulating film. The fourth electrode is electrically insulated from the semiconductor part by a third insulating film. The fourth electrode is electrically isolated from the third electrode. the third and fourth electrodes extend into the semiconductor part. The fourth electrode includes a material having a larger thermal conductivity than a thermal conductivity of a material of the third electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Suwa, Tomoko Matsudai, Yoko Iwakaji
  • Patent number: 11552190
    Abstract: A modified structure of an n-channel lateral double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor is provided to suppress the rupturing of the gate-oxide which can occur during the operation of the LDMOS transistor. The LDMOS transistor comprises a dielectric isolation structure which physically isolates the region comprising a parasitic NPN transistor from the region generating a hole current due to weak-impact ionization, e.g., the extended drain region of the LDMOS transistor. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, this can be achieved using a vertical trench between the two regions. Further embodiments are also proposed to enable a reduction in the gain of the parasitic NPN transistor and in the backgate resistance in order to further improve the robustness of the LDMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Edward John Coyne, Alan Brannick, John P. Meskell
  • Patent number: 11538804
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are integrated circuit (IC) structures, packages, and devices that include thin-film transistors (TFTs) integrated on the same substrate/die/chip as III-N transistors. One example IC structure includes an III-N transistor in a first layer over a support structure (e.g., a substrate) and a TFT in a second layer over the support structure, where the first layer is between the support structure and the second layer. Another example IC structure includes a III-N semiconductor material and a TFT, where at least a portion of a channel material of the TFT is over at least a portion of the III-N semiconductor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Han Wui Then, Marko Radosavljevic, Sansaptak Dasgupta, Paul B. Fischer, Walid M. Hafez
  • Patent number: 11522047
    Abstract: A thin non-punch-through semiconductor device with a patterned collector layer on the collector side is proposed. The thin NPT RC-IGBT semiconductor device has a collector layer with a pattern of p/n shorts, an emitter side structured as a functional MOS cell, a base layer arranged between the emitter and the collector sides, but without the use of a buffer/field-stop layer. A low doped bipolar gain control layer having a thickness of less than 10 ?m may be used in combination with a short pattern of the collector to reduce the bipolar gain and achieve thinner devices with lower losses and high operating temperature capability. The doping concentration of the base layer and a thickness of the base layer are adapted such that the distance from the end of the electric field region to the patterned collector, at breakdown voltage, is less than 15% of the total device thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MQSEMI AG
    Inventors: Munaf Rahimo, Iulian Nistor
  • Patent number: 11495663
    Abstract: A predetermined relational expression holds where a first distance along the in-plane direction from a channel of the first semiconductor layer to a third semiconductor layer that is the other of the collector layer and the cathode layer is designated as W, a second distance from the channel of the first semiconductor layer to the second semiconductor layer is designated as S, and a diffusion coefficient and a lifetime of a part of the semiconductor substrate between the channel of the first semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer are designated as D and ?, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kakeru Otsuka, Hirofumi Oki, Kohei Sako
  • Patent number: 11469316
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a collector layer of a first conductive type, a drift layer of a second conductive type, an accumulation region of the second conductive type, a base region of the first conductive type, emitter regions of the second conductive type, a first gate electrode in contact with the emitter regions via first gate insulating film, a second gate electrode facing the first gate electrode via the base region, and being in contact with the emitter regions via second gate insulating film, a first resistive section electrically connected to the first gate electrode, a second resistive section having a larger resistance than does the first resistive section, and electrically connected to the second gate electrode, and a gate electrode pad electrically connected to the first and second resistive sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Ikura
  • Patent number: 11462634
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device capable of reducing the on-voltage and a manufacturing method thereof. According to the present invention, a semiconductor device includes a Si substrate, a p-type anode layer provided on the front surface of the Si substrate, an anode electrode provided on the p-type anode layer, an n-type cathode layer and a p-type cathode layer provided adjacent to each other on a back surface of the Si substrate, an Al alloy layer provided on the n-type cathode layer and containing Si, and an Al alloy layer provided on the p-type cathode layer and containing Si, in which impurity concentration in the n-type cathode layer is 1E19 cm?3 or higher and impurity concentration in the p-type cathode layer is 10% or lower of the impurity concentration in the n-type cathode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Tanaka, Ryuji Ueno, Masahiro Ujike
  • Patent number: 11456376
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an IGBT region and a diode region provided to be adjacent to each other in a semiconductor substrate further includes: a boundary trench having, in a position in which the IGBT region and the diode region are adjacent to each other in plan view, a bottom surface positioned in a drift layer to be deeper than an active trench or a dummy trench, and one side wall and another side wall that face each other; and a boundary trench gate electrode, which faces a base layer, an anode layer, and the drift layer via a boundary trench insulating film and is provided from the one side wall to the other side wall of the boundary trench across a region that faces the drift layer in the boundary trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kohei Sako, Tetsuo Takahashi, Hidenori Fujii
  • Patent number: 11444155
    Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a first load electrode disposed on a first surface of a silicon carbide semiconductor body, a first doped region disposed in the silicon carbide semiconductor body and electrically connected to the first load electrode, and an insulated gate field effect transistor electrically connected in series with the first doped region, the insulated gate field effect transistor including a source region and a body region, the body region being electrically connected to the first load electrode, wherein a geometry and dopant concentration of the first doped region is such that a resistance of the first doped region increases by at least a factor of two as load current in the insulated gate field effect transistor rises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Huerner, Dethard Peters
  • Patent number: 11404563
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), including: a substrate with a first type of doping; a drift region including a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material having dissimilar band gaps, the drift region having a second type of doping; and a base region with the first type of doping, wherein the drift region is disposed between the substrate and the base region; wherein a stoichiometry ratio of the first and second semiconductor materials of the drift region varies as a function of distance within the drift region to provide a built-in electric field via band gap modulation. The built-in electric field reduces a band gap barrier for minority charge carriers and increases a drift velocity of the minority charge carriers in the drift region, increasing a frequency response of the IGBT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
    Inventor: Viorel C. Ontalus
  • Patent number: 9041050
    Abstract: In a method of further enhancing the performance of a narrow active cell IE type trench gate IGBT having the width of active cells narrower than that of inactive cells, it is effective to shrink the cells so that the IE effects are enhanced. However, when the cells are shrunk simply, the switching speed is reduced due to increased gate capacitance. A cell formation area of the IE type trench gate IGBT is basically composed of first linear unit cell areas having linear active cell areas, second linear unit cell areas having linear hole collector areas and linear inactive cell areas disposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Matsuura
  • Patent number: 9000478
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate having a device region and a peripheral region located around the device region. A first semiconductor region is formed within the device region, is of a first conductivity type, and is exposed at an upper surface of the substrate. Second-fourth semiconductor regions are formed within the peripheral region. The second semiconductor region is of the first conductivity type, has a lower concentration of the first conductivity type of impurities, is exposed at the upper surface, and is consecutive with the first semiconductor region directly or indirectly. The third semiconductor region is of a second conductivity type, is in contact with the second semiconductor region from an underside, and is an epitaxial layer. The fourth semiconductor region is of the second conductivity type, has a lower concentration of the second conductivity type of impurities, and is in contact with the third semiconductor region from an underside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaru Senoo
  • Patent number: 8994066
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer including an active region in which a transistor having impurity regions is formed and a marginal region surrounding the active region, a second-conductivity-type channel layer formed between the active region and the marginal region and forming a front surface of the semiconductor layer, at least one gate trench formed in the active region to extend from the front surface of the semiconductor layer through the channel layer, a gate insulation film formed on an inner surface of the gate trench, a gate electrode formed inside the gate insulation film in the gate trench, and at least one isolation trench arranged between the active region and the marginal region to surround the active region and extending from the front surface of the semiconductor layer through the channel layer, the isolation trench having a depth equal to that of the gate trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Yoshimochi
  • Patent number: 8952553
    Abstract: The present teaching provides a semiconductor device capable of relaxing stress transferred to a contact region during wire bonding and improving reliability of wire bonding. A semiconductor device comprises contact regions, an interlayer insulating film, an emitter electrode, and a stress relaxation portion. The contact regions are provided at a certain interval in areas exposing at a surface of a semiconductor substrate. The interlayer insulating film is provided on the surface of the semiconductor substrate between adjacent contact regions. The emitter electrode is provided on an upper side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to each of the contact regions. The stress relaxation portion is provided on an upper surface of the emitter electrode in an area only above the contact regions. The stress relaxation portion is formed of a conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaru Senoo, Tomohiko Sato
  • Patent number: 8946002
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an isolated trench-electrode structure. The semiconductor device is formed using a modified photolithographic process to produce alternating regions of thick and thin dielectric layers that separate the trench electrode from regions of the semiconductor device. The thin dielectric layers can be configured to control the formation channel regions, and the thick dielectric layers can be configured to reduce switching losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Marian Kuruc, Juraj Vavro
  • Patent number: 8933483
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device capable of reducing a temperature-dependent variation of a current sense ratio and accurately detecting current In the semiconductor device, at least one of an impurity concentration and a thickness of each semiconductor layer is adjusted such that a value calculated by a following equation is less than a predetermined value: [ ? i = 1 n ? ( R Mi × k Mi ) - ? i = 1 n ? ( R Si × k Si ) ] / ? i = 1 n ? ( R Mi × k Mi ) where a temperature-dependent resistance changing rate of an i-th semiconductor layer (i=1 to n) of the main element domain is RMi; a resistance ratio of the i-th semiconductor layer of the main element domain relative to the entire main element domain is kMi; a temperature-dependent resistance changing rate of the i-th semiconductor layer of the sense element domain is RSi; and a resistance ratio of the i-th semiconductor layer of the sense element domain to the entire sense element domain is kSi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidefumi Takaya, Kimimori Hamada, Yuji Nishibe
  • Patent number: 8928031
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are formed using a thin epitaxial layer (nanotube) formed on sidewalls of dielectric-filled trenches. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device is formed in a second semiconductor layer disposed on a first semiconductor layer of opposite conductivity type and having trenches formed therein where the trenches extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the second semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device includes a first epitaxial layer formed on sidewalls of the trenches where the first epitaxial layer is substantially charge balanced with adjacent semiconductor regions. The semiconductor device further includes a first dielectric layer formed in the trenches adjacent the first epitaxial layer and a gate electrode disposed in an upper portion of at least some of the trenches above the first dielectric layer and insulated from the sidewalls of the trenches by a gate dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventors: Hamza Yilmaz, Xiaobin Wang, Anup Bhalla, John Chen, Hong Chang
  • Patent number: 8866263
    Abstract: Integrated circuits (ICs) utilize bipolar transistors in electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuits to shunt discharge currents during ESD events to protect the components in the ICs. Bipolar transistors are subject to non-uniform current crowding across the emitter-base junction during ESD events, which results in less protection for the IC components and degradation of the bipolar transistor. This invention comprises multiple contact islands (126) on the emitter (116) of a bipolar transistor, which act to spread current uniformly across the emitter-base junction. Also included in this invention is segmentation of the emitter diffused region to further improve current uniformity and biasing of the transistor. This invention can be combined with drift region ballasting or back-end ballasting to optimize an ESD protection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Marie Denison
  • Patent number: 8866262
    Abstract: A silicon carbide substrate includes: an n type drift layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; a p type body region provided in the first surface of the n type drift layer; and an n type emitter region provided on the p type body region and separated from the n type drift layer by the p type body region. A gate insulating film is provided on the p type body region so as to connect the n type drift layer and the n type emitter region to each other. A p type Si collector layer is directly provided on the silicon carbide substrate to face the second surface of the n type drift layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Wada, Toru Hiyoshi
  • Patent number: 8860025
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor diode. The semiconductor diode includes a drift region and a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type formed in or on the drift region. The first semiconductor region is electrically coupled to a first terminal via a first surface of a semiconductor body. The semiconductor diode includes a channel region of a second conductivity type electrically coupled to the first terminal, wherein a bottom of the channel region adjoins the first semiconductor region. A first side of the channel region adjoins the first semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Anton Mauder, Franz Hirler, Hans-Peter Felsl, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Patent number: 8809986
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device capable of reducing a temperature-dependent variation of a current sense ratio and accurately detecting current. In the semiconductor device, at least one of an impurity concentration and a thickness of each semiconductor layer is adjusted such that a value calculated by a following equation is less than a predetermined value: [ ? i = 1 n ? ( R Mi × k Mi ) - ? i = 1 n ? ( R Si × k Si ) ] / ? i = 1 n ? ( R Mi × k Mi ) where a temperature-dependent resistance changing rate of an i-th semiconductor layer (i=1 to n) of the main element domain is RMi; a resistance ratio of the i-th semiconductor layer of the main element domain relative to the entire main element domain is kMi; a temperature-dependent resistance changing rate of the i-th semiconductor layer of the sense element domain is RSi; and a resistance ratio of the i-th semiconductor layer of the sense element domain to the entire sense element domain is kSi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidefumi Takaya, Kimimori Hamada, Yuji Nishibe
  • Patent number: 8809911
    Abstract: Plural gate trenches are formed in the surface of an n-type drift region. A gate electrode is formed across a gate oxide film on the inner walls of the gate trenches. P-type base regions are selectively formed so as to neighbor each other in the gate trench longitudinal direction between neighboring gate trenches. An n-type emitter region is formed in contact with the gate trench in a surface layer of the p-type base regions. Also, a p-type contact region with a concentration higher than that of the p-type base region is formed in the surface layer of the p-type base region so as to be in contact with the gate trench side of the n-type emitter region. An edge portion on the gate trench side of the n-type emitter region terminates inside the p-type contact region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koh Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8772827
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer including an active region in which a transistor having impurity regions is formed and a marginal region surrounding the active region, a second-conductivity-type channel layer formed between the active region and the marginal region and forming a front surface of the semiconductor layer, at least one gate trench formed in the active region to extend from the front surface of the semiconductor layer through the channel layer, a gate insulation film formed on an inner surface of the gate trench, a gate electrode formed inside the gate insulation film in the gate trench, and at least one isolation trench arranged between the active region and the marginal region to surround the active region and extending from the front surface of the semiconductor layer through the channel layer, the isolation trench having a depth equal to that of the gate trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Yoshimochi
  • Patent number: 8742474
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device of the present invention has an active region and an electric field reduction region and includes: an emitter region of a first conductivity type; a base region of a second conductivity type in contact with the emitter region; an electrical strength providing region of the first conductivity type in contact with the base region; a collector region of the second conductivity type in contact with the electrical strength providing region; and a collector electrode in contact with the collector region; wherein the collector region is disposed on both a active region and a electric field reduction region each containing a dopant of the second conductivity type, and the collector region disposed on the electric field reduction region includes a region having a lower density of carriers of the second conductivity type than the collector region disposed on the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hisamoto, Atsushi Narazaki, Hitoshi Uemura
  • Patent number: 8735989
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a main element and a sense element. The main element is connected between a collector terminal and an emitter terminal. The main element has an insulated gate bipolar transistor structure. The sense element is connected in parallel with the main element via a sense resistor between the collector terminal and the emitter terminal. The sense element has an insulated gate bipolar transistor structure with a feedback capacitance larger than a feedback capacitance of the main element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kenichi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8729601
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices are formed using a thin epitaxial layer (nanotube) formed on sidewalls of dielectric-filled trenches. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device is formed in a first semiconductor layer having trenches and mesas formed thereon where the trenches extend from the top surface to the bottom surface of the first semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device includes semiconductor regions formed on the bottom surface of the mesas of the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventors: Hamza Yilmaz, Xiaobin Wang, Anup Bhalla, John Chen, Hong Chang
  • Publication number: 20140118055
    Abstract: An IGBT die structure includes an auxiliary P well region. A terminal, that is not connected to any other IGBT terminal, is coupled to the auxiliary P well region. To accelerate IGBT turn on, a current is injected into the terminal during the turn on time. The injected current causes charge carriers to be injected into the N drift layer of the IGBT, thereby reducing turn on time. To accelerate IGBT turn off, charge carriers are removed from the N drift layer by drawing current out of the terminal. To reduce VCE(SAT), current can also be injected into the terminal during IGBT on time. An IGBT assembly involves the IGBT die structure and an associated current injection/extraction circuit. As appropriate, the circuit injects or extracts current from the terminal depending on whether the IGBT is in a turn on time or is in a turn off time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: IXYS Corporation
    Inventor: Kyoung Wook Seok
  • Patent number: 8680610
    Abstract: A trench MOSFET comprising source regions having a doping profile of a Gaussian-distribution along the top surface of epitaxial layer and floating dummy cells formed between edge trench and active area is disclosed. A SBR of n region existing at cell corners renders the parasitic bipolar transistor difficult to turn on, and the floating dummy cells having no parasitic bipolar transistor act as buffer cells to absorb avalanche energy when gate bias is increasing for turning on channel, therefore, the UIS failure issue is avoided and the avalanche capability of the trench MOSFET is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Force MOS Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Yuan Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20140070265
    Abstract: Integrated circuits are presented having high voltage IGBTs with integral emitter shorts and fabrication processes using wafer bonding or gown epitaxial silicon for controlled drift region thickness and fast switching speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jacek Korec, John Manning Savidge Neilson, Sameer Pendharkar
  • Patent number: 8643146
    Abstract: A carrier is prevented from being stored in a guard ring region in a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has an IGBT cell including a base region and an emitter region formed in an n? type drift layer, and a p type collector layer arranged under the drift layer with a buffer layer interposed therebetween. A guard ring region having a guard ring is arranged around the IGBT cell. A lower surface of the guard ring region has a mesa structure provided by removing the collector layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Uemura