Abstract: In a trench MOSFET, the lower portion of the trench contains a buried source electrode, which is insulated from the epitaxial layer and semiconductor substrate but in electrical contact with the source region. When the MOSFET is in an “off” condition, the bias of the buried source electrode causes the “drift” region of the mesa to become depleted, enhancing the ability of the MOSFET to block current. The doping concentration of the drift region can therefore be increased, reducing the on-resistance of the MOSFET. The buried source electrode also reduces the gate-to-drain capacitance of the MOSFET, improving the ability of the MOSFET to operate at high frequencies. The substrate may advantageously include a plurality of annular trenches separated by annular mesas and a gate metal layer that extends outward from a central region in a plurality of gate metal legs separated by source metal regions.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a semiconductor die that contains a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N+ substrate and an N-epitaxial layer. In one embodiment, the device includes a drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the N-epitaxial layer. A termination region of the die includes a half-trench at an edge of the die and an N-type region that extends from a bottom of the half-trench to the substrate. An insulating layer and an overlying metal layer extend from the surface of the epitaxial layer into the half-trench. Preferably, the elements of the termination region are formed during the same process steps that are used to form the active elements of the device.

Abstract: A trench MIS device includes a thick dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench. The thick dielectric layer can be formed by the deposition or thermal growth of a dielectric material, such as silicon dioxide, on the bottom portion of the trench. The thick dielectric layer, which reduces the capacitance between the drain and gate of the device, can be formed in both the active areas of the device, where the switching function is performed, and in the inactive areas where, among other things, contacts are made to the gate electrode.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N-epitaxial layer and an N+ substrate. In one embodiment, the device includes an N-type drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the N-epitaxial layer. Preferably, the drain-drift region is formed at least in part by fabricating spacers on the sidewalls of the trench and implanting an N-type dopant between the sidewall spacers and through the bottom of the trench. The drain-drift region can be doped more heavily than the conventional “drift region” that is formed in an N-epitaxial layer. Thus, the device has a low on-resistance. The device can be terminated by a plurality of polysilicon-filled termination trenches located near the edge of the die, with the polysilicon in each termination trench being connected to the mesa adjacent the termination trench. The polysilicon material in each termination trenches.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N+ substrate. In one embodiment, the device includes a thick oxide layer at the bottom of the trench and an N-type drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the substrate. The thick insulating layer reduces the capacitance between the gate and the drain and therefore improves the ability of the device to operate at high frequencies. Preferably, the drain-drift region is formed at least in part by fabricating spacers on the sidewalls of the trench and implanting an N-type dopant between the sidewall spacers and through the bottom of the trench. The thick bottom oxide layer is formed on the bottom of the trench while the sidewall spacers are still in place. Therefore, in embodiments where the thermal budget of the process is limited following the implant of the drain-drift region, the PN junctions between the drain-drift region and the epitaxial layer are self-aligned with the edges of the thick bottom oxide.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a trench MOSFET is formed by creating a trench in a semiconductor substrate. A portion of either a side wall of the trench or the bottom of the trench is implanted with an implant species. An insulating layer is then grown overlying the bottom and side wall of the trench. The implant species is selected such that the insulating layer grows more quickly on the bottom of the trench than on the side wall of the trench, resulting in a thicker insulating layer in the bottom of the trench than on the trench side walls.

Abstract: A trench MIS device includes a thick dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench. The thick dielectric layer can be formed by the deposition or thermal growth of a dielectric material, such as silicon dioxide, on the bottom portion of the trench. The thick dielectric layer, which reduces the capacitance between the drain and gate of the device, can be formed in both the active areas of the device, where the switching function is performed, and in the inactive areas where, among other things, contacts are made to the gate electrode.

Abstract: A trench MOSFET is formed in a structure which includes a P-type epitaxial layer overlying an N+ substrate. A trench is formed in the epitaxial layer. A drain-drift region is formed by implanting N-type dopant through the bottom of the trench at different energies, creating a stack of N-type regions that extend from the bottom of the trench to the substrate. The energy and implant dose of the regions are set such that doping concentration of the drain-drift region increases monotonically with increasing depth below the bottom of the trench.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N-epitaxial layer and an N+ substrate. In one embodiment, the device includes an N-type drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the N-epitaxial layer. Preferably, the drain-drift region is formed at least in part by fabricating spacers on the sidewalls of the trench and implanting an N-type dopant between the sidewall spacers and through the bottom of the trench. The drain-drift region can be doped more heavily than the conventional “drift region” that is formed in an N-epitaxial layer. Thus, the device has a low on-resistance. The device can be terminated by a plurality of polysilicon-filled termination trenches located near the edge of the die, with the polysilicon in each termination trench being connected to the mesa adjacent the termination trench. The polysilicon material in each termination trenches.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N-epitaxial layer and an N+ substrate. In one embodiment, the device includes an N-type drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the N-epitaxial layer. Preferably, the drain-drift region is formed at least in part by fabricating spacers on the sidewalls of the trench and implanting an N-type dopant between the sidewall spacers and through the bottom of the trench. The drain-drift region can be doped more heavily than the conventional “drift region” that is formed in an N-epitaxial layer. Thus, the device has a low on-resistance. The device can be terminated by a plurality of polysilicon-filled termination trenches located near the edge of the die, with the polysilicon in each termination trench being connected to the mesa adjacent the termination trench. The polysilicon material in each termination trenches.

Abstract: A trench-gated MOSFET includes adjacent mesas formed on opposite sides of a trench. A body region in the first mesa extends downward below the level of the trenches and laterally across the bottom of the trenches. The body region in the second mesa extends part of the way down the mesa, leaving a portion of the drain abutting the trench. The body region in the second mesa includes a channel region adjacent a wall of the trench. The area where the drain abuts the trench is thus relatively restricted and the drain-gate capacitance of the device is reduced. Moreover, the drain-gate capacitance is made independent of the depth and width of the trenches, allowing greater freedom in the design of the MOSFET.

Abstract: In a trench MOSFET, the lower portion of the trench contains a buried source electrode, which is insulated from the epitaxial layer and semiconductor substrate but in electrical contact with the source region. When the MOSFET is in an “off” condition, the bias of the buried source electrode causes the “drift” region of the mesa to become depleted, enhancing the ability of the MOSFET to block current. The doping concentration of the drift region can therefore be increased, reducing the on-resistance of the MOSFET. The buried source electrode also reduces the gate-to-drain capacitance of the MOSFET, improving the ability of the MOSFET to operate at high frequencies. The substrate may advantageously include a plurality of annular trenches separated by annular mesas and a gate metal layer that extends outward from a central region in a plurality of gate metal legs separated by source metal regions.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a semiconductor die that contains a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N+ substrate and an N-epitaxial layer. In one embodiment, the device includes a drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the N-epitaxial layer. A termination region of the die includes a half-trench at an edge of the die and an N-type region that extends from a bottom of the half-trench to the substrate. An insulating layer and an overlying metal layer extend from the surface of the epitaxial layer into the half-trench. Preferably, the elements of the termination region are formed during the same process steps that are used to form the active elements of the device.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N-epitaxial layer and an N+ substrate. In one embodiment, the device includes an N-type drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the N-epitaxial layer. Preferably, the drain-drift region is formed at least in part by fabricating spacers on the sidewalls of the trench and implanting an N-type dopant between the sidewall spacers and through the bottom of the trench. The drain-drift region can be doped more heavily than the conventional“drift region” that is formed in an N-epitaxial layer. Thus, the device has a low on-resistance. The device can be terminated by a plurality of polysilicon-filled termination trenches located near the edge of the die, with the polysilicon in each termination trench being connected to the mesa adjacent the termination trench. The polysilicon material in each termination trenches.

Abstract: A trench MIS device is formed in a semiconductor die that contains a P-epitaxial layer that overlies an N+ substrate and an N-epitaxial layer. In one embodiment, the device includes a drain-drift region that extends from the bottom of the trench to the N-epitaxial layer. A termination region of the die includes a half-trench at an edge of the die and an N-type region that extends from a bottom of the half-trench to the substrate. An insulating layer and an overlying metal layer extend from the surface of the epitaxial layer into the half-trench. Preferably, the elements of the termination region are formed during the same process steps that are used to form the active elements of the device.

Abstract: Trench MIS devices including a thick insulative layer at the bottom of the trench are disclosed, along with methods of fabricating such devices. An exemplary trench MOSFET embodiment includes a thick oxide layer at the bottom of the trench, with no appreciable change in stress in the substrate along the trench bottom. The thick insulative layer separates the trench gate from the drain region at the bottom of the trench yielding a reduced gate-to-drain capacitance making such MOSFETs suitable for high frequency applications. In an exemplary fabrication process embodiment, the thick insulative layer is deposited on the bottom of the trench. A thin insulative gate dielectric is formed on the exposed sidewall and is coupled to the thick insulative layer. A gate is formed in the remaining trench volume. The process is completed with body and source implants, passivation, and metallization.

Abstract: A trench-gated MOSFET includes adjacent mesas formed on opposite sides of a trench. A body region in the first mesa extends downward below the level of the trenches and laterally across the bottom of the trenches. The body region in the second mesa extends part of the way down the mesa, leaving a portion of the drain abutting the trench. The body region in the second mesa includes a channel region adjacent a wall of the trench. The area where the drain abuts the trench is thus relatively restricted and the drain-gate capacitance of the device is reduced. Moreover, the drain-gate capacitance is made independent of the depth and width of the trenches, allowing greater freedom in the design of the MOSFET.

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a leadframe which is cup-shaped and holds a semiconductor die. The leadframe is in electrical contact with a terminal on one side of the die, and the leads of the leadframe are bent in such a way that portions of the leads are coplanar with the other side of the die, which also contains one or more terminals. A plastic capsule is formed around the leadframe and die.

Abstract: The gate oxide layer of a trench MIS device includes a graduated transition region, where the thickness of the gate oxide layer decreases gradually from a thick section adjacent the bottom of the trench to a thin section adjacent the sidewall of the trench. The PN junction between the body and drain regions intersects the trench in the transition region. This structure allows for a greater margin of error in the placement of the PN junction during the manufacture of the device, since the intersection between the PN junction can be located anywhere in the transition region. The MIS device also has improved breakdown characteristics.

Abstract: Trench MIS devices including a thick insulative layer at the bottom of the trench are disclosed, along with methods of fabricating such devices. An exemplary trench MOSFET embodiment includes a thick oxide layer at the bottom of the trench, with no appreciable change in stress in the substrate along the trench bottom. The thick insulative layer separates the trench gate from the drain region at the bottom of the trench yielding a reduced gate-to-drain capacitance making such MOSFETs suitable for high frequency applications. In an exemplary fabrication process embodiment, the thick insulative layer is deposited on the bottom of the trench. A thin insulative gate dielectric is formed on the exposed sidewall and is coupled to the thick insulative layer. A gate is formed in the remaining trench volume. The process is completed with body and source implants, passivation, and metallization.