Patents by Inventor Alfred Goerlach

Alfred Goerlach 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: 20220209006
    Abstract: A semiconductor component. The semiconductor component includes a semiconductor substrate that includes a first side, on which an epitaxial layer is situated. On the epitaxial layer, body regions are sectionally situated, and on the body regions, source regions are situated. A plurality of first trenches and a plurality of second trenches extending starting from the source regions into the epitaxial layer. The first trenches have a greater depth than the second trenches. A second trench sectionally extends into a first trench in each case. On a trench surface of the first trenches, a layer including a first doping is situated in each case. The first trenches are filled with a first material including a second doping, the first doping having a higher value than the second doping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Alberto Martinez-Limia, Alfred Goerlach, Holger Bartolf, Stephan Schwaiger, Wolfgang Feiler
  • Patent number: 10923587
    Abstract: A power MOSFET having a substrate that has a substrate surface into which a trench structure is introduced, wherein first trenches and second trenches form the trench structure. The first trenches and second trenches are arranged in alternation. The first trenches are filled at least partially with a first material and the second trenches are filled with a second material. The first material has a first conductivity type and the second material has a second conductivity type, the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type being different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20210005711
    Abstract: A vertical power transistor, including a semiconductor substrate, on which at least one first layer and one second layer are situated, the second layer being situated on the first layer, and the first layer including a first semiconductor material; and a plurality of trenches, which extend from an upper side of the second layer into the first layer. The first layer has a first doping, and each trench has a first region, which extends from the respective trench bottom to a first level. Each first region is filled with a second semiconductor material, which has a second doping. The first semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material are different. Each first region is connected electrically to the second layer. The second doping is higher than the first doping. Heterojunctions, which behave as unipolar, rectifying junctions, form between the first layer and each first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Alberto Martinez-Limia, Alfred Goerlach, Holger Bartolf, Stephan Schwaiger, Wolfgang Feiler
  • Patent number: 10784255
    Abstract: A diode is provided having a plate-shaped semiconductor element that includes a first side and a second side, the first side being connected by a first connecting layer to a first metallic contact and the second side being connected by a second connecting layer to a second metallic contact, the first side having a diode element in a middle area and having a further diode element in an edge area of the first side, which has crystal defects as a result of a separating process of the plate-shaped semiconductor element, the first connecting layer only establishing an electrical contact to the diode element and not to the further diode element and, on the first side, the further diode element having an exposed contact, which may be electrically contacted by the first connecting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20200227571
    Abstract: A semiconductor system includes a PIN diode including a heavily n-doped layer, a lightly n-doped layer situated on the heavily n-doped layer, and a p-doped layer situated on the lightly n-doped layer, the p-doped layer forming an ohmic contact with a first metallization and the heavily n-doped layer forming an ohmic contact with a second metallization. During operation in the forward direction, a high injection takes place in which the lightly n-doped layer is flooded with charge carriers. At least two trench structures are introduced into the lightly n-doped layer, the trench structures on a surface in contact with the n-doped surface including a dielectric layer. The surface of the lightly n-doped layer in contact with the dielectric layer includes an increased surface recombination velocity for charge carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Alfred Goerlach, Wolfgang Feiler
  • Patent number: 10431653
    Abstract: A semiconductor system including a planar anode contact, a planar cathode contact, and a volume of n-conductive semiconductor material, which has an anode-side end and a cathode-side end and extends between the anode contact and the cathode contact. A p-conductive area extends from the anode-side end of the volume toward the cathode-side end of the volume without reaching the cathode-side end. The p-conductive area has two sub-areas which are separated from one another in a cross section lying transversely with respect to the anode contact and the cathode contact, which delimit a sub-volume of the volume filled with n-conductive semiconductor material. The sub-volume is open toward the cathode contact, and is delimited by cathode-side ends of the sub-areas. A distance of the two sub-areas defining the opening is smaller than a distance between the two sub-areas prevailing outside of the opening and lying between anode side ends of the sub-areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20180315847
    Abstract: A power MOSFET having a substrate that has a substrate surface into which a trench structure is introduced, wherein first trenches and second trenches form the trench structure. The first trenches and second trenches are arranged in alternation. The first trenches are filled at least partially with a first material and the second trenches are filled with a second material. The first material has a first conductivity type and the second material has a second conductivity type, the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type being different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventor: Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20180247934
    Abstract: A diode is provided having a plate-shaped semiconductor element that includes a first side and a second side, the first side being connected by a first connecting layer to a first metallic contact and the second side being connected by a second connecting layer to a second metallic contact, the first side having a diode element in a middle area and having a further diode element in an edge area of the first side, which has crystal defects as a result of a separating process of the plate-shaped semiconductor element, the first connecting layer only establishing an electrical contact to the diode element and not to the further diode element and, on the first side, the further diode element having an exposed contact, which may be electrically contacted by the first connecting layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventor: Alfred GOERLACH
  • Patent number: 10050140
    Abstract: A pseudo-Schottky diode has an n-channel trench MOSFET which includes: a cathode, an anode, and located between the cathode and the anode, the following elements: a highly n+-doped silicon substrate; an n-doped epilayer having a trench extending into the n-doped epilayer from above; p-doped body regions provided above the n-doped epilayer and between the trenches. Highly n+-doped regions and highly p+-doped regions are provided on the upper surface of the p-doped body regions. Dielectric layers are provided on the side walls of the trench. The trench is filled with a first p-doped polysilicon layer, and the bottom of the trench is formed by a second p-doped layer which is in contact with the first p-doped polysilicon layer, and the second p-doped layer determines the breakdown voltage of the pseudo-Schottky diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Alfred Goerlach
  • Patent number: 10050553
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit is described, which includes a cathode terminal, an anode terminal and, between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal, an electronic circuit which includes at least one MOSFET transistor including an integrated inverse diode, the drain-source breakdown voltage of the MOSFET transistor operated in the avalanche mode corresponding to the clamping voltage between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal of the rectifier circuit. In addition, a method is provided for operating a rectifier circuit which contains a cathode terminal, an anode terminal and, between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal, at least one MOSFET transistor including an integrated inverse diode, the drain-source breakdown voltage of the MOSFET transistor being selected in accordance with the clamping voltage between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal, and the MOSFET transistor being operated in the avalanche mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, SEG Automotive Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Baur, Alfred Goerlach
  • Patent number: 9941381
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a trench MOS barrier Schottky diode includes a semiconductor volume of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor volume (i) having a first side which is covered with a metal layer, and (ii) including at least one trench which extends in the first side and is at least partially filled with metal and/or with a semiconductor material of a second conductivity type. The trench has at least one wall section which includes an oxide layer, at least in areas. At least one area, situated next to the trench, of the first side covered with the metal layer has a layer, situated between the metal layer and the semiconductor volume, made of a first semiconductor material of the second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Ning Qu, Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20170271444
    Abstract: A semiconductor system including a planar anode contact, a planar cathode contact, and a volume of n-conductive semiconductor material, which has an anode-side end and a cathode-side end and extends between the anode contact and the cathode contact. A p-conductive area extends from the anode-side end of the volume toward the cathode-side end of the volume without reaching the cathode-side end. The p-conductive area has two sub-areas which are separated from one another in a cross section lying transversely with respect to the anode contact and the cathode contact, which delimit a sub-volume of the volume filled with n-conductive semiconductor material. The sub-volume is open toward the cathode contact, and is delimited by cathode-side ends of the sub-areas. A distance of the two sub-areas defining the opening is smaller than a distance between the two sub-areas prevailing outside of the opening and lying between anode side ends of the sub-areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventor: Alfred Goerlach
  • Patent number: 9748230
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus having a trench Schottky barrier Schottky diode, which includes: a semiconductor volume of a first conductivity type, which semiconductor volume has a first side covered with a metal layer, and at least one trench extending in the first side and at least partly filled with metal. At least one wall segment of the trench, and/or at least one region, located next to the trench, of the first side covered with the metal layer, is separated by a layer, located between the metal layer and the semiconductor volume, made of a first semiconductor material of a second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Ning Qu, Alfred Goerlach
  • Patent number: 9698107
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor device chip formed at a substrate, wherein the semiconductor device chip comprises an active region formed in a center of the substrate and a boundary region free of active components of the semiconductor device chip; and a detection wiring arranged in the boundary region of the substrate and at least partially surrounding the active region, wherein the detection wiring and the semiconductor device chip are electrically isolated from each other; and wherein the detection wiring and the substrate are electrically connected with each other via a connection having a high electrical resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dietrich Bonart, Alfred Goerlach
  • Patent number: 9660550
    Abstract: A generator device for the voltage supply of a motor vehicle is equipped with at least one rectifying element for rectifying an alternating voltage provided by a generator. The rectifying element has an n-channel MOS field-effect transistor in which the gate, the body area, and the source area are electrically fixedly connected to one another and in which the drain area is used as a cathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Richard Spitz, Alfred Goerlach, Carolin Tolksdorf, Dirk Ahlers, Dietrich Bonart
  • Patent number: 9577117
    Abstract: A semiconductor chip, which includes an n-type substrate, over which an n-type epitaxial layer having trenches introduced into the epitaxial layer and filled with p-type semiconductor is situated, the trenches each having a heavily doped p-type region on their upper side, the n+-type substrate being situated in such a manner, that an alternating sequence of n-type regions having a first width and p-type regions having a second width is present; a first metallic layer, which is provided on the front side of the semiconductor chip, forms an ohmic contact with the heavily doped p-type regions and is used as an anode electrode; a second metallic layer, which is provided on the back side of the semiconductor chip, constitutes an ohmic contact and is used as a cathode electrode; a dielectric layer provided, in each instance, between an n-type region and an adjacent p-type region, as well as p-type layers provided between the n-type regions and the first metallic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Ning Qu, Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20160380554
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit is described, which includes a cathode terminal, an anode terminal and, between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal, an electronic circuit which includes at least one MOSFET transistor including an integrated inverse diode, the drain-source breakdown voltage of the MOSFET transistor operated in the avalanche mode corresponding to the clamping voltage between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal of the rectifier circuit. In addition, a method is provided for operating a rectifier circuit which contains a cathode terminal, an anode terminal and, between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal, at least one MOSFET transistor including an integrated inverse diode, the drain-source breakdown voltage of the MOSFET transistor being selected in accordance with the clamping voltage between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal, and the MOSFET transistor being operated in the avalanche mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Baur, Alfred Goerlach
  • Patent number: 9508643
    Abstract: An electronic component includes: a plate-shaped semiconductor element connected to a metallic contacting by a sinter layer; a dielectric layer having a surface metal layer disposed thereon, the dielectric layer being provided in an edge region of the semiconductor element, the edge region being provided with raised areas and depressions by patterning of the dielectric layer and/or the surface metal layer; and the sinter layer covers the edge region with the raised areas and depressions and thereby connects the edge region to the metallic contacting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20160268449
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus having a trench Schottky barrier Schottky diode, which includes: a semiconductor volume of a first conductivity type, which semiconductor volume has a first side covered with a metal layer, and at least one trench extending in the first side and at least partly filled with metal. At least one wall segment of the trench, and/or at least one region, located next to the trench, of the first side covered with the metal layer, is separated by a layer, located between the metal layer and the semiconductor volume, made of a first semiconductor material of a second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Ning Qu, Alfred Goerlach
  • Publication number: 20160268255
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a trench MOS barrier Schottky diode includes a semiconductor volume of a first conductivity type, the semiconductor volume (i) having a first side which is covered with a metal layer, and (ii) including at least one trench which extends in the first side and is at least partially filled with metal and/or with a semiconductor material of a second conductivity type. The trench has at least one wall section which includes an oxide layer, at least in areas. At least one area, situated next to the trench, of the first side covered with the metal layer has a layer, situated between the metal layer and the semiconductor volume, made of a first semiconductor material of the second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Ning QU, Alfred Goerlach