Patents by Inventor Christopher L. Rexer

Christopher L. Rexer 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).

  • Patent number: 9595596
    Abstract: In one general aspect, a power device can include an active region having a plurality of pillars of a first conductivity type alternately arranged with a plurality of pillars of a second conductivity type. The power device can include a termination region surrounding at least a portion of the active region and can have a plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type alternately arranged with a plurality of pillars of the second conductivity type. Each of the plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type in the active region and the termination region can be defined by a trench. The power device can include an enrichment region at a bottom portion of one of the plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type in the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Jaegil Lee, Chongman Yun, Praveen Muraleedharan Shenoy, Christopher L. Rexer
  • Publication number: 20150187873
    Abstract: A power device includes an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region. A plurality of pillars of first and second conductivity type are alternately arranged in each of the active and termination regions. The pillars of first conductivity type in the active and termination regions have substantially the same width, and the pillars of second conductivity type in the active region have a smaller width than the pillars of second conductivity type in the termination region so that a charge balance condition in each of the active and termination regions results in a higher breakdown voltage in the termination region than in the active region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Jaegil Lee, Hocheol Jang, Chongman Yun, Praveen Muraleedharan Shenoy, Christopher L. Rexer, Changwook Kim, Jonghun Lee, Jasong M. Higgs, Dwayne S. Reichl, Joelle Sharp, Qi Wang, Yongsub Kim, Jungkil Lee, Mark L. Rinehimer, Jinyoung Jung
  • Publication number: 20150069567
    Abstract: A power device includes a semiconductor region which in turn includes a plurality of alternately arranged pillars of first and second conductivity type. Each of the plurality of pillars of second conductivity type further includes a plurality of implant regions of the second conductivity type arranged on top of one another along the depth of pillars of second conductivity type, and a trench portion filled with semiconductor material of the second conductivity type directly above the plurality of implant regions of second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Christopher L. Rexer, Mark L. Rinehimer, Praveen Muraleedharan Shenoy, Jaegil Lee, Hamza Yilmaz, Chongman Yun, Dwayne S. Reichl, James Pan, Rodney S. Ridley, Harold Heidenreich
  • Patent number: 8928077
    Abstract: In one general aspect, a power device includes an active region having a plurality of pillars of a first conductivity type alternately arranged with a plurality of pillars of a second conductivity type where the plurality of pillars of the second conductivity type in the active region each have substantially the same width. The power device includes a termination region surrounding at least a portion of the active region and having a plurality of pillars of the first conductivity type alternately arranged with a plurality of pillars of the second conductivity type where the plurality of pillars of the second conductivity type in the active region each have substantially the same width and are smaller than each width of the pillars of the second conductivity type in the termination region. The power device includes a transition region disposed between the active region and the termination region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: JaeGil Lee, Chongman Yun, Hocheol Jang, Christopher L. Rexer, Praveen Muraleedharan Shenoy, Dwayne S. Reichl, Joseph A. Yedinak
  • Patent number: 8786010
    Abstract: A power device includes a semiconductor region which in turn includes a plurality of alternately arranged pillars of first and second conductivity type. Each of the plurality of pillars of second conductivity type further includes a plurality of implant regions of the second conductivity type arranged on top of one another along the depth of pillars of second conductivity type, and a trench portion filled with semiconductor material of the second conductivity type directly above the plurality of implant regions of second conductivity type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Christopher L. Rexer, Jaegil Lee, Hamza Yilmaz, Chongman Yun
  • Patent number: 8502313
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a semiconductor device including a first metal layer coupled to a source region and a second metal layer coupled to a gate structure, wherein at least a portion of the first and second metal layers overlap vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Rohit Dikshit, Mark L. Rinehimer, Michael D. Gruenhagen, Joseph A. Yedinak, Tracie Petersen, Ritu Sodhi, Dan Kinzer, Christopher L. Rexer, Fred C. Session
  • Patent number: 8362550
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a drift region, a well region extending above the drift region, an active trench including sidewalls and a bottom, the active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region and having at least portions of its sidewalls and bottom lined with dielectric material. The device further includes a shield disposed within the active trench and separated from the sidewalls of the active trench by the dielectric material, a gate disposed within the active trench above the first shield and separated therefrom by inter-electrode dielectric material, and source regions formed in the well region adjacent the active trench. The gate is separated from the sidewalls of the active trench by the dielectric material. The shield and the gate are made of materials having different work functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rexer, Ritu Sodhi
  • Patent number: 8357976
    Abstract: An electrical device on a single semiconductor substrate includes: an open base vertical PNP transistor placed in parallel with a wide bandgap, high voltage diode wherein the PNP transistor has a P doped collector region, an N-doped base layer, an N doped buffer layer, and a P doped emitter layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Richard L. Woodin, Christopher L. Rexer, Praveen Muralheedaran Shenoy, Kwanghoon Oh, Chongman Yun
  • Publication number: 20120273916
    Abstract: A power device includes a semiconductor region which in turn includes a plurality of alternately arranged pillars of first and second conductivity type. Each of the plurality of pillars of second conductivity type further includes a plurality of implant regions of the second conductivity type arranged on top of one another along the depth of pillars of second conductivity type, and a trench portion filled with semiconductor material of the second conductivity type directly above the plurality of implant regions of second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Christopher L. Rexer, Mark L. Rinehimer, Praveen Muraleedharan Shenoy, Jaegil Lee, Hamza Yilmaz, Chongman Yun, Dwayne S. Reichl, James Pan, Rodney S. Ridley, SR., Harold Heidenreich
  • Publication number: 20120273884
    Abstract: A power device includes a semiconductor region which in turn includes a plurality of alternately arranged pillars of first and second conductivity type. Each of the plurality of pillars of second conductivity type further includes a plurality of implant regions of the second conductivity type arranged on top of one another along the depth of pillars of second conductivity type, and a trench portion filled with semiconductor material of the second conductivity type directly above the plurality of implant regions of second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Christopher L. Rexer, Mark L. Rinehimer, Praveen Muraleedharan Shenoy, Jaegil Lee, Hamza Yilmaz, Chongman Yun, Dwayne S. Reichl, James Pan, Rodney S. Ridley, SR., Harold Heidenreich
  • Publication number: 20120273871
    Abstract: A power device includes a semiconductor region which in turn includes a plurality of alternately arranged pillars of first and second conductivity type. Each of the plurality of pillars of second conductivity type further includes a plurality of implant regions of the second conductivity type arranged on top of one another along the depth of pillars of second conductivity type, and a trench portion filled with semiconductor material of the second conductivity type directly above the plurality of implant regions of second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Christopher L. Rexer, Jaegil Lee, Hamza Yilmaz, Chongman Yun
  • Publication number: 20120267714
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a semiconductor device including a first metal layer coupled to a source region and a second metal layer coupled to a gate structure, wherein at least a portion of the first and second metal layers overlap vertically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Rohit Dikshit, Mark L. Rinehimer, Michael D. Gruenhagen, Joseph A. Yedinak, Tracie Petersen, Ritu Sodhi, Dan Kinzer, Christopher L. Rexer, Fred Session
  • Publication number: 20120220091
    Abstract: A method for forming thick oxide at the bottom of a trench formed in a semiconductor substrate includes forming a conformal oxide film by a sub-atmospheric chemical vapor deposition process that fills the trench and covers a top surface of the substrate. The method also includes etching the oxide film off the top surface of the substrate and inside the trench to leave a substantially flat layer of oxide having a target thickness at the bottom of the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Ashok Challa, Alan Elbanhawy, Thomas E. Grebs, Nathan L. Kraft, Dean E. Probst, Rodney S. Ridley, Steven P. Sapp, Qi Wang, Chongman Yun, J.G. Lee, Peter H. Wilson, Joseph A. Yedinak, J.Y. Jung, H.C. Jang, Babak S. Sani, Richard Stokes, Gary M. Dolny, John Mytych, Becky Losee, Adam Selsley, Robert Herrick, James J. Murphy, Gordon K. Madson, Bruce D. Marchant, Christopher L. Rexer, Christopher B. Kocon, Debra S. Woolsey
  • Publication number: 20120187474
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a drift region, a well region extending above the drift region, an active trench including sidewalls and a bottom, the active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region and having at least portions of its sidewalls and bottom lined with dielectric material. The device further includes a shield disposed within the active trench and separated from the sidewalls of the active trench by the dielectric material, a gate disposed within the active trench above the first shield and separated therefrom by inter-electrode dielectric material, and source regions formed in the well region adjacent the active trench. The gate is separated from the sidewalls of the active trench by the dielectric material. The shield and the gate are made of materials having different work functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rexer, Ritu Sodhi
  • Patent number: 8124981
    Abstract: A wide bandgap silicon carbide device has an avalanche control structure formed in an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type above a substrate that is connected to a first electrode of the device. A first region of a second conductivity type is in the upper surface of the epitaxial layer with a connection to a second electrode of the device. A second region of the first conductivity type lies below the first region and has a dopant concentration greater than the dopant concentration in the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rexer, Gary M. Dolny, Richard L. Woodin, Carl Anthony Witt, Joseph Shovlin
  • Patent number: 7859057
    Abstract: A method and device for protecting wide bandgap devices from failing during suppression of voltage transients. An improvement in avalanche capability is achieved by placing one or more diodes, or a PNP transistor, across the blocking junction of the wide bandgap device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph A. Yedinak, Richard L. Woodin, Christopher L. Rexer, Praveen Muralheedaran Shenoy, Kwanghoon Oh, Chongman Yun
  • Publication number: 20090302327
    Abstract: A wide bandgap silicon carbide device has an avalanche control structure formed in an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type above a substrate that is connected to a first electrode of the device. A first region of a second conductivity type is in the upper surface of the epitaxial layer with a connection to a second electrode of the device. A second region of the first conductivity type lies below the first region and has a dopant concentration greater than the dopant concentration in the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rexer, Gary M. Dolny, Richard L. Woodin, Carl Anthony Witt, Joseph Shovlin
  • Publication number: 20080150020
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device includes a drift region of a first conductivity type, a well region extending above the drift region and having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, an active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region. The active trench, which includes sidewalls and bottom lined with dielectric material, is substantially filled with a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The second conductive layer forms a gate electrode and is disposed above the first conductive layer and is separated from the first conductive layer by an inter-electrode dielectric material. The device also includes source regions having the first conductivity type formed inside the well region and adjacent the active trench and a charge control trench that extends deeper into the drift region than the active trench and is substantially filled with material to allow for vertical charge control in the drift region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Ashok Challa, Alan Elbanhawy, Thomas E. Grebs, Nathan L. Kraft, Dean E. Probst, Rodney S. Ridley, Steven P. Sapp, Qi Wang, Chongman Yun, J. G. Lee, Peter H. Wilson, Joseph A. Yedinak, J. Y. Jung, H. C. Jang, Babak S. Sani, Richard Stokes, Gary M. Dolny, John Mytych, Becky Losee, Adam Selsley, Robert Herrick, James J. Murphy, Gordon K. Madson, Bruce D. Marchant, Christopher L. Rexer, Christopher B. Kocon, Debra S. Woolsey
  • Publication number: 20080135931
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device includes a drift region of a first conductivity type, a well region extending above the drift region and having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, an active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region, source regions having the first conductivity type formed in the well region adjacent the active trench, and a first termination trench extending below the well region and disposed at an outer edge of an active region of the device. The sidewalls and bottom of the active trench are lined with dielectric material, and substantially filled with a first conductive layer forming an upper electrode and a second conductive layer forming a lower electrode, the upper electrode being disposed above the lower electrode and separated therefrom by inter-electrode dielectric material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Ashok Challa, Alan Elbanhawy, Thomas E. Grebs, Nathan L. Kraft, Dean E. Probst, Rodney S. Ridlay, Steven P. Sapp, Qi Wang, Chongman Yun, J.G. Lee, Peter H. Wilson, Joseph A. Yedinak, J.Y. Jung, H.C. Jang, Babak S. Sanl, Richard Stokes, Gary M. Dolny, John Mytych, Becky Losee, Adam Selsley, Robert Herrick, James J. Murphy, Gordon K. Madson, Bruce D. Marchant, Christopher L. Rexer, Christopher B. Kocon, Debra S. Woolsey
  • Patent number: 5940689
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a UMOS semiconductor device includes a blanket implant of an N type dopant into a surface of a substrate (for forming source regions), a high energy implant of a P type dopant into the substrate (for forming body regions), an etch through a hard mask to form trenches and mesas (each of the mesas having a source region at its top and a body region below), and concurrently (i) providing a gate dielectric on the sidewalls of the trenches and (ii) redistributing the dopants so that the body regions extend deeper into the substrate beneath the centers of the mesas than adjacent the walls of the trenches. Contact windows are etched in the mesas to allow electrical contact with the source regions and the body regions. The initial implant of P type dopant may be a blanket implant or an implant through a mask which concentrates the P type dopant in the centers of the mesas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher L. Rexer, Mark L. Rineheimer, John M. S. Neilson, Thomas E. Grebs