Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type. A gate structure is supported by a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a current carrying region (e.g., a drain region of an LDMOS transistor) is disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The device further includes a drift region of a second, opposite conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The drift region extends laterally from the current carrying region to the gate structure. The device further includes a buried region of the second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the current carrying region. The buried region is vertically aligned with the current carrying region, and a portion of the semiconductor substrate with the first conductivity type is present between the buried region and the current carrying region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a current terminal region located in a device active area of a substrate of the device. A guard region is located in a termination area of the device. A plurality of floating field plates are located in the termination area and are ohmically coupled to the guard region. The floating field plates and guard region act in some embodiments to “smooth” the electrical field distribution along the termination area.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type. A gate structure is supported by a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a current carrying region (e.g., a drain region of an LDMOS transistor) is disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The device further includes a drift region of a second, opposite conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The drift region extends laterally from the current carrying region to the gate structure. The device further includes a buried region of the second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the current carrying region. The buried region is vertically aligned with the current carrying region, and a portion of the semiconductor substrate with the first conductivity type is present between the buried region and the current carrying region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a current terminal region located in a device active area of a substrate of the device. A guard region is located in a termination area of the device. A plurality of floating field plates are located in the termination area and are ohmically coupled to the guard region. The floating field plates and guard region act in some embodiments to “smooth” the electrical field distribution along the termination area.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type. A gate structure is supported by a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a current carrying region (e.g., a drain region of an LDMOS transistor) is disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The device further includes a drift region of a second, opposite conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The drift region extends laterally from the current carrying region to the gate structure. The device further includes a buried region of the second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the current carrying region. The buried region is vertically aligned with the current carrying region, and a portion of the semiconductor substrate with the first conductivity type is present between the buried region and the current carrying region.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface with a trench, first and second conduction terminals supported by the semiconductor substrate, a control electrode supported by the semiconductor substrate between the first and second conduction terminals and configured to control flow of charge carriers during operation between the first and second conduction terminals, and a Faraday shield supported by the semiconductor substrate and disposed between the control electrode and the second conduction terminal. At least a portion of the Faraday shield is disposed in the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type. A gate structure is supported by a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a current carrying region (e.g., a drain region of an LDMOS transistor) is disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The device further includes a drift region of a second, opposite conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate at the surface. The drift region extends laterally from the current carrying region to the gate structure. The device further includes a buried region of the second conductivity type disposed in the semiconductor substrate below the current carrying region. The buried region is vertically aligned with the current carrying region, and a portion of the semiconductor substrate with the first conductivity type is present between the buried region and the current carrying region.

Abstract: Forming a transistor transistor includes forming a surface region, a gate, a source dopant region, a drain dopant region, a drift dopant region, a set of electrically conductive shield plates, and a shield plate dopant region. A sidewall of the gate aligns with a drain side boundary of the surface region. The drain dopant region is formed within the surface region on the drain side. The drift dopant region is formed within the surface region between the drain side boundary and the drain dopant region. The set of electrically conductive shield plates includes a first shield plate overlying the drift dopant region. The shield plate dopant region is formed within the drift dopant region and underlies the set of shield plates.

Abstract: A transistor includes a surface region, a gate, a source dopant region, a drain dopant region, a drift dopant region, a set of electrically conductive shield plates, and a shield plate dopant region. A sidewall of the gate aligns with a drain side boundary of the surface region. The drain dopant region is within the surface region on the drain side. The drift dopant region is within the surface region between the drain side boundary and the drain dopant region. The set of electrically conductive shield plates includes a first shield plate overlying the drift dopant region. The shield plate dopant region is within the drift dopant region and underlies the set of shield plates.

Abstract: Forming a transistor transistor includes forming a surface region, a gate, a source dopant region, a drain dopant region, a drift dopant region, a set of electrically conductive shield plates, and a shield plate dopant region. A sidewall of the gate aligns with a drain side boundary of the surface region. The drain dopant region is formed within the surface region on the drain side. The drift dopant region is formed within the surface region between the drain side boundary and the drain dopant region. The set of electrically conductive shield plates includes a first shield plate overlying the drift dopant region. The shield plate dopant region is formed within the drift dopant region and underlies the set of shield plates.

Abstract: A transistor includes a surface region, a gate, a source dopant region, a drain dopant region, a drift dopant region, a set of electrically conductive shield plates, and a shield plate dopant region. A sidewall of the gate aligns with a drain side boundary of the surface region. The drain dopant region is within the surface region on the drain side. The drift dopant region is within the surface region between the drain side boundary and the drain dopant region. The set of electrically conductive shield plates includes a first shield plate overlying the drift dopant region. The shield plate dopant region is within the drift dopant region and underlies the set of shield plates.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface with a trench, first and second conduction terminals supported by the semiconductor substrate, a control electrode supported by the semiconductor substrate between the first and second conduction terminals and configured to control flow of charge carriers during operation between the first and second conduction terminals, and a Faraday shield supported by the semiconductor substrate and disposed between the control electrode and the second conduction terminal. At least a portion of the Faraday shield is disposed in the trench.

Abstract: A customized shield plate field effect transistor (FET) includes a semiconductor layer, a gate dielectric, a gate electrode, and at least one customized shield plate. The shield plate includes a conductive layer overlying a portion of the gate electrode, one of the gate electrode sidewalls, and a portion of the substrate adjacent to the sidewall. The shield plate defines a customized shield plate edge at its lateral boundary. A distance between the customized shield plate edge and the sidewall of the gate electrode varies along a length of the sidewall. The customized shield plate edge may form triangular, curved, and other shaped shield plate elements. The configuration of the customized shield plate edge may reduce the area of the resulting capacitor and thereby achieve lower parasitic capacitance associated with the FET. The FET may be implemented as a lateral diffused MOS (LDMOS) transistor suitable for high power radio frequency applications.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate and having a first conductivity type, a gate structure supported by the semiconductor substrate between the source and drain regions, a first well region in the semiconductor substrate, having a second conductivity type, and in which a channel region is formed under the gate structure during operation, and a second well region adjacent the first well region, having the second conductivity type, and having a higher dopant concentration than the first well region, to establish a path to carry charge carriers of the second conductivity type away from a parasitic bipolar transistor involving a junction between the channel region and the source region.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit (40) is coupled across input-output (I/O) pads (21) and common terminals (24) of a circuit core (22) to protect it from ESD events. The circuit (40) comprises, a unidirectional ESD clamp (23) and two or more floating diodes (42, 44) arranged in parallel opposed configuration in series with the ESD clamp (23), the combination coupled between the I/O pads (21) and the reference terminals (24). In a preferred arrangement, the two strings of opposed parallel coupled diodes (42, 44) are used with different numbers of diodes in each string. These diodes (42, 44) operate in forward conduction (43, 45), so the energy dissipated therein during an ESD event is much reduced compared to a reverse biased diode and they can have smaller area. Signal clipping at the I/O pad (21) is reduced, less power is dissipated and less chip area is utilized.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate and having a first conductivity type, a gate structure supported by the semiconductor substrate between the source and drain regions, a first well region in the semiconductor substrate, having a second conductivity type, and in which a channel region is formed under the gate structure during operation, and a second well region adjacent the first well region, having the second conductivity type, and having a higher dopant concentration than the first well region, to establish a path to carry charge carriers of the second conductivity type away from a parasitic bipolar transistor involving a junction between the channel region and the source region.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate and having a first conductivity type, a gate structure supported by the semiconductor substrate between the source and drain regions, a well region in the semiconductor substrate, having a second conductivity type, and in which a channel region is formed under the gate structure during operation, and a shunt region adjacent the well region in the semiconductor substrate and having the second conductivity type. The shunt region has a higher dopant concentration than the well region to establish a shunt path for charge carriers of the second conductivity type that electrically couples the well region to a potential of the source region.

Abstract: A customized shield plate field effect transistor (FET) includes a semiconductor layer, a gate dielectric, a gate electrode, and at least one customized shield plate. The shield plate includes a conductive layer overlying a portion of the gate electrode, one of the gate electrode sidewalls, and a portion of the substrate adjacent to the sidewall. The shield plate defines a customized shield plate edge at its lateral boundary. A distance between the customized shield plate edge and the sidewall of the gate electrode varies along a length of the sidewall. The customized shield plate edge may form triangular, curved, and other shaped shield plate elements. The configuration of the customized shield plate edge may reduce the area of the resulting capacitor and thereby achieve lower parasitic capacitance associated with the FET. The FET may be implemented as a lateral diffused MOS (LDMOS) transistor suitable for high power radio frequency applications.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate and having a first conductivity type, a gate structure supported by the semiconductor substrate between the source and drain regions, a well region in the semiconductor substrate, having a second conductivity type, and in which a channel region is formed under the gate structure during operation, and a shunt region adjacent the well region in the semiconductor substrate and having the second conductivity type. The shunt region has a higher dopant concentration than the well region to establish a shunt path for charge carriers of the second conductivity type that electrically couples the well region to a potential of the source region.

Abstract: A customized shield plate field effect transistor (FET) includes a semiconductor layer, a gate dielectric, a gate electrode, and at least one customized shield plate. The shield plate includes a conductive layer overlying a portion of the gate electrode, one of the gate electrode sidewalls, and a portion of the substrate adjacent to the sidewall. The shield plate defines a customized shield plate edge at its lateral boundary. A distance between the customized shield plate edge and the sidewall of the gate electrode varies along a length of the sidewall. The customized shield plate edge may form triangular, curved, and other shaped shield plate elements. The configuration of the customized shield plate edge may reduce the area of the resulting capacitor and thereby achieve lower parasitic capacitance associated with the FET. The FET may be implemented as a lateral diffused MOS (LDMOS) transistor suitable for high power radio frequency applications.