Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region made from n-conducting SiC and a second semiconductor region made from p-conducting SiC. A Schottky contact layer electrically contacts the first semiconductor region, and an ohmic p-contact layer electrically contacts the second semiconductor region. Both contact layers consist of a nickel-aluminum material. This allows both contact layers to be annealed together without adversely effecting the Schottky contact behavior.

Abstract: A semiconductor device contains a lateral power element. The power element is provided within a semiconductor layer formed of a semiconductor material having an energy gap of at least 2 eV and is laterally bounded by a trench in the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is provided on a substrate having a thermal conductivity greater than that of silicon and is electrically insulated from a substrate surface remote from the semiconductor layer. This results in an integratable semiconductor device having a high reverse voltage and a high switching frequency.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes at least one &agr;-silicon carbide region and an electrically insulating region, e.g. made of an oxide layer, and an interface located between them. The selection of an &agr;-silicon carbide polytype having a smaller energy gap than that of the 6H silicon carbide polytype for at least one region near the interface results in a high charge carrier mobility in this region.

Abstract: A semiconductor configuration with an ohmic contact-connection includes a p-conducting semiconductor region made of silicon carbide. A p-type contact region serves for the contact-connection. The p-type contact region is composed of a material containing at least nickel and aluminum. A substantially uniform material composition is present in the entire p-type contact region. A method for contact-connecting p-conducting silicon carbide with a material containing at least nickel and aluminum is also provided. The two components nickel and aluminum are applied simultaneously on the p-conducting semiconductor region.

Abstract: A semiconductor configuration with ohmic contact-connection includes a first and a second semiconductor region made of silicon carbide, each having a different conduction type. A first and a second contact region serve for contact-connection. The first contact region and the second contact region have an at least approximately identical material composition which is practically homogeneous within the respective contact region. A method is provided for contact-connecting n-conducting and p-conducting silicon carbide, in each case with at least approximately identical material.

Abstract: The SiC semiconductor structure contains at least three semiconductor regions. The surface area of the third semiconductor region encompasses that of the second semiconductor region as a second partial area, which in turn encloses the surface of the first semiconductor region as a first partial area. The contour of the edge of the second partial area is determined by the contour of the edge of the first partial area to the effect that the second partial area can be represented essentially as a specially enlarged mapping of the first partial area, the deviation of the contour of the edge of the second partial area from the exact contour that results in the course of the mapping being at most ±10 nm.

Abstract: A thin-film system is deposited onto a surface of a semiconductor region. After at least one window has been opened in the thin-film system, the window serves as a mask for a first selective processing of a first semiconductor partial region. By undercutting the thin-film system, the edge of the window is drawn back approximately uniformly by a mean undercutting depth. The at least one enlarged window serves as a mask for a second selective processing of a second semiconductor partial region. A semiconductor structure is also provided.

Abstract: An SiC channel region of a semiconductor configuration, as a result of misoriented epitaxial growth on its surface, is formed with mutually parallel elevations. The flow of electric current in the channel region is set parallel with the elevations. As a result, a high degree of charge-carrier mobility in the channel region is obtained.

Abstract: With the proposed method, a masking device (5) with an aperture (6) is placed on the substrate (8), the masking device (5) and the region to be etched (90) on the substrate surface (9) forming a hollow chamber (11) which communicates with the reaction chamber (4) only via the aperture (6). The recess (10) is produced with the aid of corrosive radicals produced in the reaction chamber. In this way, a recess (10) with a smooth and precisely adjustable depth contour is obtained.