Patents by Inventor Frank Hille

Frank Hille 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: 20170221842
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device, a power semiconductor module and a power semiconductor device processing method are provided. The power semiconductor device includes a first load terminal structure, a second load terminal structure, and a semiconductor structure electrically coupled to each load terminal structure and configured to carry a load current. The first load terminal structure includes a conductive layer in contact with the semiconductor structure, a bonding block configured to be contacted by at least one bond wire and to receive at least a part of the load current from the at least one bond wire and/or the conductive layer, a support block having a hardness greater than the hardness of the conductive layer and the bonding block. The bonding block is mounted on the conductive layer via the support block, and a zone is arranged within the conductive layer and/or the bonding block, the zone exhibiting nitrogen atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Roman ROTH, Frank HILLE, Hans-Joachim SCHULZE
  • Patent number: 9685504
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region having first charge carriers of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region having second charge carriers. The first semiconductor region includes a transition region in contact with the second semiconductor region, the transition region having a first concentration of the first charge carriers, a contact region having a second concentration of the first charge carriers, wherein the second concentration is higher than the first concentration, and a damage region between the contact region and the transition region. The damage region is configured for reducing lifetime and/or mobility of the first charge carriers of the damage region as compared to the lifetime and/or the mobility of the first charge carriers of the contact region and the transition region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Haertl, Frank Hille, Francisco Javier Santos Rodriguez, Daniel Schloegl, Andre Rainer Stegner, Christoph Weiss
  • Patent number: 9543405
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reduced free-charge carrier lifetime semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of transistor gate structures in trenches arranged in a semiconductor substrate, forming a body region between adjacent ones of the transistor gate structures and forming an end-of-range irradiation region between adjacent ones of the transistor gate structures, the end-of-range irradiation region having a plurality of vacancies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Holger Ruething, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Frank Hille, Frank Pfirsch
  • Publication number: 20160372539
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region having first charge carriers of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region having second charge carriers. The first semiconductor region includes a transition region in contact with the second semiconductor region, the transition region having a first concentration of the first charge carriers, a contact region having a second concentration of the first charge carriers, wherein the second concentration is higher than the first concentration, and a damage region between the contact region and the transition region. The damage region is configured for reducing lifetime and/or mobility of the first charge carriers of the damage region as compared to the lifetime and/or the mobility of the first charge carriers of the contact region and the transition region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Andreas Haertl, Frank Hille, Francisco Javier Santos Rodriguez, Daniel Schloegl, Andre Rainer Stegner, Christoph Weiss
  • Patent number: 9443971
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a diffusion barrier layer, a first semiconductor region having first charge carriers of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region having second charge carriers. The first semiconductor region includes a transition region in contact with the second semiconductor region, the transition region having a first concentration of the first charge carriers, a contact region in contact with the diffusion barrier layer, the contact region having a second concentration of the first charge carriers, wherein the second concentration is higher than the first concentration, and a damage region between the contact region and the transition region. The damage region is configured for reducing the lifetime and/or the mobility of the first charge carriers of the damage region as compared to the lifetime and/or the mobility of the first charge carriers of the contact region and the transition region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Haertl, Frank Hille, Francisco Javier Santos Rodriguez, Daniel Schloegl, Andre Rainer Stegner, Christoph Weiss
  • Patent number: 9385181
    Abstract: A semiconductor diode includes a semiconductor body having opposite first and second sides. A first and a second semiconductor region are consecutively arranged along a lateral direction at the second side. The first and second semiconductor regions are of opposite first and second conductivity types and are electrically coupled to an electrode at the second side. The semiconductor diode further includes a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type buried in the semiconductor body at a distance from the second side. The second and third semiconductor regions are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans Peter Felsl, Elmar Falck, Manfred Pfaffenlehner, Frank Hille, Andreas Haertl, Holger Schulze, Daniel Schloegl
  • Publication number: 20160141406
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a diffusion barrier layer, a first semiconductor region having first charge carriers of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region having second charge carriers. The first semiconductor region includes a transition region in contact with the second semiconductor region, the transition region having a first concentration of the first charge carriers, a contact region in contact with the diffusion barrier layer, the contact region having a second concentration of the first charge carriers, wherein the second concentration is higher than the first concentration, and a damage region between the contact region and the transition region. The damage region is configured for reducing the lifetime and/or the mobility of the first charge carriers of the damage region as compared to the lifetime and/or the mobility of the first charge carriers of the contact region and the transition region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Andreas Haertl, Frank Hille, Francisco Javier Santos Rodriguez, Daniel Schloegl, Andre Rainer Stegner, Christoph Weiss
  • Patent number: 9312334
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is disclosed. One embodiment provides a semiconductor body having a cell region with at least one zone of a first conduction type and at least one zone of a second conduction type in a rear side. A drift zone of the first conduction type in the cell region is provided. The drift zone contains at least one region through which charge carriers flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in one polarity and charge carriers do not flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in an opposite polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Holger Ruething, Frank Pfirsch, Armin Willmeroth, Frank Hille, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Publication number: 20150206983
    Abstract: A semiconductor diode includes a semiconductor body having opposite first and second sides. A first and a second semiconductor region are consecutively arranged along a lateral direction at the second side. The first and second semiconductor regions are of opposite first and second conductivity types and are electrically coupled to an electrode at the second side. The semiconductor diode further includes a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type buried in the semiconductor body at a distance from the second side. The second and third semiconductor regions are separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Inventors: Hans Peter Felsl, Elmar Falck, Manfred Pfaffenlehner, Frank Hille, Andreas Haertl, Holger Schulze, Daniel Schloegl
  • Publication number: 20150008480
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is disclosed. One embodiment provides a semiconductor body having a cell region with at least one zone of a first conduction type and at least one zone of a second conduction type in a rear side. A drift zone of the first conduction type in the cell region is provided. The drift zone contains at least one region through which charge carriers flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in one polarity and charge carriers do not flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in an opposite polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Holger Ruething, Frank Pfirsch, Armin Willmeroth, Frank Hille, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Patent number: 8860133
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is disclosed. One embodiment provides a semiconductor body having a cell region with at least one zone of a first conduction type and at least one zone of a second conduction type in a rear side. A drift zone of the first conduction type in the cell region is provided. The drift zone contains at least one region through which charge carriers flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in one polarity and charge carriers do not flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in an opposite polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Holger Ruething, Frank Pfirsch, Armin Willmeroth, Frank Hille, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Publication number: 20140213022
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reduced free-charge carrier lifetime semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of transistor gate structures in trenches arranged in a semiconductor substrate, forming a body region between adjacent ones of the transistor gate structures and forming an end-of-range irradiation region between adjacent ones of the transistor gate structures, the end-of-range irradiation region having a plurality of vacancies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: Holger Ruething, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Frank Hille, Frank Pfirsch
  • Patent number: 8741750
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor body is presented. The semiconductor body includes a p-conducting zone, an n-conducting zone and a pn junction in a depth T1 in the semiconductor body between the p-conducting zone and the n-conducting zone. The method includes providing the semiconductor body, producing the p-doped zone by the diffusion of an impurity that forms an acceptor in a first direction into the semiconductor body, and producing the n-conducting zone by the implantation of protons in the first direction into the semiconductor body into a depth T2>T1 and the subsequent heat treatment of the semiconductor body in order to form hydrogen-induced donors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Frank Hille, Franz Josef Niedernostheide, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Holger Schulze
  • Patent number: 8367532
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in one embodiment has a first connection region, a second connection region and a semiconductor volume arranged between the first and second connection regions. Provision is made, within the semiconductor volume, in the vicinity of the second connection region, of a field stop zone for spatially delimiting a space charge zone that can be formed in the semiconductor volume, and of an anode region adjoining the first connection region. The dopant concentration profile within the semiconductor volume is configured such that the integral of the ionized dopant charge over the semiconductor volume, proceeding from an interface of the anode region which faces the second connection region, in the direction of the second connection region, reaches a quantity of charge corresponding to the breakdown charge of the semiconductor device only near the interface of the field stop zone which faces the second connection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Anton Mauder, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Frank Hille, Holger Schulze, Manfred Pfaffenlehner, Carsten Schäffer, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide
  • Patent number: 8344415
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is disclosed. One embodiment provides a semiconductor body having a cell region with at least one zone of a first conduction type and at least one zone of a second conduction type in a rear side. A drift zone of the first conduction type in the cell region is provided. The drift zone contains at least one region through which charge carriers flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in one polarity and charge carriers do not flow in an operating mode of the semiconductor component in an opposite polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Holger Ruething, Frank Pfirsch, Armin Willmeroth, Frank Hille, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Publication number: 20120315747
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in one embodiment has a first connection region, a second connection region and a semiconductor volume arranged between the first and second connection regions. Provision is made, within the semiconductor volume, in the vicinity of the second connection region, of a field stop zone for spatially delimiting a space charge zone that can be formed in the semiconductor volume, and of an anode region adjoining the first connection region. The dopant concentration profile within the semiconductor volume is configured such that the integral of the ionized dopant charge over the semiconductor volume, proceeding from an interface of the anode region which faces the second connection region, in the direction of the second connection region, reaches a quantity of charge corresponding to the breakdown charge of the semiconductor device only near the interface of the field stop zone which faces the second connection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventors: Anton MAUDER, Hans-Joachim SCHULZE, Frank HILLE, Holger SCHULZE, Manfred PFAFFENLEHNER, Carsten SCHÄFFER, Franz-Josef NIEDERNOSTHEIDE
  • Patent number: 8314019
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a power semiconductor component having a semiconductor body having at least two main surfaces includes applying a layer of a metallization on at least one of the main surfaces. The layer has a thickness of at least 15 ?m and serves as a heat sink. The method also includes producing a field stop zone in the semiconductor body by implantation of protons or helium through the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Frank Hille, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Patent number: 8252671
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in one embodiment has a first connection region, a second connection region and a semiconductor volume arranged between the first and second connection regions. Provision is made, within the semiconductor volume, in the vicinity of the second connection region, of a field stop zone for spatially delimiting a space charge zone that can be formed in the semiconductor volume, and of an anode region adjoining the first connection region. The dopant concentration profile within the semiconductor volume is configured such that the integral of the ionized dopant charge over the semiconductor volume, proceeding from an interface of the anode region which faces the second connection region, in the direction of the second connection region, reaches a quantity of charge corresponding to the breakdown charge of the semiconductor device only near the interface of the field stop zone which faces the second connection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Anton Mauder, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Frank Hille, Holger Schulze, Manfred Pfaffenlehner, Carsten Schaeffer, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide
  • Publication number: 20110300707
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a power semiconductor component having a semiconductor body having at least two main surfaces includes applying a layer of a metallization on at least one of the main surfaces. The layer has a thickness of at least 15 ?m and serves as a heat sink. The method also includes producing a field stop zone in the semiconductor body by implantation of protons or helium through the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Frank Hille, Hans-Joachim Schulze
  • Publication number: 20110275202
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in one embodiment has a first connection region, a second connection region and a semiconductor volume arranged between the first and second connection regions. Provision is made, within the semiconductor volume, in the vicinity of the second connection region, of a field stop zone for spatially delimiting a space charge zone that can be formed in the semiconductor volume, and of an anode region adjoining the first connection region. The dopant concentration profile within the semiconductor volume is configured such that the integral of the ionized dopant charge over the semiconductor volume, proceeding from an interface of the anode region which faces the second connection region, in the direction of the second connection region, reaches a quantity of charge corresponding to the breakdown charge of the semiconductor device only near the interface of the field stop zone which faces the second connection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Anton MAUDER, Hans-Joachim Schulze, Frank Hille, Holger Schulze, Manfred Pfaffenlehner, Carsten Schäffer, Franz-Josef Niedernostheide