Patents by Inventor Franz Hirler

Franz Hirler 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: 10468479
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body, which includes transistor cells and a drift zone between a drain layer and the transistor cells. The drift zone includes a compensation structure. Above a depletion voltage a first output charge gradient obtained by increasing a drain-to-source voltage from the depletion voltage to a maximum drain-to-source voltage deviates by less than 5% from a second output charge gradient obtained by decreasing the drain-to-source voltage from the maximum drain-to-source voltage to the depletion voltage. At the depletion voltage the first output charge gradient exhibits a maximum curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Armin Willmeroth, Franz Hirler, Bjoern Fischer, Joachim Weyers
  • Publication number: 20190334000
    Abstract: A transistor component includes at least one transistor cell having: a drift region, a source region, a body region and a drain region in a semiconductor body, the body region being arranged between the source and drift regions, and the drift region being arranged between the body and drain regions; a gate electrode arranged adjacent to the body region and dielectrically isolated from the body region by a gate dielectric; and a field electrode arranged adjacent to the drift region and dielectrically isolated from the drift region by a field electrode dielectric. The field electrode dielectric has a thickness that increases in a direction toward the drain region. The drift region has, in a mesa region adjacent to the field electrode, a doping concentration that increases in the direction toward the drain region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Markus Zundel, Karl-Heinz Bach, Peter Brandl, Franz Hirler, Andrew Christopher Graeme Wood
  • Patent number: 10453931
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate structure comprising a cell region and an edge termination region surrounding the cell region. Further it comprises a plurality of needle-shaped cell trenches within the cell region reaching from a surface of the semiconductor substrate structure into the substrate structure and an edge termination trench within the edge termination region surrounding the cell region at the surface of the semiconductor substrate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Oliver Blank, Franz Hirler, Ralf Siemieniec, Li Juin Yip
  • Publication number: 20190319124
    Abstract: A transistor device comprises at least one gate electrode, a gate runner connected to the at least one gate electrode and arranged on top of a semiconductor body, a plurality of gate pads arranged on top of the semiconductor body, and a plurality of resistor arrangements. Each gate pad is electrically connected to the gate runner via a respective one of the plurality of resistor arrangements, and each of the resistor arrangements has an electrical resistance, wherein the resistances of the plurality of resistor arrangements are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Andreas Riegler, Christian Fachmann, Bjoern Fischer, Franz Hirler, Gabor Mezoesi, Hans Weber
  • Patent number: 10439030
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor in a semiconductor body having a first main surface. The transistor includes: a source contact electrically connected to a source region; a drain contact electrically connected to a drain region; a gate electrode at the channel region, the channel region and a drift zone disposed along a first direction between the source and drain regions, the first direction being parallel to the first main surface, the channel region patterned into a ridge by adjacent gate trenches formed in the first main surface, the adjacent gate trenches spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a longitudinal axis of the ridge extending in the first direction and a longitudinal axis of the gate trenches extending in the first direction; and at least one of the source and drain contacts being adjacent to a second main surface opposite the first main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Meiser, Rolf Weis, Franz Hirler, Martin Vielemeyer, Markus Zundel, Peter Irsigler
  • Publication number: 20190287804
    Abstract: A method includes: forming first and second trenches in a semiconductor body; forming a first material layer on the semiconductor body in the first and second trenches such that a first residual trench remains in the first trench and a second residual trench remains in the second trench; removing the first material from the second trench; and forming a second material layer on the first material layer in the first residual trench and on the semiconductor body in the second trench. The first material layer includes dopants of a first doping type and the second material layer includes dopants of a second doping type. The method further includes diffusing dopants from the first material layer in the first trench into the semiconductor body to form a first doped region, and from the second material layer in the second trench into the semiconductor body to form a second doped region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Rolf Weis, Thomas Gross, Hermann Gruber, Franz Hirler, Andreas Meiser, Markus Rochel, Till Schloesser, Detlef Weber
  • Publication number: 20190252492
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes transistor cells in a transistor cell area of a semiconductor body. A super junction structure in the semiconductor body includes a plurality of drift sub-regions and compensation sub-regions of opposite first and second conductivity types, respectively, and alternately arranged along a lateral direction. A termination area outside the transistor cell area between an edge of the semiconductor body and the transistor cell area includes first and third termination sub-regions of the first conductivity type, respectively. A second termination sub-region of the second conductivity type is sandwiched between the first and the third termination sub-regions along a vertical direction perpendicular to a first surface of the semiconductor body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Hans Weber
  • Patent number: 10355087
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor in a semiconductor substrate having a main surface. The transistor includes a source region, a drain region, a channel region, a drift zone, a gate electrode, and a gate dielectric adjacent to the gate electrode. The gate electrode is disposed adjacent to at least two sides of the channel region. The channel region and the drift zone are disposed along a first direction parallel to the main surface between the source region and the drain region. The gate dielectric has a thickness that varies at different positions of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Martin Vielemeyer, Andreas Meiser, Till Schloesser, Franz Hirler, Martin Poelzl
  • Patent number: 10354992
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor arrangement and a diode structure. The diode structure is coupled between a gate electrode structure of the transistor arrangement and a source electrode structure of the transistor arrangement. An insulating layer is located vertically between the diode structure and a front side surface of a semiconductor substrate of the semiconductor device. The diode structure includes at least one diode pn-junction. A substrate pn-junction extends from the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate between a shielding doping region and an edge doping portion. The edge doping portion is located adjacent to the shielding doping region within the semiconductor substrate. At the front side surface of the semiconductor substrate, the substrate pn-junction is located laterally between the diode pn-junction and a source contact region of the diode structure with the source electrode structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Joachim Weyers, Franz Hirler, Ahmed Mahmoud, Yann Ruet, Enrique Vecino Vazquez
  • Publication number: 20190198609
    Abstract: A transistor arrangement includes: a layer stack with first and second semiconductor layers of complementary first and second doping types; a first source region of a first transistor device adjoining the first semiconductor layers; a first drain region of the first transistor device adjoining the second semiconductor layers and spaced apart from the first source region; gate regions of the first transistor device, each gate region adjoining at least one second semiconductor layer, being arranged between the first source region and the first drain region, and being spaced apart from the first source region and the first drain region; a third semiconductor layer adjoining the layer stack and each of the first source region, first drain region, and each gate region; and active regions of a second transistor device integrated in the third semiconductor layer in a second region spaced apart from a first region of the third semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Rolf Weis, Henning Feick, Franz Hirler, Andreas Meiser
  • Publication number: 20190198661
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transistor device and a method for producing thereof. The transistor device includes at least one transistor cell, wherein the at least one transistor cell includes: a source region, a body region and a drift region in a semiconductor body; a gate electrode dielectrically insulated from the body region by a gate dielectric; a field electrode dielectrically insulated from the drift region by a field electrode dielectric; and a contact plug extending from a first surface of the semiconductor body to the field electrode and adjoining the source region and the body region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Markus Zundel, Franz Hirler
  • Patent number: 10325996
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is produced by providing a semiconductor substrate, forming an epitaxial layer on the semiconductor substrate, and introducing dopant atoms of a first doping type and dopant atoms of a second doping type into the epitaxial layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Franz Hirler, Anton Mauder, Helmut Strack, Frank Kahlmann, Gerhard Miller
  • Patent number: 10319810
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes transistor cells in a transistor cell area of a semiconductor body. A super junction structure in the semiconductor body includes a plurality of drift sub-regions and compensation sub-regions of opposite first and second conductivity types, respectively, and alternately arranged along a lateral direction. A termination area outside the transistor cell area between an edge of the semiconductor body and the transistor cell area includes first and third termination sub-regions of the first conductivity type, respectively. A second termination sub-region of the second conductivity type is sandwiched between the first and the third termination sub-regions along a vertical direction perpendicular to a first surface of the semiconductor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Hans Weber
  • Publication number: 20190157402
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a power semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor body for conducting a load current between first and second load terminals; source and channel regions and a drift volume in the semiconductor body; a semiconductor zone in the semiconductor body and coupling the drift volume to the second load terminal, a first transition established between the semiconductor zone and the drift volume; a control electrode insulated from the semiconductor body and the load terminals and configured to control a path of the load current in the channel region; and a trench extending into the drift volume along an extension direction and including a field electrode. A cross-sectional area of the field electrode is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the control electrode in a plane parallel to the extension direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventor: Franz Hirler
  • Patent number: 10283634
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source metallization, a source region of a first conductivity type in contact with the source metallization, a body region of a second conductivity type which is adjacent to the source region. The semiconductor device further includes a first field-effect structure including a first insulated gate electrode and a second field-effect structure including a second insulated gate electrode which is electrically connected to the source metallization. The capacitance per unit area between the second insulated gate electrode and the body region is larger than the capacitance per unit area between the first insulated gate electrode and the body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Oliver Haeberlen, Joachim Krumrey, Franz Hirler, Walter Rieger
  • Publication number: 20190123153
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided that includes a semiconductor body having a first conductivity type, a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, a gate arranged on the first major surface, a body region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, the body region extending into the semiconductor body from the first major surface, a source region having the first conductivity type, the source region being arranged in the body region, a buried channel shielding region having the second conductivity type, a contact region having the second conductivity type, and a field plate arranged in a trench extending into the semiconductor body from the first major surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Hutzler, Franz Hirler, Ralf Siemieniec
  • Publication number: 20190123137
    Abstract: A method for forming a field-effect semiconductor device includes providing a wafer having a substantially compensated semiconductor layer extending to an upper side and including a semiconductor material which is co-doped with n-type dopants and p-type dopants. A peripheral area laterally surrounding an active area are defined in the wafer. Trenches in the active area are filled with a substantially intrinsic semiconductor material. More p-type dopants than n-type dopants are diffused from the compensated semiconductor layer into the intrinsic semiconductor material to form a plurality of p-type compensation regions in the trenches which are separated from each other by respective n-type drift portions. P-type dopants are introduced at least into a semiconductor zone of the peripheral area, so that the semiconductor zone and a dielectric layer on the upper side form an interface. A horizontal extension of the interface is larger than a vertical extension of the trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Daniel Tutuc, Christian Fachmann, Franz Hirler, Maximilian Treiber
  • Publication number: 20190115467
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an electrical device and has an output capacitance characteristic with at least one output capacitance maximum located at a voltage larger than 5% of a breakdown voltage of the semiconductor device. The output capacitance maximum is larger than 1.2 times an output capacitance at an output capacitance minimum located at a voltage between the voltage at the output capacitance maximum and 5% of a breakdown voltage of the semiconductor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventor: Franz Hirler
  • Patent number: 10263086
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second field electrode structures that extend from a first surface into a semiconductor portion. The first field electrode structures include a first field dielectric insulating spicular first field electrodes against the semiconductor portion. The second field electrode structures include a second field dielectric insulating spicular second field electrodes against the semiconductor portion. The second field dielectric is thicker than the first field dielectric. Openings of the first and second field electrode structures in the first surface may be non-circular symmetric, wherein the openings of the second field electrode structures are tilted with respect to the openings of the first field electrode structures. Alternatively or in addition, the openings of the second field electrode structures in the first surface may be greater than the openings of the first field electrode structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Martin Vielemeyer
  • Patent number: RE47710
    Abstract: A power semiconductor element having a lightly doped drift and buffer layer is disclosed. One embodiment has, underneath and between deep well regions of a first conductivity type, a lightly doped drift and buffer layer of a second conductivity type. The drift and buffer layer has a minimum vertical extension between a drain contact layer on the adjacent surface of a semiconductor substrate and the bottom of the deepest well region which is at least equal to a minimum lateral distance between the deep well regions. The vertical extension can also be determined such that a total amount of dopant per unit area in the drift and buffer layer is larger than a breakdown charge amount at breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Markus Zundel, Franz Hirler, Armin Willmeroth