Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first IGBT cell having a second-type doped drift zone and a desaturation semiconductor structure for desaturating a charge carrier concentration in the first IGBT cell. The desaturation semiconductor structure includes a first-type doped region forming a pn-junction with the drift zone and two trenches arranged in the first-type doped region and arranged beside the first IGBT cell in a lateral direction. The two trenches confine a mesa region including a first-type doped desaturation channel region and a first-type doped body region at least in the lateral direction. The desaturation channel region and the body region adjoin each other, and the desaturation channel region is a depletable region. Related methods of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: An electric assembly includes a semiconductor switching device with a maximum breakdown voltage rating across two load terminals in an off-state. A clamping diode is electrically connected to the two load terminals and parallel to the switching device. A semiconductor body of the clamping diode is made of silicon carbide. An avalanche voltage of the clamping diode is lower than the maximum breakdown voltage rating of the switching device.

Abstract: A method for splitting a semiconductor wafer includes incorporating hydrogen atoms into at least a splitting region of a semiconductor wafer. The splitting region includes a concentration of nitrogen atoms higher than 1·1015 cm?3. The method further includes splitting the semiconductor wafer at the splitting region of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes an active region surrounded by an inactive termination region each formed by part of a semiconductor body. The active region conducts load current between first and second load terminals. At least one power cell has trenches extending into the semiconductor body adjacent to each other along a first lateral direction and having a stripe configuration that extends along a second lateral direction into the active region. The trenches spatially confine a plurality of mesas each having at least one first type mesa electrically connected to the first load terminal and configured to conduct at least a part of the load current, and at least one second type mesa configured to not conduct the load current. A decoupling structure separates at least one of the second type mesas into a first section in the active region and a second section in the termination region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a profile of net doping in a drift zone of a semiconductor body by multiple irradiations with protons and generating hydrogen-related donors by annealing the semiconductor body. At least 50% of a vertical extension of the drift zone between first and second sides of the semiconductor body is undulated and includes multiple doping peak values between 1×1013 cm?3 and 5×1014 cm?3.

Abstract: A method of processing a semiconductor device includes: providing a semiconductor body with a drift region; forming trenches extending into the semiconductor body along a vertical direction and arranged adjacent to each other along a first lateral direction; providing a mask arrangement having a lateral structure so that some of the trenches are exposed and at least one of the trenches is covered by the mask arrangement along the first lateral direction; subjecting the semiconductor body and the mask arrangement to a dopant material providing step to form a plurality of doping regions of a second conductivity type below bottoms of the exposed trenches; removing the mask arrangement; subjecting the semiconductor body to a temperature annealing step so that the doping regions extend in parallel to the first lateral direction and overlap to form a barrier region of the second conductivity type adjacent to the bottoms of the exposed trenches.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type having opposing first and second major surfaces; a gate arranged in a trench extending into the semiconductor body from the first major surface; a body region of a second conductivity type; a source region of the first conductivity type arranged on the body region and having first and second dopant species. The source region forms a pn-junction with the body junction, the pn-junction being arranged at a depth dpn from the first major surface, wherein 50 nm<dpn<300 nm. A drain region of the first conductivity type is arranged in the semiconductor body under the trench.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes an active cell region with a drift region, and IGBT cells at least partially arranged within the active cell region. Each IGBT cell includes at least one trench extending into the drift region along a vertical direction, an edge termination region surrounding the active cell region, and a transition region arranged between the active cell region and the edge termination region. The transition region has a width along a lateral direction from the active cell region towards the edge termination region. At least some of the IGBT cells are arranged within, or, respectively, extend into the transition region. An electrically floating barrier region of each IGBT cell is arranged within the active cell region and in contact with at least some of the trenches of the IGBT cells. The electrically floating barrier region does not extend into the transition region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first IGBT cell having a second-type doped drift zone and a desaturation semiconductor structure for desaturating a charge carrier concentration in the first IGBT cell. The desaturation semiconductor structure includes a first-type doped region forming a pn-junction with the drift zone and two trenches arranged in the first-type doped region and arranged beside the first IGBT cell in a lateral direction. The two trenches confine a mesa region including a first-type doped desaturation channel region and a first-type doped body region at least in the lateral direction. The desaturation channel region and the body region adjoin each other, and the desaturation channel region is a depletable region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor mesa having source zones and at least one body zone forming first pn junctions with the source zones and a second pn junction with a drift zone. Electrode structures are provided on opposite sides of the semiconductor mesa, at least one of the electrode structures having a gate electrode configured to control a charge carrier flow through the at least one body zone. A separation region is arranged along an extension direction of the semiconductor mesa. In the separation region, the semiconductor mesa has a constricted portion that is partially or completely oxidized. Additional semiconductor device embodiments are described.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having opposite first and second sides. The semiconductor device further includes a drift zone in the semiconductor body between the second side and a pn junction. A profile of net doping of the drift zone along at least 50% of a vertical extension of the drift zone between the first and second sides is undulated and includes doping peak values between 1×1013 cm?3 and 5×1014 cm?3. A device blocking voltage Vbr is defined by a breakdown voltage of the pn junction between the drift zone and a semiconductor region of opposite conductivity type that is electrically coupled to the first side of the semiconductor body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method that includes forming a plurality of semiconductor arrangements one above the other. In this method, forming each of the plurality of semiconductor arrangements includes: forming a semiconductor layer; forming a plurality of trenches in a first surface of the semiconductor layer; and implanting dopant atoms of at least one of a first type and a second type into at least one of a first sidewall and a second sidewall of each of the plurality of trenches of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An electric assembly includes a reverse conducting switching device and a rectifying device. The reverse conducting switching device includes transistor cells for desaturation configured to be, under reverse bias, turned on in a desaturation mode and to be turned off in a saturation mode. The rectifying device is electrically connected anti-parallel to the switching device. In a range of a diode forward current from half of a maximum rating diode current of the switching device to the maximum rating diode current, a diode I/V characteristic of the rectifying device shows a voltage drop across the rectifying device higher than a saturation I/V characteristic of the switching device with the transistor cells for desaturation turned off and lower than a desaturation I/V characteristic of the switching device with the transistor cells for desaturation turned on.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes determining information that indicates an extrinsic dopant concentration and an intrinsic oxygen concentration in a semiconductor wafer. On the basis of information about the extrinsic dopant concentration and the intrinsic oxygen concentration as well as information about a generation rate or a dissociation rate of oxygen-related thermal donors in the semiconductor wafer, a process temperature gradient is determined for generating or dissociating oxygen-related thermal donors to compensate for a difference between a target dopant concentration and the extrinsic dopant concentration.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device is disclosed. In one example, the device comprises a semiconductor body having a front side, a backside, a first load terminal, and a drift region. A first cell is arranged at the front side. Further, the power semiconductor device comprises: a first backside emitter region included in the semiconductor body, the first backside emitter region being electrically connected with the second load terminal and having dopants of the second conductivity type, wherein the first backside emitter region and the first cell have a first common lateral extension range; and a second backside emitter region included in the semiconductor body, the second backside emitter region being electrically connected with the second load terminal and having dopants of the first conductivity type, wherein the second backside emitter region and the second cell have a second common lateral extension range.

Abstract: First and second cell trench structures extend from a first surface into a semiconductor substrate. The first cell trench structure includes a first buried electrode and a first insulator layer between the first buried electrode and a semiconductor mesa separating the first and second cell trench structures. A capping layer covers the first surface. The capping layer is patterned to form an opening having a minimum width larger than a thickness of the first insulator layer. The opening exposes a first vertical section of the first insulator layer at the first surface. An exposed portion of the first insulator layer is removed to form a recess between the semiconductor mesa and the first buried electrode. A contact structure is in the opening and the recess. The contact structure electrically connects both a buried zone in the semiconductor mesa and the first buried electrode and allows for narrower semiconductor mesa width.

Abstract: A method of operating an IGBT is described. The IGBT has gate, emitter and collector terminals, and IGBT cells, switchable diode cells, and non-switchable diode cells integrated in a semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the IGBT cells and switchable diode cells includes an operable switchable channel region. The IGBT is operated in a reverse conductive mode in which the IGBT cells are in a non-conductive mode and the switchable diode cells and the non-switchable diode cells are in a bipolar mode. The IGBT is brought from the reverse conductive mode to a transit mode in which at least some of the non-switchable diode cells are still in the bipolar mode, the IGBT cells are in the non-conductive mode, and the switchable diode cells are in a unipolar mode, by applying a gate voltage having an absolute value larger than a gate threshold voltage to the gate terminal.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes an active region surrounded by an inactive termination region each formed by part of a semiconductor body. The active region conducts load current between first and second load terminals. At least one power cell has trenches extending into the semiconductor body adjacent to each other along a first lateral direction and having a stripe configuration that extends along a second lateral direction into the active region. The trenches spatially confine a plurality of mesas each having at least one first type mesa electrically connected to the first load terminal and configured to conduct at least a part of the load current, and at least one second type mesa configured to not conduct the load current. A decoupling structure separates at least one of the second type mesas into a first section in the active region and a second section in the termination region.

Abstract: Crystal lattice defects are generated in a horizontal surface portion of a semiconductor substrate and hydrogen-related donors are formed in the surface portion. Information is obtained about a cumulative dopant concentration of dopants, including the hydrogen-related donors, in the surface portion. Based on the information about the cumulative dopant concentration and a dissociation rate of the hydrogen-related donors, a main temperature profile is determined for dissociating a defined portion of the hydrogen-related donors. The semiconductor substrate is subjected to a main heat treatment applying the main temperature profile to obtain, in the surface portion, a final total dopant concentration deviating from a target dopant concentration by not more than 15%.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method that includes forming a plurality of semiconductor arrangements one above the other. In this method, forming each of the plurality of semiconductor arrangements includes: forming a semiconductor layer; forming a plurality of trenches in a first surface of the semiconductor layer; and implanting dopant atoms of at least one of a first type and a second type into at least one of a first sidewall and a second sidewall of each of the plurality of trenches of the semiconductor layer.