Patents by Inventor Kapil Kelkar

Kapil Kelkar 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: 11217577
    Abstract: A method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a rear surface vertically spaced apart from the main surface, forming a switching device in an active region of the semiconductor substrate, the switching device having electrically conductive gate and field electrodes, forming an intermetal dielectric layer on the main surface over the active region and an inactive region that is laterally spaced apart from the active region, forming a source pad in the first metallization layer over the active region, forming a resistor trench in the inactive region, the resistor trench having a resistance section that is disposed below the main surface, and forming an electrical connection between the source pad and the field electrode that comprises the resistor. The resistor forms an exclusive current path between the source pad and the field electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Hugo Burke, Kapil Kelkar, Ling Ma
  • Publication number: 20200185377
    Abstract: A method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a rear surface vertically spaced apart from the main surface, forming a switching device in an active region of the semiconductor substrate, the switching device having electrically conductive gate and field electrodes, forming an intermetal dielectric layer on the main surface over the active region and an inactive region that is laterally spaced apart from the active region, forming a source pad in the first metallization layer over the active region, forming a resistor trench in the inactive region, the resistor trench having a resistance section that is disposed below the main surface, and forming an electrical connection between the source pad and the field electrode that comprises the resistor. The resistor forms an exclusive current path between the source pad and the field electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Hugo Burke, Kapil Kelkar, Ling Ma
  • Patent number: 10593664
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has a main surface, a rear surface, an active device region, and an inactive region adjacent the active device region. Doped source, body, drift and drain regions, and electrically conductive gate and field electrodes are disposed in the active device region. The gate electrode is configured to control an electrical connection between the source and drain regions. The field electrode is adjacent to the drift region. An intermetal dielectric layer is disposed on the main surface, an electrically conductive source pad is formed in a first metallization layer that is formed on the intermetal dielectric layer. A resistor is connected between the source pad and the field electrode. The resistor includes an electrically conductive resistance section that is disposed in a resistor trench. The resistor trench is formed within the inactive region and is electrically isolated from every active device within the active device region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Hugo Burke, Kapil Kelkar, Ling Ma
  • Patent number: 10483359
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power device, such as power MOSFET, and method for fabricating same. The device includes an upper trench situated over a lower trench, where the upper trench is wider than the lower trench. The device further includes a trench dielectric inside the lower trench and on sidewalls of the upper trench. The device also includes an electrode situated within the trench dielectric. The trench dielectric of the device has a bottom thickness that is greater than a sidewall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Henson, Kapil Kelkar, Ljubo Radic
  • Patent number: 10374533
    Abstract: Techniques to sense the direction of current through the power transistor of an inverter drive circuit and the position of the rotor for a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. During the time demagnetizing current flows, the power transistor is turned ON, directing the demagnetizing current through the lower impedance transistor channel rather than through the body diode. Directing current to the transistor channel may reduce the diode losses in the power transistors, thereby reducing the overall power losses. In other examples, the low side as well as the high side power transistor may be turned on during the time the demagnetizing current flows through the given power transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Venkata Anand Prabhala, Vatche Oknaian, Kapil Kelkar
  • Publication number: 20190157994
    Abstract: Techniques to sense the direction of current through the power transistor of an inverter drive circuit and the position of the rotor for a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. During the time demagnetizing current flows, the power transistor is turned ON, directing the demagnetizing current through the lower impedance transistor channel rather than through the body diode. Directing current to the transistor channel may reduce the diode losses in the power transistors, thereby reducing the overall power losses. In other examples, the low side as well as the high side power transistor may be turned on during the time the demagnetizing current flows through the given power transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Venkata Anand Prabhala, Vatche Oknaian, Kapil Kelkar
  • Publication number: 20180182750
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has a main surface, a rear surface, an active device region, and an inactive region adjacent the active device region. Doped source, body, drift and drain regions, and electrically conductive gate and field electrodes are disposed in the active device region. The gate electrode is configured to control an electrical connection between the source and drain regions. The field electrode is adjacent to the drift region. An intermetal dielectric layer is disposed on the main surface, an electrically conductive source pad is formed in a first metallization layer that is formed on the intermetal dielectric layer. A resistor is connected between the source pad and the field electrode. The resistor includes an electrically conductive resistance section that is disposed in a resistor trench. The resistor trench is formed within the inactive region and is electrically isolated from every active device within the active device region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Hugo Burke, Kapil Kelkar, Ling Ma
  • Patent number: 9966464
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a source trench in a drift region, the source trench having a source trench dielectric liner and a source trench conductive filler surrounded by the source trench dielectric liner, a source region in a body region over the drift region. The semiconductor structure also includes a patterned source trench dielectric cap forming an insulated portion and an exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, and a source contact layer coupling the source region to the exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, the insulated portion of the source trench conductive filler increasing resistance between the source contact layer and the source trench conductive filler under the patterned source trench dielectric cap. The source trench is a serpentine source trench having a plurality of parallel portions connected by a plurality of curved portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Kapil Kelkar, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Mary Bigglestone, Adam Amali, Hugo Burke, Robert Haase
  • Publication number: 20170330942
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power device, such as power MOSFET, and method for fabricating same. The device includes an upper trench situated over a lower trench, where the upper trench is wider than the lower trench. The device further includes a trench dielectric inside the lower trench and on sidewalls of the upper trench. The device also includes an electrode situated within the trench dielectric. The trench dielectric of the device has a bottom thickness that is greater than a sidewall thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Timothy D. Henson, Kapil Kelkar, Ljubo Radic
  • Patent number: 9818743
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power semiconductor device that includes a plurality of source trenches and adjacent source regions. The plurality of source trenches extend from a top surface of a semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate. The power semiconductor device further includes a plurality of gate trenches that extend from the top of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate, and are arranged in hexagonal or zigzag patterns. A contiguous formation is created by the plurality of gate trenches, and the plurality of gate trenches separate the plurality of source trenches from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AMERICAS CORP.
    Inventors: Kapil Kelkar, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Hugo Burke, Niraj Ranjan, Alain Charles
  • Patent number: 9735241
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power device, such as power MOSFET, and method for fabricating same. The device includes an upper trench situated over a lower trench, where the upper trench is wider than the lower trench. The device further includes a trench dielectric inside the lower trench and on sidewalls of the upper trench. The device also includes an electrode situated within the trench dielectric. The trench dielectric of the device has a bottom thickness that is greater than a sidewall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Henson, Kapil Kelkar, Ljubo Radic
  • Publication number: 20170213909
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of a method for fabricating a trench field-effect transistor (trench FET), the method includes: forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the trench including sidewalls which taper from a wider, top portion of the trench to a narrower, bottom portion of the trench; forming a gate dielectric in the trench, the gate dielectric having substantially the same thickness in the wider, top portion of the trench as in the narrower, bottom portion of the trench; forming a gate electrode in the trench and separated from the semiconductor substrate by the gate dielectric; and forming a channel region of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate after forming the trench and the gate dielectric, the channel region being disposed adjacent the trench. Trench FETs formed by the method are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Hugo Burke, David P. Jones, Kapil Kelkar, Niraj Ranjan, Igor Bol
  • Publication number: 20170186861
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a source trench in a drift region, the source trench having a source trench dielectric liner and a source trench conductive filler surrounded by the source trench dielectric liner, a source region in a body region over the drift region. The semiconductor structure also includes a patterned source trench dielectric cap forming an insulated portion and an exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, and a source contact layer coupling the source region to the exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, the insulated portion of the source trench conductive filler increasing resistance between the source contact layer and the source trench conductive filler under the patterned source trench dielectric cap. The source trench is a serpentine source trench having a plurality of parallel portions connected by a plurality of curved portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Kapil Kelkar, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Mary Bigglestone, Adam Amali, Hugo Burke, Robert Haase
  • Patent number: 9653597
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for fabricating a shallow and narrow trench field-effect transistor (trench FET). The method includes forming a trench within a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, the trench including sidewalls and a bottom portion. The method further includes forming a substantially uniform gate dielectric in the trench, and forming a gate electrode within said trench and over said gate dielectric. The method also includes doping the semiconductor substrate to form a channel region of a second conductivity type after forming the trench. In one embodiment, the doping step is performed after forming the gate dielectric and after forming the gate electrode. In another embodiment, the doping step is performed after forming the gate dielectric, but prior to forming the gate electrode. Structures formed by the invention's method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Hugo Burke, David P. Jones, Kapil Kelkar, Niraj Ranjan, Igor Bol
  • Patent number: 9627328
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a source trench in a drift region, the source trench having a source trench dielectric liner and a source trench conductive filler surrounded by the source trench dielectric liner, a source region in a body region over the drift region. The semiconductor structure also includes a patterned source trench dielectric cap forming an insulated portion and an exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, and a source contact layer coupling the source region to the exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, the insulated portion of the source trench conductive filler increasing resistance between the source contact layer and the source trench conductive filler under the patterned source trench dielectric cap. The source trench is a serpentine source trench having a plurality of parallel portions connected by a plurality of curved portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Kapil Kelkar, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Mary Bigglestone, Adam Amali, Hugo Burke, Robert Haase
  • Patent number: 9620583
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device is disclosed. The power semiconductor device includes a source region in a body region, a gate trench adjacent to the source region, and a source trench electrically coupled to the source region. The source trench includes a source trench conductive filler surrounded by a source trench dielectric liner, and extends into a drift region. The power semiconductor device includes a source trench implant below the source trench and a drain region below the drift region, where the source trench implant has a conductivity type opposite that of the drift region. The power semiconductor device may also include a termination trench adjacent to the source trench, where the termination trench includes a termination trench conductive filler surrounded by a termination trench dielectric liner. The power semiconductor device may also include a termination trench implant below the termination trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Kapil Kelkar, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Mary Bigglestone, Adam Amali, Hugo Burke, Robert Haase
  • Publication number: 20160104766
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device is disclosed. The power semiconductor device includes a source region in a body region, a gate trench adjacent to the source region, and a source trench electrically coupled to the source region. The source trench includes a source trench conductive filler surrounded by a source trench dielectric liner, and extends into a drift region. The power semiconductor device includes a source trench implant below the source trench and a drain region below the drift region, where the source trench implant has a conductivity type opposite that of the drift region. The power semiconductor device may also include a termination trench adjacent to the source trench, where the termination trench includes a termination trench conductive filler surrounded by a termination trench dielectric liner. The power semiconductor device may also include a termination trench implant below the termination trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Kapil Kelkar, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Mary Bigglestone, Adam Amali, Hugo Burke, Robert Haase
  • Publication number: 20160104773
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a source trench in a drift region, the source trench having a source trench dielectric liner and a source trench conductive filler surrounded by the source trench dielectric liner, a source region in a body region over the drift region. The semiconductor structure also includes a patterned source trench dielectric cap forming an insulated portion and an exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, and a source contact layer coupling the source region to the exposed portion of the source trench conductive filler, the insulated portion of the source trench conductive filler increasing resistance between the source contact layer and the source trench conductive filler under the patterned source trench dielectric cap. The source trench is a serpentine source trench having a plurality of parallel portions connected by a plurality of curved portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Kapil Kelkar, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Mary Bigglestone, Adam Amali, Hugo Burke, Robert Haase
  • Patent number: 9299793
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power device, such as a power MOSFET, and methods for fabricating same. The device includes a field plate trench. The device further includes first and second trench dielectrics inside the field plate trench. The device also includes a field plate situated over the first trench dielectric and within the second trench dielectric. A combined thickness of the first and second trench dielectrics at a bottom of the field plate trench is greater than a sidewall thickness of the second trench dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Henson, Kapil Kelkar, Ljubo Radic
  • Patent number: 9202882
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power device, such as a power MOSFET device and a method for fabricating same. The device includes a field plate trench. The field plate trench has a predetermined width and a predetermined sidewall angle. The device further includes a single trench dielectric on sidewalls of the field plate trench and at a bottom of the field plate trench. The single trench dielectric has a bottom thickness that is greater than a sidewall thickness. The device also includes a field plate situated within the single trench dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Henson, Kapil Kelkar, Ljubo Radic