Abstract: A method of manufacturing a power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor includes: forming a field electrode in a field plate trench in a main surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate trench in the main surface, the gate trench extending in a first direction parallel to the main surface; and for a gate electrode in the gate trench, the gate electrode being made of a gate electrode material that comprises a metal. The field plate trench is formed to have an extension length in the first direction which is less than double of an extension length of the field plate trench in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a semiconductor wafer is provided that includes a plurality of component positions with scribe line regions located at least one of adjacent to and between the component positions. The component positions include an active device structure. An auxiliary structure is positioned in one or more of the scribe line regions. The auxiliary structure is electrically coupled to an auxiliary contact pad which includes tungsten.

Abstract: A power semiconductor die has a semiconductor body coupled to a first load terminal and a second load terminal of the power semiconductor die and configured to conduct a load current between the load terminals. The die further comprises: a control trench structure for controlling the load current, the control trench structure extending into the semiconductor body along a vertical direction and arranged in accordance with a horizontal grid pattern having a plurality of grid openings; a plurality of power cells, each power cell being, in a horizontal cross-section, at least partially arranged in a respective one of the plurality of grid openings.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transistor device with at least one gate electrode, a gate runner connected to the at least one gate electrode and arranged on top of a semiconductor body, and a gate pad arranged on top of the semiconductor body and electrically connected to the gate runner. The gate runner includes a first metal line, a second metal line on top of the first metal line, a first gate runner section, and at least one second gate runner section. The at least one second gate runner section is arranged between the first gate runner section and the gate pad. A cross sectional area of the second metal line in the at least one second gate runner section is less than 50% of the cross sectional area of the second metal line in the first gate runner section.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer has a semiconductor body, an insulation layer on the semiconductor body, an active region with a power semiconductor die, the active region forming a part of the semiconductor body, a scribeline region arranged adjacent to the active region, and a passivation structure arranged above the insulation layer and exposing a section of the insulation layer. The exposed section of the insulation layer is terminated by a termination edge of the passivation structure. The semiconductor wafer also has an optically detectable reference feature configured to serve as a reference position during a wafer separation processing stage. The optically detectable reference feature is included in the active region, spatially displaced from the termination edge, and exposed by the passivation structure.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a main transistor and a sense transistor. The main transistor is disposed in a semiconductor body and includes a plurality of sections which are individually controllable via separate gate electrodes disposed above the semiconductor body. The sense transistor is disposed in the same semiconductor body as the main transistor and has the same number of individually controllable sections as the main transistor. Each individually controllable section of the sense transistor is configured to mirror current flowing through one of the individually controllable sections of the main transistor and is connected to the same gate electrode as that individually controllable section of the main transistor. An electronic circuit that includes the semiconductor device and a current sense circuit that outputs a current sense signal representing the current mirrored by the sense transistor is also provided.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of striped-shaped trenches extending into a semiconductor substrate. At least one trench of a first group of trenches of the plurality of striped-shaped trenches is located between two trenches of a second group of trenches of the plurality of striped-shaped trenches. A gate of a transistor structure is located in each trench of the second group of trenches and a gate insulation layer is located between the gate and the semiconductor substrate in each trench of the second group of trenches. Trench insulation material is located in each trench of the first group of trenches. A thickness of the trench insulation material throughout each trench of the first group of trenches is at least two times larger than a thickness of the gate insulation layer in each trench of the second group of trenches.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a recess in a semiconductor substrate, the recess having a bottom and a sidewall extending from the bottom to a first side of the semiconductor substrate; forming an auxiliary structure on the sidewall and the bottom of the recess and forming a hollow space within the recess; filling the hollow space with a filling material; forming a plug on the first side of the semiconductor substrate to cover the auxiliary structure at least on the sidewall of the recess; forming an opening in the plug to partially expose the auxiliary structure in the recess; removing the auxiliary structure at least partially from the sidewall of the recess to form cavities between the auxiliary structure and the sidewall; and sealing the opening in the plug.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method. The method includes implanting recombination center particles into a semiconductor body via at least one contact hole in an insulation layer formed on top of the semiconductor body, forming a contact electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor body in the at least one contact hole, and annealing the semiconductor body to diffuse the recombination center particles in the semiconductor body. Forming the contact electrode includes forming a barrier layer on sections of the semiconductor body uncovered in the at least one contact hole, wherein the barrier layer is configured to inhibit the recombination center particles from diffusing out of the semiconductor body.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a source trench extending into a semiconductor body from a first surface of the semiconductor body, forming a source trench dielectric and a source trench electrode in the source trench, forming a gate trench dielectric and a gate trench electrode in a gate trench extending into the semiconductor body from the first surface, forming a body region of a first conductivity type between the gate and source trenches, forming a source region of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type between the gate and source trenches, forming an interconnection electrically coupling the body region and the source trench electrode, wherein the interconnection adjoins a lateral face of the source trench electrode of the body region, and forming a source contact on the source trench electrode at the first surface.

Abstract: A power semiconductor die has a semiconductor body, an insulation layer on the semiconductor body, a passivation structure arranged above the insulation layer so as to expose a first insulation layer subsection that extends to an edge of the power semiconductor die, and an interruption structure in the first insulation layer subsection.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a source trench extending into a semiconductor body from a first surface of the semiconductor body. A source trench dielectric and a source trench electrode are in the source trench. A gate trench dielectric and a gate trench electrode are in a gate trench extending into the semiconductor body from the first surface. A body region of a first conductivity type is between the gate and source trenches. A source region of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type is between the gate and source trenches. An interconnection electrically couples the body region and the source trench electrode. The interconnection adjoins a lateral face of the source trench electrode and the body region. A source contact is on the source trench electrode at the first surface.

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.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided. The device includes a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a rear surface vertically spaced apart from the main surface, a first doped region, a second doped region and a third doped region. The third doped region is interposed between the first and second doped regions beneath the main surface. Field plate trenches having field plates vertically extend from the main surface to a bottom that is arranged in the first doped region. A gate trench having a gate electrode vertically extends from the main surface to the first doped region. A compensation zone vertically extends from the bottom of the gate trench deeper into the first doped region. The compensation zone is laterally aligned with the gate trench and is adjacent to the field plates along a cross-sectional plane of the device that is parallel to the main surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a trench extending into a semiconductor substrate and a polysilicon gate electrode in the trench; forming a body region of a first conductivity type in the substrate adjacent the trench and a source region of a second conductivity type adjacent the body region and the trench; forming a dielectric layer on the substrate; forming a gate metallization on the dielectric layer which covers part of the substrate and a source metallization on the dielectric layer which is electrically connected to the source region, spaced apart from the gate metallization and covering a different part of the substrate than the gate metallization; and forming a metal-filled groove in the polysilicon gate electrode which is electrically connected to the gate metallization. The metal-filled groove extends along a length of the trench underneath at least part of the source metallization.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having drift and body regions. The drift region includes upper and lower drift regions. An active area includes a plurality of spicular trenches extending through the body region and into the drift region. Each spicular trench in the active area has a lower end which together define a lower end of the upper drift region extending towards a first side and a lower drift region extending from the lower end of the upper drift region towards a second side. The edge termination area includes spicular termination trenches extending at least into the upper drift region. A surface doping region arranged in the upper drift region in the edge termination area extends to the first side, is spaced apart from the lower end of the upper drift region, and has a net doping concentration lower than that of the upper drift region.

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.

Abstract: First reinforcement stripes are formed on a process surface of a base substrate. A first epitaxial layer covering the first reinforcement stripes is formed on the first process surface. Second reinforcement stripes are formed on the first epitaxial layer. A second epitaxial layer covering the second reinforcement stripes is formed on exposed portions of the first epitaxial layer. Semiconducting portions of transistor cells are formed in or portions of micro electromechanical structures are formed from the second epitaxial layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes needle-shaped field plate structures extending from a first surface into transistor sections of a semiconductor portion in a transistor cell area. A grid structure separates the transistor sections from each other. The grid structure includes: stripe-shaped gate edge portions extending along one edge of the transistor sections, respectively; gate node portions wider than the gate edge portions and connecting two or more of the gate edge portions, respectively; and one or more connection sections of the semiconductor portion, wherein the one or more connection sections extend between neighboring transistor sections.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method. The method includes implanting recombination center particles into a semiconductor body via at least one contact hole in an insulation layer formed on top of the semiconductor body, forming a contact electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor body in the at least one contact hole, and annealing the semiconductor body to diffuse the recombination center particles in the semiconductor body. Forming the contact electrode includes forming a barrier layer on sections of the semiconductor body uncovered in the at least one contact hole, wherein the barrier layer is configured to inhibit the recombination center particles from diffusing out of the semiconductor body.