Abstract: A recess is formed at a semiconductor layer of a device to define a plurality of mesas. An active trench portion of the recess residing between adjacent mesas. A termination portion of the trench residing between the end of each mesa and a perimeter of the recess. The transverse spacing between the mesas and the lateral spacing between the mesas and an outer perimeter of a recess forming the mesas are substantially the same. A shield structure within the trench extends from the region between the mesas to the region between the ends of the mesas and the outer perimeter of the recess forming the mesas. A contact resides between a shield electrode terminal and the shield portion residing in the trench.

Abstract: A recess is formed at a semiconductor layer of a device to define a plurality of mesas. An active trench portion of the recess residing between adjacent mesas. A termination portion of the trench residing between the end of each mesa and a perimeter of the recess. The transverse spacing between the mesas and the lateral spacing between the mesas and an outer perimeter of a recess forming the mesas are substantially the same. A shield structure within the trench extends from the region between the mesas to the region between the ends of the mesas and the outer perimeter of the recess forming the mesas. A contact resides between a shield electrode terminal and the shield portion residing in the trench.

Abstract: A recess is formed at a semiconductor layer of a device to define a plurality of mesas. An active trench portion of the recess residing between adjacent mesas. A termination portion of the trench residing between the end of each mesa and a perimeter of the recess. The transverse spacing between the mesas and the lateral spacing between the mesas and an outer perimeter of a recess forming the mesas are substantially the same. A shield structure within the trench extends from the region between the mesas to the region between the ends of the mesas and the outer perimeter of the recess forming the mesas. A contact resides between a shield electrode terminal and the shield portion residing in the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer disposed at a substrate and a plurality of active cells disposed at the semiconductor layer. Each active cell includes a trench extending into the semiconductor layer and a body region disposed in the semiconductor layer adjacent to a sidewall of the trench and at a first depth below the surface of the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes a termination cell disposed at the semiconductor layer adjacent to an edge of the plurality of active cells. The termination cell includes a trench extending into the semiconductor layer, and further includes a body region disposed in the semiconductor layer adjacent to a sidewall of the trench of the termination cell and at a second depth less than the first depth. The body regions of the active cells and of the termination cell have a conductivity type different than that of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A recess is formed at a semiconductor layer of a device to define a plurality of mesas. An active trench portion of the recess residing between adjacent mesas. A termination portion of the trench residing between the end of each mesa and a perimeter of the recess. The transverse spacing between the mesas and the lateral spacing between the mesas and an outer perimeter of a recess forming the mesas are substantially the same. A shield structure within the trench extends from the region between the mesas to the region between the ends of the mesas and the outer perimeter of the recess forming the mesas. A contact resides between a shield electrode terminal and the shield portion residing in the trench.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface, a trench in the semiconductor substrate extending vertically from the surface, a body region laterally adjacent the trench, spaced from the surface, having a first conductivity type, and in which a channel is formed during operation, a drift region between the body region and the surface, and having a second conductivity type, a gate structure disposed in the trench alongside the body region, recessed from the surface, and configured to receive a control voltage is applied to control formation of the channel, and a gate dielectric layer disposed along a sidewall of the trench between the gate structure and the body region. The gate structure and the gate dielectric layer have a substantial vertical overlap with the drift region such that electric field magnitudes in the drift region are reduced through application of the control voltage.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type. The semiconductor device further includes first and second trenches extending into the semiconductor layer from a surface of the semiconductor layer, each of the first and second trenches including a corresponding gate electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a body region having a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type and a source contact region having the first conductivity type. The body region is disposed in the semiconductor layer below the surface of the semiconductor layer and between a sidewall of the first trench and an adjacent sidewall of a second trench. The source contact region is disposed in the semiconductor layer between the body region and the surface of the semiconductor layer and extending between the sidewall of the first trench and the corresponding sidewall of the second trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type. The semiconductor device further includes first and second trenches extending into the semiconductor layer from a surface of the semiconductor layer, each of the first and second trenches including a corresponding gate electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a body region having a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type and a source contact region having the first conductivity type. The body region is disposed in the semiconductor layer below the surface of the semiconductor layer and between a sidewall of the first trench and an adjacent sidewall of a second trench. The source contact region is disposed in the semiconductor layer between the body region and the surface of the semiconductor layer and extending between the sidewall of the first trench and the corresponding sidewall of the second trench.

Abstract: Power device termination structures and methods are disclosed herein. The structures include a trenched-gate semiconductor device. The trenched-gate semiconductor device includes a semiconducting material and an array of trenched-gate power transistors. The array defines an inner region including a plurality of inner transistors and an outer region including a plurality of outer transistors. The inner transistors include a plurality of inner trenches that has an average inner region spacing. The outer transistors include a plurality of outer trenches that has an average termination region spacing. The average termination region spacing is greater than the average inner region spacing or is selected such that a breakdown voltage of the plurality of outer transistors is greater than a breakdown voltage of the plurality of inner transistors.

Abstract: A bidirectional trench FET device includes a semiconductor substrate, a trench in the substrate extending vertically from the surface of the substrate, and a body region laterally adjacent the trench. A source region is disposed in the semiconductor substrate between the body region and the surface of the substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed over the surface and a body electrode is disposed over the dielectric layer. A body contact plug extends through the dielectric layer to interconnect the body region with the body electrode, and the body contact plug is electrically isolated from the source region. Two separate metal layers are implemented to make multiple body and source contacts electrically isolated from one another throughout the active area of the device. The low resistive path by the body contact plug and the separate metal layers enables suppression of bipolar snapback without losing bidirectional switching capability.

Abstract: A power MOSFET has a main-FET (MFET) and an embedded current sensing-FET (SFET). MFET gate runners are coupled to SFET gate runners by isolation gate runners (IGRs) in a buffer space between the MFET and the SFET. In one embodiment, n IGRs (i=1 to n) couple n+1 gates of a first portion of the MFET (304) to n gates of the SFET. The IGRs have zigzagged central portions where each SFET gate runner is coupled via the IGRs to two MFET gate runners. The zigzagged central portions provide barriers that block parasitic leakage paths, between sources of the SFET and sources of the MFET, for all IGRs except the outboard sides of the first and last IGRs. These may be blocked by increasing the body doping in regions surrounding the remaining leakage paths. The IGRs have substantially no source regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer disposed at a substrate and a plurality of active cells disposed at the semiconductor layer. Each active cell includes a trench extending into the semiconductor layer and a body region disposed in the semiconductor layer adjacent to a sidewall of the trench and at a first depth below the surface of the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes a termination cell disposed at the semiconductor layer adjacent to an edge of the plurality of active cells. The termination cell includes a trench extending into the semiconductor layer, and further includes a body region disposed in the semiconductor layer adjacent to a sidewall of the trench of the termination cell and at a second depth less than the first depth. The body regions of the active cells and of the termination cell have a conductivity type different than that of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type. The semiconductor device further includes first and second trenches extending into the semiconductor layer from a surface of the semiconductor layer, each of the first and second trenches including a corresponding gate electrode. The semiconductor device further includes a body region having a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type and a source contact region having the first conductivity type. The body region is disposed in the semiconductor layer below the surface of the semiconductor layer and between a sidewall of the first trench and an adjacent sidewall of a second trench. The source contact region is disposed in the semiconductor layer between the body region and the surface of the semiconductor layer and extending between the sidewall of the first trench and the corresponding sidewall of the second trench.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface, a trench in the semiconductor substrate extending vertically from the surface, a body region laterally adjacent the trench, spaced from the surface, having a first conductivity type, and in which a channel is formed during operation, a drift region between the body region and the surface, and having a second conductivity type, a gate structure disposed in the trench alongside the body region, recessed from the surface, and configured to receive a control voltage is applied to control formation of the channel, and a gate dielectric layer disposed along a sidewall of the trench between the gate structure and the body region. The gate structure and the gate dielectric layer have a substantial vertical overlap with the drift region such that electric field magnitudes in the drift region are reduced through application of the control voltage.

Abstract: Power device termination structures and methods are disclosed herein. The structures include a trenched-gate semiconductor device. The trenched-gate semiconductor device includes a semiconducting material and an array of trenched-gate power transistors. The array defines an inner region including a plurality of inner transistors and an outer region including a plurality of outer transistors. The inner transistors include a plurality of inner trenches that has an average inner region spacing. The outer transistors include a plurality of outer trenches that has an average termination region spacing. The average termination region spacing is greater than the average inner region spacing or is selected such that a breakdown voltage of the plurality of outer transistors is greater than a breakdown voltage of the plurality of inner transistors.

Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface, a trench in the semiconductor substrate extending vertically from the surface, a body region laterally adjacent the trench, spaced from the surface, having a first conductivity type, and in which a channel is formed during operation, a drift region between the body region and the surface, and having a second conductivity type, a gate structure disposed in the trench alongside the body region, recessed from the surface, and configured to receive a control voltage is applied to control formation of the channel, and a gate dielectric layer disposed along a sidewall of the trench between the gate structure and the body region. The gate structure and the gate dielectric layer have a substantial vertical overlap with the drift region such that electric field magnitudes in the drift region are reduced through application of the control voltage.

Abstract: A power MOSFET has a main-FET (MFET) and an embedded current sensing-FET (SFET). MFET gate runners are coupled to SFET gate runners by isolation gate runners (IGRs) in a buffer space between the MFET and the SFET. In one embodiment, n IGRs (i=1 to n) couple n+1 gates of a first portion of the MFET (304) to n gates of the SFET. The IGRs have zigzagged central portions where each SFET gate runner is coupled via the IGRs to two MFET gate runners. The zigzagged central portions provide barriers that block parasitic leakage paths, between sources of the SFET and sources of the MFET, for all IGRs except the outboard sides of the first and last IGRs. These may be blocked by increasing the body doping in regions surrounding the remaining leakage paths. The IGRs have substantially no source regions.

Abstract: A method is used to form a vertical MOS transistor. The method utilizes a semiconductor layer. An opening is etched in the semiconductor layer. A gate dielectric is formed in the opening that has a vertical portion that extends to a top surface of the first semiconductor layer. A gate is formed in the opening having a major portion laterally adjacent to the vertical portion of the gate dielectric and an overhang portion that extends laterally over the vertical portion of the gate dielectric. An implant is performed to form a source region at the top surface of the semiconductor layer while the overhang portion is present.

Abstract: A method is used to form a vertical MOS transistor. The method utilizes a semiconductor layer. An opening is etched in the semiconductor layer. A gate dielectric is formed in the opening that has a vertical portion that extends to a top surface of the first semiconductor layer. A gate is formed in the opening having a major portion laterally adjacent to the vertical portion of the gate dielectric and an overhang portion that extends laterally over the vertical portion of the gate dielectric. An implant is performed to form a source region at the top surface of the semiconductor layer while the overhang portion is present.

Abstract: A method and assembly for sensing a voltage with a memory cell (88) is provided. The memory cell includes first and second electrodes (96,112), first and second ferromagnetic bodies (104,108) positioned between the first and second electrodes and an insulating body (94) positioned between the first and second ferromagnetic bodies. The first electrode is electrically connected to a first portion of a microelectronic assembly (47). The second electrode is electrically connected to a second portion of the microelectronic assembly. The voltage across the first and second portions of the microelectronic assembly is determined based on an electrical resistance of the memory cell. The memory cell may be a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) cell. In one embodiment, the memory cell is a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cell.