Patents by Inventor Ralf Henninger

Ralf Henninger 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: 7777278
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is described. In one embodiment, the semiconductor component includes a semiconductor body with a first side and a second side. A drift zone is provided, which is arranged in the semiconductor body below the first side and extends in a first lateral direction of the semiconductor body between a first and a second doped terminal zone. At least one field electrode is provided, which is arranged in the drift zone, extends into the drift zone proceeding from the first side and is configured in a manner electrically insulated from the semiconductor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Armin Willmeroth, Markus Schmitt, Carolin Tolksdorf, Gerald Deboy, Ralf Henninger, Uwe Wahl
  • Publication number: 20080179672
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is described. In one embodiment, the semiconductor component includes a semiconductor body with a first side and a second side. A drift zone is provided, which is arranged in the semiconductor body below the first side and extends in a first lateral direction of the semiconductor body between a first and a second doped terminal zone. At least one field electrode is provided, which is arranged in the drift zone, extends into the drift zone proceeding from the first side and is configured in a manner electrically insulated from the semiconductor body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Armin Willmeroth, Markus Schmitt, Carolin Tolksdorf, Gerald Deboy, Ralf Henninger
  • Patent number: 7274077
    Abstract: A trench transistor has a cell array, in which at least one cell array trench (2) is provided, and an edge structure framing the cell array. An edge trench (15) spaced apart from the cell array trenches (2) is provided in the edge structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler
  • Patent number: 7173306
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating a drift zone of a vertical semiconductor component and to a vertical semiconductor component having the following features: a semiconductor body (100) having a first side (101) and a second side (102), a drift zone (30) of a first conduction type which is arranged in the region between the first and the second sides (101, 102) and is formed for the purpose of taking up a reverse voltage, a field electrode arrangement arranged in the drift zone (30) and having at least one electrically conducted field electrode (40; 40A–40E; 90A–90J) arranged in a manner insulated from the semiconductor body (100), an electrical potential of the at least one field electrode (40; 40A–40E; 90A–90J) varying in the vertical direction of the semiconductor body (100) at least when a reverse voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Ralf Henninger, Frank Pfirsch, Markus Zundel, Jenoe Tihanyi
  • Patent number: 7091573
    Abstract: The power transistor has a trench cell in a semiconductor body. A lower edge of the gate electrode has a profile which is not horizontal, i.e., not planar with respect to the field electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Jenoe Tihanyi, Ralf Henninger, Joachim Krumrey, Martin Poelzl, Walter Rieger
  • Patent number: 7060562
    Abstract: A method for fabricating gate electrodes (7) in a field plate trench transistor (1) having a cell array with a plurality of trenches (3) and a plurality of mesa regions (8) arranged between the trenches comprises the following steps: application of a gate electrode layer (7) to the cell array in such a way that the gate electrode layer (7) has depressions within or above the trenches (3), application of a mask layer (10) to the cell array, etching-back of the mask layer (10) in such a way that mask layer residues (10) remain only within the depressions of the gate electrode layer (7), and etching-back of the gate electrode layer (7) using the mask layer residues (10) as an etching mask in such a way that gate electrode layer residues (7) remain only within/above the trenches (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Uli Hiller, Jan Ropohl
  • Patent number: 7005351
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a transistor configuration including at least one trench transistor cell has a gate electrode and a field electrode disposed in a trench below the gate electrode. The trenches are formed in a semiconductor substrate. A drift zone, a channel zone, and a source zone are in each case provided in the semiconductor substrate. According to the invention, the source zone and/or the channel zone are formed at the earliest after the introduction of the trenches into the semiconductor substrate by implantation and diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Joachim Krumrey, Walter Rieger, Martin Pölzl, Heimo Hofer
  • Publication number: 20060006386
    Abstract: A semiconductor component is described. In one embodiment, the semiconductor component includes a semiconductor body with a first side and a second side. A drift zone is provided, which is arranged in the semiconductor body below the first side and extends in a first lateral direction of the semiconductor body between a first and a second doped terminal zone. At least one field electrode is provided, which is arranged in the drift zone, extends into the drift zone proceeding from the first side and is configured in a manner electrically insulated from the semiconductor body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Armin Willmeroth, Markus Schmitt, Carolin Tolksdorf, Uwe Wahl, Gerald Deboy, Ralf Henninger
  • Publication number: 20050215010
    Abstract: A method for fabricating gate electrodes (7) in a field plate trench transistor (1) having a cell array with a plurality of trenches (3) and a plurality of mesa regions (8) arranged between the trenches comprises the following steps: application of a gate electrode layer (7) to the cell array in such a way that the gate electrode layer (7) has depressions within or above the trenches (3), application of a mask layer (10) to the cell array, etching-back of the mask layer (10) in such a way that mask layer residues (10) remain only within the depressions of the gate electrode layer (7), and etching-back of the gate electrode layer (7) using the mask layer residues (10) as an etching mask in such a way that gate electrode layer residues (7) remain only within/above the trenches (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Uli Hiller, Jan Ropohl
  • Publication number: 20050194629
    Abstract: A trench transistor has a cell array, in which at least one cell array trench (2) is provided, and an edge structure framing the cell array. An edge trench (15) spaced apart from the cell array trenches (2) is provided in the edge structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler
  • Patent number: 6927101
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a field-effect-controllable semiconductor component includes providing a configuration having a semiconductor body with a front side, a rear side, a first terminal zone of a first conduction type, a channel zone of a second conduction type formed above the first terminal zone, and at least one control electrode adjacent the channel zone. The control electrode is insulated from the semiconductor body. A second terminal zone of the first conduction type is fabricated in the channel zone near the front side of the semiconductor body by: doping the channel zone near the front side with a first dopant concentration to fabricate a first zone of the first conduction type, and doping a section of the first zone with a second dopant concentration higher than the first dopant concentration to form a second zone of the first conduction type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Martin Pölzl, Walter Rieger
  • Patent number: 6903416
    Abstract: A trench transistor has a source zone introduced from a doped spacer into a body region and a channel running vertically along the insulation layer of the trench. A method is taught for fabricating the trench transistor of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler
  • Patent number: 6891223
    Abstract: Transistor configurations have trench transistor cells disposed along trenches in a semiconductor substrate with two or more electrode structures disposed in the trenches, and also metallizations are disposed above a substrate surface of the semiconductor substrate. The trenches extend into an inactive edge region of the transistor configuration and an electrically conductive connection between the electrode structures and corresponding metallizations are provided in the edge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Joachim Krumrey, Franz Hirler, Ralf Henninger, Martin Pölzl, Walter Rieger
  • Publication number: 20050082591
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for fabricating a drift zone of a vertical semiconductor component and to a vertical semiconductor component having the following features: a semiconductor body (100) having a first side (101) and a second side (102), a drift zone (30) of a first conduction type which is arranged in the region between the first and the second sides (101, 102) and is formed for the purpose of taking up a reverse voltage, a field electrode arrangement arranged in the drift zone (30) and having at least one electrically conducted field electrode (40; 40A-40E; 90A-90J) arranged in a manner insulated from the semiconductor body (100), an electrical potential of the at least one field electrode (40; 40A-40E; 90A-90J) varying in the vertical direction of the semiconductor body (100) at least when a reverse voltage is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Ralf Henninger, Frank Pfirsch, Markus Zundel, Jenoe Tihanyi
  • Patent number: 6833584
    Abstract: A trench power semiconductor component is described which has an edge cell in which an edge trench is provided. The edge trench, at least on an outer side wall, has a thicker insulating layer than an insulating layer of trenches of the cell array. This simple configuration provides a high dielectric strength and is economical to produce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Manfred Kotek, Joost Larik, Markus Zundel
  • Patent number: 6806533
    Abstract: A semiconductor component has a cell array formed in a semiconductor body with a number of identical transistor cells and at least one edge cell formed at an edge of the cell array. Each of the transistor cells has a control electrode, which is formed in a trench, and the edge cell has a field plate, which is formed in a trench, with a distance between the trench of the edge cell and the trench of the immediately adjacent transistor cell being less than the distance between a trench of a transistor cell and the trench of an immediately adjacent transistor cell in the cell array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Joachim Krumrey, Markus Zundel, Walter Rieger, Martin Pölzl
  • Publication number: 20040104428
    Abstract: A trench transistor has a source zone introduced from a doped spacer into a body region and a channel running vertically along the insulation layer of the trench. A method is taught for fabricating the trench transistor of this type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler
  • Publication number: 20040089910
    Abstract: The power transistor has a trench cell in a semiconductor body. A lower edge of the gate electrode has a profile which is not horizontal, i.e., not planar with respect to the field electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Franz Hirler, Jenoe Tihanyi, Ralf Henninger, Joachim Krumrey, Martin Poelzl, Walter Rieger
  • Publication number: 20040031987
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a transistor configuration including at least one trench transistor cell has a gate electrode and a field electrode disposed in a trench below the gate electrode. The trenches are formed in a semiconductor substrate. A drift zone, a channel zone, and a source zone are in each case provided in the semiconductor substrate. According to the invention, the source zone and/or the channel zone are formed at the earliest after the introduction of the trenches into the semiconductor substrate by implantation and diffusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Joachim Krumrey, Walter Rieger, Martin Polzl, Heimo Hofer
  • Patent number: 6690062
    Abstract: The switching behavior of a transistor configuration is improved by providing a shielding electrode in an edge region. The shielding electrode surrounds at least sections of an active cell array. The capacitance between an edge gate structure and a drain zone and hence the gate-drain capacitance CGD of the transistor configuration is reduced by the shielding electrode located in the edge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ralf Henninger, Franz Hirler, Joachim Krumrey, Walter Rieger, Martin Poelzl