Patents by Inventor Rudolf Elpelt
Rudolf Elpelt 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).
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Publication number: 20240136406Abstract: A silicon carbide device includes: a transistor cell having a stripe-shaped trench gate structure extending from a first surface into a silicon carbide body, the gate structure having a gate length along a lateral first direction, a bottom surface and a first gate sidewall of the gate structure being connected via a first bottom edge of the gate structure; at least one source region of a first conductivity type in contact with the first gate sidewall; and a shielding region of a second conductivity type in contact with the first bottom edge of the gate structure across at least 20% of the gate length. No source regions of the first conductivity type are in contact with a second gate sidewall of the gate structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Inventors: Caspar Leendertz, Thomas Basler, Paul Ellinghaus, Rudolf Elpelt, Michael Hell, Jens Peter Konrath, Shiqin Niu, Dethard Peters, Konrad Schraml, Bernd Leonhard Zippelius
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Publication number: 20240096988Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor. The transistor includes gate trenches formed in a semiconductor substrate, extending in a first horizontal direction and patterning the semiconductor substrate into ridges. The ridges are arranged between two adjacent gate trenches, respectively. The transistor further includes a gate electrode arranged in at least one of the gate trenches, a source region of a first conductivity type, a channel region, and a drift region of the first conductivity type. The source region, channel region and a part of the drift region are arranged in the ridges. The gate electrode is insulated from the channel region and the drift region. The channel region includes a doped portion of a second conductivity type. A doping concentration of the doped portion decreases in a second horizontal direction intersecting the first horizontal direction from a region close to the gate electrode to a central portion of the ridge.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Inventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt
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Publication number: 20240072122Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor including transistor cells. Each transistor cells has a gate electrode arranged in gate trenches formed in a first portion of a silicon carbide substrate and extending in a first horizontal direction, a source region, a channel region, and a current-spreading region. The source region, channel region, and at least part of the current-spreading region are arranged in ridges patterned by the gate trenches. The transistor cells further include a body contact portion of the second conductivity type arranged in a second portion of the silicon carbide substrate and electrically connected to the channel region. The transistor cells further include a shielding region of the second conductivity type. A first portion of the shielding region is arranged below the gate trenches, respectively, and a second portion of the shielding region is arranged adjacent to a sidewall of the gate trenches, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Caspar Leendertz, Bernd Zippelius, Dethard Peters
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Patent number: 11888032Abstract: A method of producing a silicon carbide (SiC) device includes: forming a stripe-shaped trench gate structure that extends from a first surface of a SiC body into the SiC body, the gate structure having a gate length along a lateral first direction, a bottom surface and a first gate sidewall of the gate structure being connected via a first bottom edge of the gate structure; forming at least one source region of a first conductivity type; and forming a shielding region of a second conductivity type in contact with the first bottom edge of the gate structure across at least 20% of the gate length. Forming the shielding region includes: forming a deep shielding portion; and forming a top shielding portion between the first surface and the deep shielding portion, the top shielding portion being in contact with the first bottom edge.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Caspar Leendertz, Thomas Basler, Paul Ellinghaus, Rudolf Elpelt, Michael Hell, Jens Peter Konrath, Shiqin Niu, Dethard Peters, Konrad Schraml, Bernd Leonhard Zippelius
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Publication number: 20230317797Abstract: A wide band gap semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface along a vertical direction. The semiconductor device further includes a first region of a first conductivity type adjoining at least partially the first surface, a drift region of a second conductivity type, a highly doped second region adjoining the second surface, and a buffer region of the second conductivity type arranged between the drift region and the highly doped second region. A vertical profile of a doping concentration of the buffer region includes at least one step in a first section and is increasing approximately exponentially toward the second surface in a second section. The first section is arranged between the second section and the highly doped second region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2023Publication date: October 5, 2023Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Rudolf Elpelt, Jens Peter Konrath, Konrad Schraml
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Patent number: 11757031Abstract: According to an embodiment of a semiconductor device, the device includes: a plurality of device cells formed in a semiconductor substrate, each device cell including a transistor structure and a Schottky diode structure; and a superjunction structure that includes alternating regions of a first conductivity type and of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate. For each transistor structure, a channel region of the transistor structure and a Schottky metal region of an adjacent one of the Schottky diode structures are interconnected by semiconductor material of the first conductivity type without interruption by any of the regions of the second conductivity type of the superjunction structure, the semiconductor material of the first conductivity type including one or more of the regions of the first conductivity type of the superjunction structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2020Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Caspar Leendertz
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Patent number: 11735633Abstract: A silicon carbide device includes a silicon carbide body having a hexagonal crystal lattice with a c-plane and with further main planes. The further main planes include a-planes and m-planes. A mean surface plane of the silicon carbide body is tilted to the c-plane by an off-axis angle. The silicon carbide body includes a columnar portion with column sidewalls. At least three of the column sidewalls are oriented along a respective one of the further main planes. A trench gate structure is in contact with the at least three of the column sidewalls.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Ralf Siemieniec, Rudolf Elpelt, Anton Mauder
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Patent number: 11626477Abstract: A semiconductor component includes: gate structures extending from a first surface into an SiC semiconductor body; a drift zone of a first conductivity type formed in the SiC semiconductor body; first mesas and second mesas arranged between the gate structures in the SiC semiconductor body; body areas of a second conductivity type arranged in the first mesas and the second mesas, the body areas each adjoining a first side wall of one of the gate structures; first shielding areas of the second conductivity type adjoining a second side wall of one of the gate structures; second shielding areas of the second conductivity type adjoining the body areas in the second mesas; and diode areas of the conductivity type of the drift zone, the diode areas forming Schottky contacts with a load electrode between the first shielding areas and the second shielding areas.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Ralf Siemieniec, Thomas Aichinger, Thomas Basler, Wolfgang Bergner, Rudolf Elpelt, Romain Esteve, Michael Hell, Daniel Kueck, Caspar Leendertz, Dethard Peters, Hans-Joachim Schulze
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Publication number: 20230094032Abstract: A method of producing a silicon carbide (SiC) device includes: forming a stripe-shaped trench gate structure that extends from a first surface of a SiC body into the SiC body, the gate structure having a gate length along a lateral first direction, a bottom surface and a first gate sidewall of the gate structure being connected via a first bottom edge of the gate structure; forming at least one source region of a first conductivity type; and forming a shielding region of a second conductivity type in contact with the first bottom edge of the gate structure across at least 20% of the gate length. Forming the shielding region includes: forming a deep shielding portion; and forming a top shielding portion between the first surface and the deep shielding portion, the top shielding portion being in contact with the first bottom edge.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Caspar Leendertz, Thomas Basler, Paul Ellinghaus, Rudolf Elpelt, Michael Hell, Jens Peter Konrath, Shiqin Niu, Dethard Peters, Konrad Schraml, Bernd Leonhard Zippelius
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Publication number: 20230101290Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide semiconductor body. A first shielding region of a first conductivity type is connected to a first contact at a first surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor body. A current spread region of a second conductivity type is connected to a second contact at a second surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor body. A doping concentration profile of the current spread region includes peaks along a vertical direction perpendicular to the first surface. A doping concentration of one peak or one peak-group of the peaks is at least 50% higher than a doping concentration of any other peak of the current spread region. A vertical distance between the one peak or the one peak-group of the current spread region and the first surface is larger than a second vertical distance between the first surface and a maximum doping peak of the first shielding region.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Thomas Ganner, Caspar Leendertz
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Patent number: 11552173Abstract: A silicon carbide device includes a stripe-shaped trench gate structure extending from a first surface into a silicon carbide body. The gate structure has a gate length along a lateral first direction. A bottom surface and an active first gate sidewall of the gate structure are connected via a first bottom edge of the gate structure. The silicon carbide device further includes at least one source region of a first conductivity type. A shielding region of a second conductivity type is in contact with the first bottom edge of the gate structure across at least 20% of the gate length.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Caspar Leendertz, Thomas Basler, Paul Ellinghaus, Rudolf Elpelt, Michael Hell, Jens Peter Konrath, Shiqin Niu, Dethard Peters, Konrad Schraml, Bernd Leonhard Zippelius
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Patent number: 11552170Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide semiconductor body. A first shielding region of a first conductivity type is connected to a first contact at a first surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor body. A current spread region of a second conductivity type is connected to a second contact at a second surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor body. A doping concentration profile of the current spread region includes peaks along a vertical direction perpendicular to the first surface. A doping concentration of one peak or one peak-group of the peaks is at least 50% higher than a doping concentration of any other peak of the current spread region. A vertical distance between the one peak or the one peak-group of the current spread region and the first surface is larger than a second vertical distance between the first surface and a maximum doping peak of the first shielding region.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Thomas Ganner, Caspar Leendertz
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Patent number: 11462611Abstract: A semiconductor device includes gate trenches formed in a SiC substrate and extending lengthwise in parallel in a first direction. A trench interval which defines a space between adjacent gate trenches extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Source regions of a first conductivity type formed in the SiC substrate occupy a first part of the space between adjacent gate trenches. Body regions of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type formed in the SiC substrate and below the source regions occupy a second part of the space between adjacent gate trenches. Body contact regions of the second conductivity type formed in the SiC substrate occupy a third part of the space between adjacent gate trenches. Shielding regions of the second conductivity type formed deeper in the SiC substrate than the body regions adjoin a bottom of at least some of the gate trenches.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2020Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Thomas Aichinger, Wolfgang Bergner, Paul Ellinghaus, Rudolf Elpelt, Romain Esteve, Florian Grasse, Caspar Leendertz, Shiqin Niu, Dethard Peters, Ralf Siemieniec, Bernd Zippelius
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Patent number: 11437470Abstract: The disclosure relates to a semiconductor component having an SiC semiconductor body and a first load terminal on a first surface of the SiC semiconductor body. A second load terminal is formed on a second surface of the SiC semiconductor body opposite the first surface. The semiconductor component has a drift zone of a first conductivity type in the SiC semiconductor body and a first semiconductor area of a second conductivity type which is electrically connected to the first load terminal. A pn junction between the drift zone and the first semiconductor area defines a voltage blocking strength of the semiconductor component.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Thomas Basler, Rudolf Elpelt, Hans-Joachim Schulze
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Patent number: 11380756Abstract: A silicon carbide device includes a silicon carbide body including a source region of a first conductivity type, a cathode region of the first conductivity type and separation regions of a second conductivity type. A stripe-shaped gate structure extends along a first direction and adjoins the source region and the separation regions. The silicon carbide device includes a first load electrode. Along the first direction, the cathode region is between two separation regions of the separation regions and at least one separation region of the separation regions is between the cathode region and the source region. The source region and the first load electrode form an ohmic contact. The first load electrode and the cathode region form a Schottky contact.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventors: Caspar Leendertz, Rudolf Elpelt, Romain Esteve, Thomas Ganner, Jens Peter Konrath, Larissa Wehrhahn-Kilian
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Publication number: 20220199765Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a SiC substrate; a device structure in or on the SiC substrate and subject to an electric field during operation of the semiconductor device; a current-conduction region of a first conductivity type in the SiC substrate below and adjoining the device structure; and a shielding region of a second conductivity type laterally adjacent to the current-conduction region and configured to at least partly shield the device structure from the electric field. The shielding region has a higher net doping concentration than the current-conduction region, and has a length (L) measured from a first position which corresponds to a bottom of the device structure to a second position which corresponds to a bottom of the shielding region. The current-conduction region has a width (d) measured between opposing lateral sides of the current-conduction region, and L/d is in a range of 1 to 10.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Caspar Leendertz
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Publication number: 20220199766Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a SiC substrate; a device structure in or on the SiC substrate and subject to an electric field during operation of the semiconductor device; a current-conduction region of a first conductivity type in the SiC substrate adjoining the device structure; and a shielding region of a second conductivity type laterally adjacent to the current-conduction region and configured to at least partly shield the device structure from the electric field. The shielding region has a higher net doping concentration than the current-conduction region, and has a length (L) measured from a first position which corresponds to a bottom of the device structure to a second position which corresponds to a bottom of the shielding region. The current-conduction region has a width (d) measured between opposing lateral sides of the current-conduction region, and L/d is in a range of 1 to 10.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Caspar Leendertz
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Patent number: 11367775Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a SiC substrate; a device structure in or on the SiC substrate and subject to an electric field during operation of the semiconductor device; a current-conduction region of a first conductivity type in the SiC substrate below and adjoining the device structure; and a shielding region of a second conductivity type laterally adjacent to the current-conduction region and configured to at least partly shield the device structure from the electric field. The shielding region has a higher net doping concentration than the current-conduction region, and has a length (L) measured from a first position which corresponds to a bottom of the device structure to a second position which corresponds to a bottom of the shielding region. The current-conduction region has a width (d) measured between opposing lateral sides of the current-conduction region, and L/d is in a range of 1 to 10.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Caspar Leendertz
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Publication number: 20220059687Abstract: According to an embodiment of a semiconductor device, the device includes: a plurality of device cells formed in a semiconductor substrate, each device cell including a transistor structure and a Schottky diode structure; and a superjunction structure that includes alternating regions of a first conductivity type and of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate. For each transistor structure, a channel region of the transistor structure and a Schottky metal region of an adjacent one of the Schottky diode structures are interconnected by semiconductor material of the first conductivity type without interruption by any of the regions of the second conductivity type of the superjunction structure, the semiconductor material of the first conductivity type including one or more of the regions of the first conductivity type of the superjunction structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2020Publication date: February 24, 2022Inventors: Michael Hell, Rudolf Elpelt, Caspar Leendertz
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Publication number: 20210343835Abstract: A semiconductor component includes: gate structures extending from a first surface into an SiC semiconductor body; a drift zone of a first conductivity type formed in the SiC semiconductor body; first mesas and second mesas arranged between the gate structures in the SiC semiconductor body; body areas of a second conductivity type arranged in the first mesas and the second mesas, the body areas each adjoining a first side wall of one of the gate structures; first shielding areas of the second conductivity type adjoining a second side wall of one of the gate structures; second shielding areas of the second conductivity type adjoining the body areas in the second mesas; and diode areas of the conductivity type of the drift zone, the diode areas forming Schottky contacts with a load electrode between the first shielding areas and the second shielding areas.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Ralf Siemieniec, Thomas Aichinger, Thomas Basler, Wolfgang Bergner, Rudolf Elpelt, Romain Esteve, Michael Hell, Daniel Kueck, Caspar Leendertz, Dethard Peters, Hans-Joachim Schulze