Patents by Inventor Timothy D Henson

Timothy D Henson 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: 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: 9991377
    Abstract: According to an exemplary implementation, a field-effect transistor (FET) includes first and second gate trenches extending to a drift region of a first conductivity type. The FET also includes a base region of a second conductivity type that is situated between the first and second gate trenches. A ruggedness enhancement region is situated between the first and second gate trenches, where the ruggedness enhancement region is configured to provide an enhanced avalanche current path from a drain region to the base region when the FET is in an avalanche condition. The enhanced avalanche current path is away from the first and second gate trenches. The ruggedness enhancement region can be of the second conductivity type that includes a higher dopant concentration than the base region. Furthermore, the ruggedness enhancement region can be extending below the first and second gate trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Ashita Mirchandani, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Niraj Ranjan
  • 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: 9761676
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device is disclosed. The power semiconductor device includes an upper drift region situated over a lower drift region, a field electrode embedded in the lower drift region, the field electrode not being directly aligned with a gate trench in a body region of the power semiconductor device, where respective top surfaces of the field electrode and the lower drift region are substantially co-planar. A conductive filler in the field electrode can be substantially uniformly doped, and the field electrode is in direct electrical contact with the upper drift region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventor: Timothy D. Henson
  • 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: 9673318
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a base region situated over a drift region, a source trench extending through the base region and into the drift region, the source trench having a shield electrode, a gate trench extending through the base region and into the drift region, the gate trench adjacent the source trench, the gate trench having a gate electrode situated above a buried electrode. The source trench is surrounded by the gate trench. The shield electrode is coupled to a source contact over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a source region over the base region. The gate trench includes gate trench dielectrics lining a bottom and sidewalls of the gate trench. The source trench includes source trench dielectrics lining a bottom and sidewalls of the source trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Ashita Mirchandani, Timothy D. Henson
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9590096
    Abstract: In one implementation, a vertical field-effect transistor (FET) includes a substrate having a drift region situated over a drain, a body region situated over the drift region and having source diffusions formed therein, a gate trench extending through the body region, and channel regions adjacent the gate trench. The channel regions are spaced apart along the gate trench by respective deep body implants. Each of the deep body implants is situated approximately under at least one of the source diffusions, and has a depth greater than a depth of the gate trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Harsh Naik, Timothy D. Henson, Niraj Ranjan
  • Publication number: 20160172295
    Abstract: In one implementation, a power field-effect transistor (FET) having a reduced gate resistance includes a drain, a source, a gate, and a gate contact including a gate pad, a gate highway, and multiple gate buses. The gate buses are formed from a first metal layer having a first thickness, while the gate pad and the gate highway each include a metal stack including the first metal layer and a second metal layer. The second metal layer has a second thickness substantially greater than the first thickness, thereby reducing the gate resistance of the power FET.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Alex Lollio, Timothy D. Henson, Ling Ma, Harsh Naik, Niraj Ranjan
  • Publication number: 20160172484
    Abstract: In one implementation, a vertical field-effect transistor (FET) includes a substrate having a drift region situated over a drain, a body region situated over the drift region and having source diffusions formed therein, a gate trench extending through the body region, and channel regions adjacent the gate trench. The channel regions are spaced apart along the gate trench by respective deep body implants. Each of the deep body implants is situated approximately under at least one of the source diffusions, and has a depth greater than a depth of the gate trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Harsh Naik, Timothy D. Henson, Niraj Ranjan
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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