With Switching Speed Enhancement Means (e.g., Schottky Contact) Patents (Class 257/155)
  • Patent number: 8232609
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; an impurity-doped region at a top surface of the semiconductor substrate; an insulating region located around the impurity-doped region on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode on the impurity-doped region; a first electrode and a second electrode located on the impurity-doped region, sandwiching the gate electrode; a first pad located on the insulating region and connected to the gate electrode; a second pad facing the first pad across the impurity-doped region, on the insulating region, and connected to the second electrode; and a conductor located between the first electrode and the second pad on the insulating region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kunii, Hirotaka Amasuga, Yoshitsugu Yamamoto, Youichi Nogami
  • Patent number: 8174089
    Abstract: The present invention relates to various switching device structures including Schottky diode, P—N diode, and P—I—N diode, which are characterized by low defect density, low crack density, low pit density and sufficient thickness (>2.5 um) GaN layers of low dopant concentration (<1E16 cm?3) grown on a conductive GaN layer. The devices enable substantially higher breakdown voltage on hetero-epitaxial substrates (<2 KV) and extremely high breakdown voltage on homo-epitaxial substrates (>2 KV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Flynn, George R. Brandes, Robert P. Vaudo
  • Patent number: 8174051
    Abstract: A III-nitride power device that includes a Schottky electrode surrounding one of the power electrodes of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Yanping Ma, Robert Beach, Michael A. Briere
  • Patent number: 8125008
    Abstract: A Schottky device and a semiconductor process of making the same are provided. The Schottky device comprises a substrate, a deep well, a Schottky contact, and an Ohmic contact. The substrate is doped with a first type of ions. The deep well is doped with a second type of ions, and formed in the substrate. The Schottky contact contacts a first electrode with the deep well. The Ohmic contact contacts a second electrode with a heavily doped region with the second type of ions in the deep well. Wherein the deep well has a geometry gap with a width formed under the Schottky contact, the first type of ions and the second type of ions are complementary, and the width of the gap adjusts the breakdown voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: System General Corporation
    Inventors: Chiu-Chih Chiang, Chih-Feng Huang, You-Kuo Wu, Long Shih Lin
  • Patent number: 8067788
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate common to a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor, a channel layer of a first conductivity type formed on the substrate and common to the first and second field effect transistors, a an upper compound semiconductor layer formed on the channel layer and common to the first and second field effect transistors, a compound semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed in the same layer as the upper compound semiconductor layer, a gate electrode of the first field effect transistor in ohmic contact with the compound semiconductor region, and a gate electrode of the second field effect transistor in Schottky contact with the upper compound semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunori Bito
  • Patent number: 7999365
    Abstract: A multichip module defining a dc to dc converter employs a monolithic chip containing at least two III-nitride switches (a monolithic CSC chip) mounted on a conductive lead frame. The CSC chip is copacked with an IC driver for the switches and with the necessary passives. The module defines a buck converter; a boost converter, a buck boost converter, a forward converter and a flyback converter. The drain, source and gate pads of the monolithic CSC chip are connected to a lead frame by solder or epoxy or by bumping attach and a conductive connector or wire bonds connect the switch terminal to lead frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Kunzhong Hu, Chuan Cheah, Bo Yang
  • Patent number: 7989841
    Abstract: A fast injection optical switch is disclosed. The optical switch includes a thyristor having a plurality of layers including an outer doped layer and a switching layer. An area of the thyristor is configured to receive a light beam to be directed through at least one of the plurality of layers and exit the thyristor at a predetermined angle. At least two electrodes are coupled to the thyristor and configured to enable a voltage to be applied to facilitate carriers from the outer doped layer to be directed to the switching layer. Sufficient carriers can be directed to the switching layer to provide a change in refractive index of the switching layer to redirect at least a portion of the light beam to exit the thyristor at a deflection angle different from the predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Alexandre M. Bratkovski, Shih-Yuan Wang, Theodore I. Kamins
  • Patent number: 7910410
    Abstract: An integrated low leakage Schottky diode has a Schottky barrier junction proximate one side of an MOS gate with one end of a drift region on an opposite side of the gate. Below the Schottky metal and the gate oxide is a RESURF structure of an N? layer over a P? layer which also forms the drift region that ends at the diode's cathode in one embodiment of the present invention. The N? and P? layers have an upward concave shape under the gate. The gate electrode and the Schottky metal are connected to the diode's anode. A P? layer lies between the RESURF structure and an NISO region which has an electrical connection to the anode. A P+ layer under the Schottky metal is in contact with the P? layer through a P well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Cai
  • Publication number: 20110024791
    Abstract: A bipolar semiconductor device and method are provided. One embodiment provides a bipolar semiconductor device including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type having a first doping concentration, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type forming a pn-junction with the first semiconductor region, and a plurality of third semiconductor regions of the first conductivity type at least partially arranged in the first semiconductor region and having a doping concentration which is higher than the first doping concentration. Each of the third semiconductor regions is provided with at least one respective junction termination structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Frank Pfirsch, Franz-Josef Niedemostheide
  • Patent number: 7872315
    Abstract: An integrated switching device has a switching IGFET connected between a pair of main terminals, a protector IGFET connected between the drain and gate electrodes of the switching IGFET, and a gate resistor connected between a main control terminal and the gate electrode of the switching IGFET. The protector IGFET has its gate electrode connected to the source electrode of the switching IGFET. The protector IGFET turns on in response to an application of a verse voltage to the switching IGFET thereby protecting the same from a reverse current flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryoji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7851881
    Abstract: A merged PN/Schottky diode is provided having a substrate of a first conductivity type and a grid of doped wells of the second conductivity type embedded in the substrate. A Schottky barrier metal layer makes a Schottky barrier contact with the surface of the substrate above the grid. Selected embedded wells in the grid make a Schottky barrier contact to the Schottky barrier metal layer, while most embedded wells do not. The diode forward voltage drop is reduced for the same diode area with reverse blocking benefits similar to a conventional JBS structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Microsemi Corporation
    Inventors: Feng Zhao, Bruce Odekirk, Dumitru Sdrulla
  • Patent number: 7847315
    Abstract: A high-efficiency power semiconductor rectifier device (10) comprising a ?P++ layer (12), a P-body (14), an N-drift region (16), an N+ substrate (18), an anode (20), and a cathode (22). The method of fabricating the device (10) comprises the steps of depositing the N-drift region (16) on the N+ substrate (18), implanting boron into the N-drift region (16) to create a P-body region (14), forming a layer of titanium silicide (56) on the P-body region (14), and concentrating a portion of the implanted boron at the interface region between the layer of titanium silicide (56) and the P-body region (14) to create the ?P++ layer (12) of supersaturated P-doped silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Diodes Fabtech Inc.
    Inventors: Roman J. Hamerski, Zerui Chen, James Man-Fai Hong, Johnny Duc Van Chiem, Christopher D. Hruska, Timothy Eastman
  • Patent number: 7781837
    Abstract: A method for forming a pattern of a stacked film, includes steps (a) to (e). The step (a) is forming sequentially a first base insulating film and a light shielding material on a transparent substrate. The step (b) is patterning the light shielding material to obtain a light shielding film with a first pattern. The step (c) is forming sequentially a second base insulating film, a semiconductor film and a first oxide film on a substrate. The step (d) is forming a resist pattern with a second pattern on the first oxide film. The step (e) is forming a pattern of a stacked film by dry etching the first oxide film and the semiconductor film, above the light shielding film. The stacked film includes the semiconductor film and the first oxide film. The dry etching includes an etching by using an etching gas and the resist pattern as a mask. The semiconductor film includes a taper angle which is controlled to be within predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuya Seko, Hitoshi Shiraishi, Kenichi Hayashi, Naoto Hirano, Atsushi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7745846
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first conductivity type and a semiconductor layer formed over the substrate and having lower and upper surfaces. A laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor device is formed over the substrate and includes a source region of the first conductivity type and a drain extension region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer proximate the upper surface of the semiconductor layer, and a drain contact electrically connecting the drain extension region to the substrate. A Schottky diode is formed over the substrate and includes at least one doped region of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer proximate to the upper surface, an anode contact forming a Schottky barrier with the at least one doped region, and a cathode contact laterally spaced from the anode contact and electrically connecting at least one doped region to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Ciclon Semiconductor Device Corp.
    Inventors: Jacek Korec, Shuming Xu, Christopher Boguslaw Kocon
  • Patent number: 7745845
    Abstract: An integrated low leakage Schottky diode has a Schottky barrier junction proximate one side of an MOS gate with one end of a drift region on an opposite side of the gate. Below the Schottky metal and the gate oxide is a RESURF structure of an N? layer over a P? layer which also forms the drift region that ends at the diode's cathode in one embodiment of the present invention. The N? and P? layers have an upward concave shape under the gate. The gate electrode and the Schottky metal are connected to the diode's anode. A P? layer lies between the RESURF structure and an NISO region which has an electrical connection to the anode. A P+ layer under the Schottky metal is in contact with the P? layer through a P well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Cai
  • Patent number: 7737465
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor apparatus for improving a switching speed and a withstand voltage, and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Yoshii
  • Patent number: 7728403
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of unipolar type has Schottky-contacts (6) laterally separated by regions in the form of additional layers (7, 7?) of semiconductor material on top of a drift layer (3). Said additional layers being doped according to a conductivity type being opposite to the one of the drift layer. At least one (7?) of the additional layers has a substantially larger lateral extension and thereby larger area of the interface to the drift layer than adjacent such layers (7) for facilitating the building-up of a sufficient voltage between that layer and the drift layer for injecting minority charge carriers into the drift layer upon surge for surge protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Cree Sweden AB
    Inventors: Christopher Harris, Cem Basceri, Kent Bertilsson
  • Publication number: 20100127304
    Abstract: A bipolar semiconductor device and manufacturing method. One embodiment provides a diode structure including a structured emitter coupled to a first metallization is provided. The structured emitter includes a first weakly doped semiconductor region of a first conductivity type which forms a pn-load junction with a weakly doped second semiconductor region of the diode structure. The structured emitter includes at least a highly doped first semiconductor island of the first conductivity type which at least partially surrounds a highly doped second semiconductor island of the second conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schulze, Frank Pfirsch
  • Patent number: 7700975
    Abstract: Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (“MSM”) photodetectors and methods to fabricate thereof are described. The MSM photodetector includes a thin heavily doped (“delta doped”) layer deposited at an interface between metal contacts and a semiconductor layer to reduce a dark current of the MSM photodetector. In one embodiment, the semiconductor layer is an intrinsic semiconductor layer. In one embodiment, the thickness of the delta doped layer is less than 100 nanometers. In one embodiment, the delta doped layer has a dopant concentration of at least 1×1018 cm?3. A delta doped layer is formed on portions of a semiconductor layer over a substrate. Metal contacts are formed on the delta doped layer. A buffer layer may be formed between the substrate and the semiconductor layer. In one embodiment, the substrate includes silicon, and the semiconductor layer includes germanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Titash Rakshit, Miriam Reshotko
  • Patent number: 7696531
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: an channel layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; a drain electrode and a source electrode both formed on the channel layer apart from each other; a surface passivation film formed on the channel layer so as to cover the channel layer except for the drain electrode and the source electrode; a gate electrode disposed between the drain electrode and the source electrode so as to penetrate the surface passivation film; a field plate electrode provided on the surface passivation film between the drain electrode and the gate electrode at a predetermined distance from the gate electrode; and a connecting plate having a bridge structure connecting the gate electrode to the field plate electrode. The bridge structure may be formed with at least one opening penetrating the connecting plate so as to face the surface passivation film with a predetermined space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Akio Miyao
  • Patent number: 7692222
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure and method wherein a recess is disposed in a surface portion of a semiconductor structure and a dielectric film is disposed on and in contract with the semiconductor. The dielectric film has an aperture therein. Portions of the dielectric film are disposed adjacent to the aperture and overhang underlying portions of the recess. An electric contact has first portions thereof disposed on said adjacent portions of the dielectric film, second portions disposed on said underlying portions of the recess, with portions of the dielectric film being disposed between said first portion of the electric contact and the second portions of the electric contact, and third portions of the electric contact being disposed on and in contact with a bottom portion of the recess in the semiconductor structure. The electric contact is formed by atomic layer deposition of an electrically conductive material over the dielectric film and through the aperture in such dielectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kamal Tabatabaie, Robert B. Hallock
  • Patent number: 7692262
    Abstract: A vertical rectifying and protection power diode, formed in a lightly-doped semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, resting on a heavily-doped substrate of the first conductivity type, having a first ring-shaped region, of the first conductivity type more heavily-doped than the layer and more lightly doped than the substrate, surrounding an area of the layer and extending to the substrate; and a second ring-shaped region, doped of the second conductivity type, extending at the surface of the first region and on either side thereof; a first electrode having a thin layer of a material capable of forming a Schottky diode with the layer, resting on the area of the layer and on at least a portion of the second ring-shaped region with which it forms an ohmic contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Morand, Emmanuel Collard, André Lhorte
  • Patent number: 7659577
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes a power device and a current sense device formed in a common semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Vincent Thiery
  • Patent number: 7655546
    Abstract: A depletion mode (D-mode) field effect transistor (FET) is monolithically integrated with an enhancement mode (E-mode) FET in a multi-layer structure. The multi-layer structure includes a channel layer overlaid by a barrier layer overlaid by an ohmic contact layer. Source and drain contacts of the D-mode and E-mode FETs are coupled to the ohmic contact layer. A gate contact of the D-mode and E-mode FETs is coupled to the barrier layer. An amorphized region is provided beneath the E-mode gate contact within the barrier layer. The amorphized region forms a buried E-mode Schottky contact with the barrier layer. An alternative embodiment couples the gate contact of the D-mode transistor to a first layer that overlies the barrier layer, and provides a similar D-mode amorphized region within the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter Anthony Wohlmuth
  • Patent number: 7633135
    Abstract: This invention discloses a bottom-anode Schottky (BAS) diode that includes an anode electrode disposed on a bottom surface of a semiconductor substrate. The bottom-anode Schottky diode further includes a sinker dopant region disposed at a depth in the semiconductor substrate extending substantially to the anode electrode disposed on the bottom surface of the semiconductor and the sinker dopant region covered by a buried Schottky barrier metal functioning as an Schottky anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventor: François Hébert
  • Publication number: 20090278513
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment, an efficient and high speed E-mode III-N/Schottky switch includes a silicon transistor coupled with a D-mode III-nitride device, where the silicon transistor causes the D-mode III-nitride device to operate in an enhancement mode. The E-mode III-N/Schottky switch further includes a Schottky diode coupled across the silicon transistor so as to improve efficiency, recovery time, and speed of the E-mode III-N/Schottky switch. An anode of the Schottky diode can be coupled to a source of the silicon transistor and a cathode of the Schottky diode can be coupled to a drain of the silicon transistor. The Schottky diode can be integrated with the silicon transistor. In one embodiment the III-nitride device is a GaN device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Tony Bahramian, Jason Zhang
  • Patent number: 7569911
    Abstract: An ohmic electrode is formed by stacking a lower Ti layer, a diffusion preventing layer, an upper Ti layers and a metallic (Au) layer on a p-type GaAs layer. The diffusion preventing layer includes tantalum (Ta) or niobium (Nb). Thus, interdiffusion of Ga and As in the p-type GaAs layer and Au in the metallic layer can be prevented, and variation in resistivity of the ohmic electrode in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiko Shiga, Hitoshi Nakamura, Junji Tanimura
  • Patent number: 7498617
    Abstract: A III-nitride power device that includes a Schottky electrode integrated with a power switch. The combination is used in power supply circuits such as a boost converter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel M. Kinzer
  • Patent number: 7456439
    Abstract: A semiconductor device may comprise a plurality of memory cells. A memory cell may comprise a thyristor, at least a portion of which is formed in a pillar of semiconductor material. The pillar may comprise sidewalls defining a cylindrical circumference of a first diameter. In a particular embodiment, the pillars associated with the plurality of memory cells may define rows and columns of an array. In a further embodiment, a pillar may be spaced by a first distance of magnitude up to the first diameter relative to a neighboring pillar within its row. In an additional further embodiment, the pillar may be spaced by a second distance of a magnitude up to twice the first diameter, relative to a neighboring pillar within its column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: T-RAM Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew E. Horch
  • Patent number: 7449728
    Abstract: A depletion mode (D-mode) field effect transistor (FET) is monolithically integrated with an enhancement mode (E-mode) FET in a multi-layer structure. The multi-layer structure includes a channel layer overlaid by a barrier layer overlaid by an ohmic contact layer. Source and drain contacts of the D-mode and E-mode FETs are coupled to the ohmic contact layer. A gate contact of the D-mode and E-mode FETs is coupled to the barrier layer. An amorphized region is provided beneath the E-mode gate contact within the barrier layer. The amorphized region forms a buried E-mode Schottky contact with the barrier layer. An alternative embodiment couples the gate contact of the D-mode transistor to a first layer that overlies the barrier layer, and provides a similar D-mode amorphized region within the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Tri Quint Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter Anthony Wohlmuth
  • Patent number: 7419862
    Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Jong Won Lim, Ho Kyun Ahn, Hong Gu Ji, Woo Jin Chang, Jae Kyoung Mun, Hea Cheon Kim
  • Patent number: 7402865
    Abstract: A Schottky junction is formed at the connection between an SOI layer and a contact (namely, under an element isolation insulating film) without forming a P+ region with a high impurity concentration thereat. The surface of a body contact is provide with a barrier metal. A silicide is formed between the body contact and the SOI layer as a result of the reaction of the barrier metal and the SOI layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Takashi Ipposhi, Toshiaki Iwamatsu, Shigeto Maegawa
  • Patent number: 7382001
    Abstract: A III-nitride switch includes a recessed gate contact to produce a nominally off, or an enhancement mode, device. By providing a recessed gate contact, a conduction channel formed at the interface of two III-nitride materials is interrupted when the gate electrode is inactive to prevent current flow in the device. The gate electrode can be a schottky contact or an insulated metal contact. Two gate electrodes can be provided to form a bi-directional switch with nominally off characteristics. The recesses formed with the gate electrode can have sloped sides. The gate electrodes can be formed in a number of geometries in conjunction with current carrying electrodes of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Beach
  • Patent number: 7368760
    Abstract: A low parasitic capacitance Schottky diode including a lightly doped polycrystalline silicon island that is formed on a shallow trench isolation (STI) pad such that the polycrystalline silicon island is entirely isolated from an underlying silicon substrate by the STI pad. The resulting structure reduces leakage and capacitive coupling to the substrate. Silicide contact structures are attached to lightly-doped and heavily-doped regions of the polycrystalline silicon island to form the Schottky junction and Ohmic contact, respectively, and are connected by metal structures to other components formed on the silicon substrate. The STI pad, polycrystalline silicon island, and silicide/metal contacts are formed using a standard CMOS process flow to minimize cost. A bolometer detector is provided by measuring current through the diode in reverse bias. An array of such detectors comprises an infrared or optical image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Tower Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Sharon Levin, Shye Shapira, Ira Noat
  • Publication number: 20070221953
    Abstract: A semiconductor device such as a reverse blocking type switching element is provided with a switching element made of a wide band gap semiconductor on the side of a first major plane where a first terminal is formed, while the wide band gap semiconductor is operable at a high voltage and in low loss. In a reverse blocking type switching element having a hetero junction diode for blocking a reverse direction current on the side of a second major plane where a second terminal is formed, a silicon semiconductor region is provided in a side surface of the semiconductor so as to prevent a deterioration of a withstanding voltage of the hetero junction diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventor: Kozo Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7205583
    Abstract: A thyristor and a method for manufacturing the thyristor that includes providing a semiconductor substrate that has first and second major surfaces. A first doped region is formed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first doped extends from the first major surface into the semiconductor substrate. The first doped region has a vertical boundary that has a notched portion. A second doped region is formed in first doped region, wherein the second doped region extends from the first major surface into the first doped region. A third doped region is formed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the third doped region extends from the second major surface into the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Emmanuel Saucedo-Flores
  • Patent number: 7199442
    Abstract: A SiC Schottky barrier diode (SBD) is provided having a substrate and two or more epitaxial layers, including at least a thin, lightly doped N-type top epitaxial layer, and an N-type epitaxial layer on which the topmost epitaxial layer is disposed. Multiple epitaxial layers support the blocking voltage of the diode, and each of the multiple epitaxial layers supports a substantial portion of the blocking voltage. Optimization of the thickness and dopant concentrations of at least the top two epitaxial layers results in reduced capacitance and switching losses, while keeping effects on forward voltage and on-resistance low. Alternatively, the SBD includes a continuously graded N-type doped region whose doping varies from a lighter dopant concentration at the top of the region to a heavier dopant concentration at the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Praveen M. Shenoy
  • Patent number: 7180158
    Abstract: A semiconductor component and method of manufacture, including an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) (100) including a semiconductor substrate (110) having a first conductivity type and buried semiconductor region (115) having a second conductivity type located above the semiconductor substrate. The IGBT further includes a plurality of first semiconductor regions (120) having the first conductivity type, a plurality of second semiconductor regions (130) having the first conductivity type, and a plurality of third semiconductor regions (140) having the second conductivity type. A sinker region (142) having the second conductivity type is disposed in a third semiconductor region and a first semiconductor region during manufacture to define the plurality of regions and tie the buried semiconductor region to the plurality of third semiconductor regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishnu K. Khemka, Amitava Bose, Ronghua Zhu
  • Patent number: 7126168
    Abstract: The turn on time of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) structure, such as a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), a low-voltage triggering SCR (LVTSCR), and a bipolar SCR (BSCR), is reduced by turning on the structure in two steps: a first step that locally turns on the pnp and npn transistors, and a second step that, over time, fully turns on the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Vladislav Vashchenko, Peter J. Hopper
  • Patent number: 7078780
    Abstract: A power Schottky rectifier device having a plurality of first trenches filled in with an un-doped polycrystalline silicon layer and each first trenches also has a p-region beneath the bottom of said first trenches to block out reverse current while a reverse biased is applied and to reduce minority carrier while forward biased is applied. Thus, the power Schottky rectifier device can provide first fast switch speed. The power Schottky rectifier device is formed with termination region at an outer portion of the substrate. The manufacture method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignees: Chip Integration Tech., Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shye-Lin Wu
  • Patent number: 7071498
    Abstract: Gallium nitride material devices and methods of forming the same are provided. The devices include an electrode-defining layer. The electrode-defining layer typically has a via formed therein in which an electrode is formed (at least in part). Thus, the via defines (at least in part) dimensions of the electrode. In some cases, the electrode-defining layer is a passivating layer that is formed on a gallium nitride material region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Nitronex Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry W. Johnson, Robert J. Therrien, Andrei Vescan, Jeffrey D. Brown
  • Patent number: 7064359
    Abstract: A switching semiconductor device includes a first compound layer formed on a single crystal substrate which includes silicon carbide or sapphire, and including a general formula InxGa1-xN, where 0?x?1; a second compound layer formed on the first compound layer, and including a general formula InyALzGa1-y-zN, where 0?y?1 and 0<z?1; and a gate electrode formed on the second compound layer. The gate electrode is electrically connected to a resistance element formed on a first interlayer insulating film that covers the gate electrode, through a metal wiring formed on a second interlayer insulating film that covers the first interlayer insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Ishida, Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Daisuke Ueda
  • Patent number: 7057213
    Abstract: Electron-hole production at a Schottky barrier has recently been observed experimentally as a result of chemical processes. This conversion of chemical energy to electronic energy may serve as a basic link between chemistry and electronics and offers the potential for generation of unique electronic signatures for chemical reactions and the creation of a new class of solide state chemical sensors. Detection of the following chemical species was established: hydrogen, deuterium, carbon monoxide, molecular oxygen. The detector (1b) consists of a Schottky diode between an Si layer and an ultrathin metal layer with zero force electrical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Adrena, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric W. McFarland, Henry W. Weinberg, Hermann Nienhaus, Howard S. Bergh, Brian Gergen, Arunava Mujumdar
  • Patent number: 7034345
    Abstract: A novel architecture of high-power four-quadrant hybrid power modules based on high-current trench gate IGBTs and arrays of low-current wide-bandgap diodes is conceived. The distributed physical layout of high power density wide-bandgap devices improves the cooling inside a fully-sealed module case, thus avoiding excessive internal heat flux build up and high PN junction temperature, and benefiting the converter's reliability and efficiency. The design of multiple-in-one hybrid integrated AC-switch module at high power ratings is enabled by using hybrid AC switch cells and aluminum nitride substrate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jie Chang, Xiukuan Jing, Anhua Wang, Jiajia Zhang
  • Patent number: 7005686
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for increasing substrate resistance in a silicon controlled rectifier in order to decrease turn on time so that the silicon controlled rectifier may be used as an effective electrostatic discharge protection device to protect against HBM, MM and CDM discharge events. Additionally, disclosed is an improved SCR structure that is adapted for use as an electrostatic discharge device to protect against human body model events by delivering an electrostatic discharge current directly to a ground rail. The improved SCR structure incorporates various features for increasing substrate resistance and, thereby, for decreasing turn on time. These features include a second n-well that functions as an obstacle to current flow, a narrow current flow channel between co-planar buried n-bands connected to a lower portion of the second n-well, a zero threshold voltage area, and an external resistor electrically connected between the SCR and the ground rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kiran V. Chatty, Robert J. Gauthier, Jr., Mujahid Muhammad, Andreas D. Stricker, Min Woo
  • Patent number: 6956249
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor component which is capable of blocking such as an (IGBT), a thyristor, a GTO or diodes, especially schottky diodes. An insulator profile section (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 11) provided in the border area of an anode metallic coating (1, 31) is fixed (directly in the edge area) on the substrate (9) of the component. The insulator profile has a curved area (KB) and a base area (SB), said curved area having a surface (OF) which begins flat and curves outward and upward in a steadily increasing manner. A metallic coating (MET1; 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 31b) is deposited on the surface (OF). Said coating directly follows the surface curvature and laterally extends the inner anode metallic coating. The upper end of the curved metallic coating (MET1; 30a, 30b . . . ) is distanced and insulated from one of these surrounding outer metallic coatings (MET2; 3) by the surrounding base area (SB) of the insulator profile (10a, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Fraunhoffer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Roland Sittig, Detlef Nagel, Ralf-Ulrich Dudde, Bernd Wagner, Klaus Reimer
  • Patent number: 6914280
    Abstract: Since a 5 GHz-band broadband has a frequency twice that of 2.4 GHz, the parasitic capacitance greatly influences deterioration in isolation of a switching device used in this frequency region. Therefore, to improve isolation, a shunt FET is added to the device. The switching device also includes a protecting element that has a first n+-type region, an insulating region and a second n+-type region. This protecting element is connected in parallel between two electrodes of the shunt FET. Since electrostatic charges are discharged between the first and second n+-type regions, the electrostatic energy reaching an operation region of the shunt FET can be reduced without an increase in parasitic capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuro Asano, Mikito Sakakibara, Yoshibumi Nakajima, Hidetoshi Ishihara
  • Patent number: 6897492
    Abstract: A gate driver includes a control signal generator having a first input and configured to output a gate control signal to a power semiconductor switch. The gate control signal generator is provided proximate a high side of the gate driver. A first sub-circuit has a first signal path and a second signal path that are suitable for transmitting signals. The first and second signal paths are coupled to the first input of the gate control signal generator. The second signal path is configured to provide a signal to the first input with a reduced signal delay. A comparator is configured to receive signals from the high side. The comparator is provided proximate a low side of the gate driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventor: Sam Seiichiro Ochi
  • Patent number: 6852615
    Abstract: A process and related product in which ohmic contacts are formed in High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) employing compound substrates such as gallium nitride. An improved device and an improvement to a process for fabrication of ohmic contacts to GaN/AlGaN HEMTs using a novel two step resist process to fabricate the ohmic contacts are described. This novel two-step process consists of depositing a plurality of layers having compounds of Group III V elements on a substrate; patterning and depositing a first photoresist on one of the layers; etching recessed areas into this layer; depositing ohmic metals on the recessed areas; removing the first photoresist; patterning and depositing a second photoresist, smaller in profile than the first photoresist, on the layer; depositing more ohmic metal on the layer allowing for complete coverage of the recessed areas; removing the second photoresist, and annealing the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Miroslav Micovic, Tahir Hussain, Paul Hashimoto, Janna Ruth Duvall
  • Patent number: 6841836
    Abstract: An integrated device comprising a MOS transistor and a Schottky diode which are formed on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type is shown. The device comprises a plurality of body region stripes of a second conductivity type which are adjacent and parallel to each other, a first metal layer placed over said substrate and a second metal layer placed under said substrate. The device comprises a plurality of elementary structures parallel to each other each one of which comprises first zones provided with a silicon oxide layer placed over a portion of the substrate which is comprised between two adjacent body region stripes, a polysilicon layer superimposed to the silicon oxide layer, a dielectric layer placed over and around the polysilicon layer. Some body region stripes comprise source regions of the first conductivity type which are placed adjacent to the first zones of the elementary structures to form elementary cells of said MOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, S.R.L.
    Inventors: Mario Saggio, Ferruccio Frisina