Bipolar Transistor Structure Patents (Class 257/565)
  • Publication number: 20130207235
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a method of forming a bipolar junction transistor. The method includes: providing a semiconductor substrate including a uniform silicon nitride layer over an emitter pedestal, and a base layer below the emitter pedestal; applying a photomask at a first end and a second end of a base region; and performing a silicon nitride etch with the photomask to simultaneously form silicon nitride spacers adjacent to the emitter pedestal and exposing the base region of the bipolar junction transistor. The silicon nitride etch may be an end-pointed etch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Margaret A. Faucher, Paula M. Fisher, Thomas H. Gabert, Joseph P. Hasselbach, Qizhi Liu, Glenn C. MacDougall
  • Publication number: 20130207236
    Abstract: An NPN bipolar junction transistor is disclosed that exhibits a collector-to-emitter breakdown voltage greater than 10 volts and a beta greater than 300. The large value of beta is obtained by fabricating the transistor with an extra IN-type layer that reduces recombination of electrons and holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: MACRONIX INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8502345
    Abstract: Reverse-conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor in which IGBT region and FWD region are integrated into a single body in a semiconductor substrate with a common active region is disclosed. MOS gate structure is on a first major surface side. Rear surface side structure is in a second major surface side of the semiconductor substrate and includes a plurality of recessed parts vertical to the second major surface, which are repeated periodically along the second major surface. A plurality of protruding parts are interposed between the recessed parts. Rear surface side structure includes p type collector region on a bottom surface of the recessed part, n type first field stop region at a position deeper than the collector region, n type cathode region on the top surface of the protruding part, and n type second field stop region in the protruding part at a position deeper than the cathode region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Nemoto, Souichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8502347
    Abstract: Bipolar junction transistors are provided in which at least one of an emitter contact, a base contact, or a collector contact thereof is formed by epitaxially growing a doped SixGe1-x layer, wherein x is 0?x?1, at a temperature of less than 500° C. The doped SixGe1-x layer comprises crystalline portions located on exposed surfaces of a crystalline semiconductor substrate and non-crystalline portions that are located on exposed surfaces of a passivation layer which can be formed and patterned on the crystalline semiconductor substrate. The doped SixGe1-x layer of the present disclosure, including the non-crystalline and crystalline portions, contains from 5 atomic percent to 40 atomic percent hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Tak H. Ning, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Publication number: 20130187256
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an n-type first guard ring layer provided between an emitter layer and a collector layer on a surface side of a base layer, and having a higher n-type impurity concentration than the base layer, and an n-type second guard ring layer provided between the first guard ring layer and a buried layer, connected to the first guard ring layer and the buried layer, and having a higher n-type impurity concentration than the base layer. The first guard ring layer has an n-type impurity concentration profile decreasing toward the second guard ring layer side, and the second guard ring layer has an impurity concentration profile decreasing toward the first guard ring layer side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Koji SHIRAI
  • Patent number: 8492794
    Abstract: A vertical heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) includes doped polysilicon having a doping of a first conductivity type as a wide-gap-emitter with an energy bandgap of about 1.12 eV and doped single crystalline Ge having a doping of the second conductivity type as the base having the energy bandgap of about 0.66 eV. Doped single crystalline Ge having of doping of the first conductivity type is employed as the collector. Because the base and the collector include the same semiconductor material, i.e., Ge, having the same lattice constant, there is no lattice mismatch issue between the collector and the base. Further, because the emitter is polycrystalline and the base is single crystalline, there is no lattice mismatch issue between the base and the emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Cai, Kevin K. Chan, Wilfried E. Haensch, Tak H. Ning
  • Patent number: 8487408
    Abstract: A bipolar transistor of the invention has a second base region 116 which is formed in the surface layer of a deep well, placed between a first base region and a sinker, connected to the first base region, has an impurity concentration larger than that of the first base region, and has a depth shallower than that of the first base region; and a buried layer formed in a semiconductor layer, which has the top surface thereof brought into contact with the deep well and the sinker, and has an impurity concentration larger than that of the deep well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8482101
    Abstract: A bipolar transistor structure and a method for fabricating the bipolar transistor structure include: (1) a collector structure located at least in-part within a semiconductor substrate; (2) a base structure contacting the collector structure; and (3) an emitter structure contacting the base structure. The interface of the emitter structure and the base structure includes an oxygen impurity and at least one impurity selected from the group consisting of a fluorine impurity and a carbon impurity, to enhance performance of a bipolar transistor within the bipolar transistor structure. The impurities may be introduced into the interface by plasma etch treatment, or alternatively a thermal treatment followed by an anhydrous ammonia and hydrogen fluoride treatment, of a base material from which is comprised the base structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Benoit, Mattias E. Dahlstrom, Mark D. Dupuis, Peter B. Gray, Anthony K. Stamper
  • Publication number: 20130168819
    Abstract: A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) formed using a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process flow is provided. The BJT includes an emitter fin, a base fin, and a collector fin formed on a substrate. The base fin encloses the emitter fin and collector fin encloses the emitter fin. In some embodiments, the emitter fin, base fin, and collector fin have a square shape when viewed from above and are concentric with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Sheng Chang, Yi-Tang Lin, Ming-Feng Shieh
  • Publication number: 20130168820
    Abstract: A power SiGe heterojunction bipolor transistor (HBT) with improved drive current by strain compensation and methods of manufacture are provided. A method includes adding carbon in a continuous steady concentration in layers of a device including a subcollector layer, a collector layer, a base buffer layer, a base layer, and an emitter buffer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas N. ADAM, David L. HARAME, Qizhi LIU, Alexander REZNICEK
  • Publication number: 20130168732
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device includes a well region formed from semiconductor material with a first doping type and a floating base formed from semiconductor material with a second doping type. The floating base is disposed vertically above the well region. The ESD also includes a first terminal receiving region formed from semiconductor material with a third doping type. The first terminal receiving region is disposed vertically above the floating base. The ESD further includes a second terminal receiving region. The second terminal receiving region is laterally spaced apart from the first terminal receiving region by silicon trench isolation (STI) region. In some embodiments, the second terminal receiving region is formed from semiconductor material with the third doping type to form a bipolar junction transmitter (BJT) or with a fourth doping type to form a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wun-Jie Lin, Ching-Hsiung Lo, Jen-Chou Tseng
  • Publication number: 20130168729
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has at least a cell between two opposite main surfaces. Each cell has a first device feature region contacted with the first main surface and a second device feature region contacted with the second main surface. There is a voltage-sustaining region between the first device feature region and the second device feature region, which includes at least a semiconductor region and an insulator region containing conductive particles. The semiconductor region and the insulator region contact directly with each other. The structure of such voltage-sustaining region can not only be used to implement high-voltage devices, but further be used as a junction edge technique of high-voltage devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: University of Electronic Science and Technology
    Inventor: University of Electronic Science and Technology
  • Publication number: 20130147017
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating bipolar junction transistors, bipolar junction transistors made by the methods, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. The bipolar junction transistor includes a dielectric layer on an intrinsic base and an extrinsic base at least partially separated from the intrinsic base by the dielectric layer. An emitter opening extends through the extrinsic base and the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is recessed laterally relative to the emitter opening to define a cavity between the intrinsic base and the extrinsic base. The cavity is filled with a semiconductor layer that physically links the extrinsic base and the intrinsic base together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: International Business Machines Corporation
  • Patent number: 8461644
    Abstract: This invention discloses a transient voltage suppressing (TVS) array disposed on a semiconductor substrate supporting an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type. The device includes a plurality of isolation trenches opened in said epitaxial layer filled with an insulation material wherein a first and second isolation trenches insulating a first semiconductor region from other semiconductor regions in the substrate. A body region of a second conductivity type is disposed in an upper part of said epitaxial layer wherein the body region extends laterally over an entire length of the first semiconductor region between said first and second isolation trenches. A bipolar transistor comprising two vertically stacked PN junctions disposed between the isolation trenches wherein, the bipolar transistor is triggered by a Zener diode comprising a bottom vertically stacked PN junction between the body region and the epitaxial layer for carrying a transient current for suppressing a transient voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventor: Madhur Bobde
  • Patent number: 8455980
    Abstract: The self heating of a high-performance bipolar transistor that is formed on a fully-isolated single-crystal silicon region of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is substantially reduced by forming a Schottky structure in the same fully-isolated single-crystal silicon region as the bipolar transistor is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey A. Babcock
  • Publication number: 20130119516
    Abstract: Lateral PNP bipolar junction transistors, methods for fabricating lateral PNP bipolar junction transistors, and design structures for a lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor. An emitter and a collector of the lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor are comprised of p-type semiconductor material that is formed by a selective epitaxial growth process. The source and drain each directly contact a top surface of a device region used to form the emitter and collector. A base contact may be formed on the top surface and overlies an n-type base defined within the device region. The emitter is laterally separated from the collector by the base contact. Another base contact may be formed in the device region that is separated from the other base contact by the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David L. Harame, Qizhi Liu
  • Publication number: 20130119434
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a transistor (e.g., bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT)) and a method of forming the transistor with a collector region having a protected upper edge portion for reduced base-collector junction capacitance Cbc. In the embodiments, a collector region is positioned laterally adjacent to a trench isolation region within a substrate. Mask layer(s) cover the trench isolation region and further extend laterally onto the edge portion of the collector region. A first section of an intrinsic base layer is positioned above a center portion of the collector region and a second section of the intrinsic base layer is positioned above the mask layer(s). During processing these mask layer(s) prevent divot formation in the upper corner of the trench isolation region at the isolation region-collector region interface and further limit dopant diffusion from a subsequently formed raised extrinsic base layer into the collector region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: JAMES W. ADKISSON, David L. Harame, Robert K. Leidy, Qizhi Liu
  • Publication number: 20130093057
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first conductive type semiconductor layer formed on a substrate; a first conductive type embedded layer formed between the substrate and the semiconductor layer; a second conductive type well formed on the semiconductor layer; a first conductive type first contact layer that is positioned on the semiconductor layer, separate from the well; a second conductive type second contact layer formed on the well; a first conductive type third contact layer formed on the well between the first and second contact layers; and a first conductive type deep layer formed between the embedded layer and the first contact layer and in contact with the first contact layer. A minimum point in the effective impurity concentration profile along a straight line that extends in a vertical direction and passes through the embedded layer and the second part exists between the embedded layer and the first part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Koichi YAMAOKA
  • Patent number: 8421157
    Abstract: A horizontal semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type and a semiconductor region of a second conductivity type on the semiconductor substrate. The device includes a collector layer of the first conductivity type within the semiconductor region, an endless base layer of the first conductivity type within the semiconductor region, and an endless first emitter layer of the second conductivity type in the endless base layer. The endless base layer is off the collector layer but surrounds the collector layer. A movement of carriers between the endless first emitter layer and the collector layer is controlled in a channel region formed in the endless base layer. An insulation film is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor region. A region of the first conductivity type is disposed in the semiconductor region to contact with a surface of the endless base layer nearest the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari Hatade
  • Patent number: 8415763
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for forming a tunable semiconductor device and the resulting structure. The invention comprises forming a semiconductor substrate. Next, pattern a first mask over the semiconductor substrate. Dope regions of the semiconductor substrate not protected by the first mask to form a first discontinuous subcollector. Remove the first mask. Pattern a second mask over the semiconductor substrate. Dope regions of the semiconductor substrate not protected by the second mask and on top of the first discontinuous subcollector to form a second discontinuous subcollector. Remove the second mask and form a collector above the second discontinuous subcollector. Breakdown voltage of the device may be tuned by varying the gaps separating doped regions within the first and second discontinuous subcollectors. Doped regions of the first and second discontinuous subcollectors may be formed in a mesh pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Louis Harame, Alvin Jose Joseph, Qizhi Liu, Ramana Murty Malladi
  • Patent number: 8415762
    Abstract: The external base electrode has a two-layered structure where a p-type polysilicon film doped with a medium concentration of boron is laminated on a p-type polysilicon film doped with a high concentration of boron. Therefore, since the p-type polysilicon film doped with a high concentration of boron is in contact with an intrinsic base layer at a junction portion between the external base electrode and the intrinsic base layer, the resistance of the junction portion can be reduced. In addition, since the resistance of the external base electrode becomes a parallel resistance of the two layers of the p-type polysilicon films, the resistance of the p-type polysilicon film whose boron concentration is relatively lower is dominant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Yoshida, Tatsuya Tominari, Toshio Ando
  • Patent number: 8415764
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; at least one insulation region extending from the top surface into the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of base contacts of a first conductivity type electrically interconnected to each other; and a plurality of emitters and a plurality of collectors of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. Each of the plurality of emitters, the plurality of collectors, and the plurality of base contacts is laterally spaced apart from each other by the at least one insulation region. The integrated circuit device further includes a buried layer of the second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the buried layer has an upper surface adjoining bottom surfaces of the plurality of collectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tao-Wen Chung, Po-Yao Ke, Wei-Yang Lin, Shine Chung
  • Patent number: 8410572
    Abstract: A base contact connection, an emitter structure and a collector structure are arranged on an n-layer, which can be provided for additional npn transistors. The collector structure is arranged laterally to the emitter structure and at least one of the emitter and collector comprises a Schottky contact on a surface area of the n-layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventor: Léon C. M. van den Oever
  • Publication number: 20130075746
    Abstract: A lateral bipolar transistor includes trench emitter and trench collector regions to form ultra-narrow emitter regions, thereby improving emitter efficiency. The same trench process is used to form the emitter/collector trenches as well as the trench isolation structures so that no additional processing steps are needed to form the trench emitter and collector. In embodiments of the present invention, the trench emitter and trench collector regions may be formed using ion implantation into trenches formed in a semiconductor layer. In other embodiments, the trench emitter and trench collector regions may be formed by out-diffusion of dopants from heavily doped polysilicon filled trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Shekar Mallikarjunaswamy, François Hébert
  • Publication number: 20130075863
    Abstract: An ESD protection apparatus comprises a substrate, a low voltage p-type well and a low voltage n-type well formed on the substrate. The ESD protection device further comprises a first P+ region formed on the low voltage p-type well and a second P+ region formed on the low voltage n-type well. The first P+ region and the second P+ region are separated by a first isolation region. The breakdown voltage of the ESD protection apparatus is tunable by adjusting the length of the first isolation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jam-Wem Lee, Yi-Feng Chang
  • Publication number: 20130075741
    Abstract: A lateral bipolar transistor with deep emitter and deep collector regions is formed using multiple epitaxial layers of the same conductivity type. Deep emitter and deep collector regions are formed without the use of trenches. Vertically aligned diffusion regions are formed in each epitaxial layer so that the diffusion regions merged into a contiguous diffusion region after annealing to function as emitter or collector or isolation structures. In another embodiment, a lateral trench PNP bipolar transistor is formed using trench emitter and trench collector regions. In yet another embodiment, a lateral PNP bipolar transistor with a merged LDMOS transistor is formed to achieve high performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: ALPHA AND OMEGA SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Shekar Mallikarjunaswamy, François Hébert
  • Publication number: 20130069154
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor chip comprising a high voltage device and a low voltage device disposed thereon. The chip may be formed in several different configurations. For example, the semiconductor chip may include a NPN bipolar transistor, PNP bipolar transistor, a diode, an N channel DMOS transistor and the like. the first doped well being configured as a base of the DMOS transistor, a P channel DMOS transistor and the like. These and other embodiments are described in further detail below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Incorporated
    Inventor: Hideaki Tsuchiko
  • Patent number: 8399907
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power transistor device comprises a substrate that forms a PN junction with an overlying buffer layer. The power transistor device further includes a first region, a drift region that adjoins a top surface of the buffer layer, and a body region. The body region separates the first region from the drift region. First and second dielectric regions respectively adjoin opposing lateral sidewall portions of the drift region. The dielectric regions extend in a vertical direction from at least just beneath the body region down at least into the buffer layer. First and second field plates are respectively disposed in the first and second dielectric regions. A trench gate that controls forward conduction is disposed above the dielectric region adjacent to and insulated from the body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay Parthasarathy, Sujit Banerjee
  • Patent number: 8395237
    Abstract: A bipolar transistor includes: a substrate; a collector and a base layer with a p-conductive-type, an emitter layer with an n-conductive-type. The collector layer is formed above the substrate and includes a first nitride semiconductor. The base layer with the p-conductive-type is formed on the collector layer and includes a second nit ride semiconductor. The emitter layer with the n-conductive-type is formed on the base layer and includes a third nitride semiconductor. The collector layer, the base layer and the emitter layer are formed so that crystal growing directions with respect to a surface of the substrate are in parallel to a [0001] direction of the substrate. The first nitride semiconductor includes: InycAlxcGa1-xc-ycN (0?xc?1, 0?yc?1, 0<xc+yc?1). In the first nitride semiconductor, a length of an a-axis on a surface side is longer than a length of an a-axis on a substrate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Ando, Hironobu Miyamoto, Tatsuo Nakayama, Yasuhiro Okamoto, Takashi Inoue, Kazuki Ota
  • Patent number: 8395188
    Abstract: A SiGe HBT is disclosed. A collector region consists of a first ion implantation region in an active area as well as second and third ion implantation regions respectively at bottom of field oxide regions. Each third ion implantation region has a width smaller than that of the field oxide region, has one side connected to first ion implantation region and has second side connected to a pseudo buried layer; each second ion implantation region located at bottom of the third ion implantation region and pseudo buried layer is connected to them and has a width equal to that of the field oxide region. Third ion implantation region has a higher doping concentration and a smaller junction depth than those of first and second ion implantation regions. Deep hole contacts are formed on top of pseudo buried layers in field oxide regions to pick up collector region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Shanghai Hua Hong NEC Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Donghua Liu, Wensheng Qian
  • Patent number: 8390096
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection structure comprises a bipolar PNP transistor having an emitter formed by a first high voltage P type implanted region disposed underneath a first P+ region and a collector formed by a second high voltage P type implanted region disposed underneath a second P+ region. The ESD protection structure can have an adjustable threshold voltage by controlling the distance between the first high voltage P type implanted region and the second high voltage P type implanted region. Based upon a basic ESD protection structure, the ESD protection device can provide a reliable ESD protection for semiconductor devices having different voltage ratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Yen Hwang
  • Patent number: 8390097
    Abstract: An IGBT comprises trenches arranged in strips, first emitter diffusion layers formed so as to extend in a direction intersecting the trenches, and contact regions formed to have a rectangular shape. The portions of the contact regions on the first emitter diffusion layers have a smaller width than the other portions, the width extending in the direction intersecting the trenches. This configuration allows for an increase in the emitter ballast resistance of the emitter diffusion layers, resulting in enhanced resistance to electrical breakdown due to short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Hamaguchi, Hideki Haruguchi, Tetsujiro Tsunoda
  • Publication number: 20130049169
    Abstract: A bipolar junction transistor includes a first trench element isolation film, a second trench element isolation film, a first base region, a second base region, a collector region, a first well, a second well, an emitter, a collector, and bases. The second well is formed by implanting an n-type impurity into the semiconductor substrate, and the emitter is formed by implanting the n-type impurity into the emitter region between the first trench element isolation film and the second well. The collector is formed by implanting the n-type impurity into the collector region between the first well and the second trench element isolation film, and the bases are formed by implanting the p-type impurity into the first base region and into the second base region between the emitter region and the second well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: JAE HYUN YOO, Jong Min Kim
  • Patent number: 8384194
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device with improved avalanche capability structures is disclosed. By forming at least an avalanche capability enhancement doped regions with opposite conductivity type to epitaxial layer underneath an ohmic contact doped region which surrounds at least bottom of trenched contact filled with metal plug between two adjacent gate trenches, avalanche current is enhanced with the disclosed structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Force MOS Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fu-Yuan Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8384193
    Abstract: Insufficient gain in bipolar transistors (20) is improved by providing an alloyed (e.g., silicided) emitter contact (452) smaller than the overall emitter (42) area. The improved emitter (42) has a first emitter (FE) portion (42-1) of a first dopant concentration CFE, and a second emitter (SE) portion (42-2) of a second dopant concentration CSE. Preferably CSE?CFE. The SE portion (42-2) desirably comprises multiple sub-regions (45i, 45j, 45k) mixed with multiple sub-regions (47m, 47n, 47p) of the FE portion (42-1). A semiconductor-metal alloy or compound (e.g., a silicide) is desirably used for Ohmic contact (452) to the SE portion (42-2) but substantially not to the FE portion (42-1). Including the FE portion (42-1) electrically coupled to the SE portion (42-2) but not substantially contacting the emitter contact (452) on the SE portion (42-2) provides gain increases of as much as ˜278.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Lin, Daniel J. Blomberg, Jiang-Kai Zuo
  • Patent number: 8357953
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a bipolar transistor with low resistance base contact and method of manufacturing the same. The bipolar transistor includes an emitter, a collector, and an intrinsic base between the emitter and the collector. The intrinsic base extends laterally to an extrinsic base. The extrinsic base further includes a first semiconductor material with a first bandgap and a second semiconductor material with a second bandgap that is smaller than the first bandgap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Francois Pagette, Kathryn Turner Schonenberg
  • Patent number: 8354722
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit, methods of fabricating an ESD protection circuit, methods of providing ESD protection, and design structures for an ESD protection circuit. An NFET may be formed in a p-well and a PFET may be formed in an n-well. A butted p-n junction formed between the p-well and n-well results in an NPNP structure that forms an SCR integrated with the NFET and PFET. The NFET, PFET and SCR are configured to collectively protect a pad, such as a power pad, from ESD events. During normal operation, the NFET, PFET, and SCR are biased by an RC-trigger circuit so that the ESD protection circuit is in a high impedance state. During an ESD event while the chip is unpowered, the RC-trigger circuit outputs trigger signals that cause the SCR, NFET, and PFET to enter into conductive states and cooperatively to shunt ESD currents away from the protected pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Campi, Jr., Shunhua Chang, Kiran V. Chatty, Robert J. Gauthier, Jr., Junjun Li, Rahul Mishra, Mujahid Muhammad
  • Publication number: 20130009280
    Abstract: Methods for fabricating bipolar junction transistors, bipolar junction transistors made by the methods, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. The bipolar junction transistor includes a dielectric layer on an intrinsic base and an extrinsic base at least partially separated from the intrinsic base by the dielectric layer. An emitter opening extends through the extrinsic base and the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is recessed laterally relative to the emitter opening to define a cavity between the intrinsic base and the extrinsic base. The cavity is filled with a semiconductor layer that physically links the extrinsic base and the intrinsic base together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Renata Camillo-Castillo, Peter B. Gray, David L. Harame, Alvin J. Joseph, Marwan H. Khater, Qizhi Liu
  • Patent number: 8344427
    Abstract: The chip area of a semiconductor device having a plurality of standard cells is to be made smaller. A semiconductor device includes first and second standard cells. The first standard cell includes a diffusion region, a functional device region opposed to the diffusion region, and a metal layer. The second standard cell includes another diffusion region continuous with the diffusion region, another functional device region opposed to the other diffusion region, and further another diffusion region formed between the other diffusion region and the other functional device region. The metal layer and the other functional device region are coupled together electrically through the diffusion regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Omura
  • Patent number: 8344481
    Abstract: By providing a novel bipolar device design implementation, a standard CMOS process can be used unchanged to fabricate useful bipolar transistors and other bipolar devices having adjustable properties by partially blocking the P or N well doping used for the transistor base. This provides a hump-shaped base region with an adjustable base width, thereby achieving, for example, higher gain than can be obtained with the unmodified CMOS process alone. By further partially blocking the source/drain doping step used to form the emitter of the bipolar transistor, the emitter shape and effective base width can be further varied to provide additional control over the bipolar device properties. The embodiments thus include prescribed modifications to the masks associated with the bipolar device that are configured to obtain desired device properties. The CMOS process steps and flow are otherwise unaltered and no additional process steps are required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin Lin, Bernhard H. Grote, Hongning Yang, Jiang-Kai Zuo
  • Patent number: 8344480
    Abstract: A trench structure of an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is formed as a trench net in a P region and extends into an N? layer. The trench net separates the P region into P wells and floating P layers. The P wells contact an emitter electrode while the floating P layers are not in direct contact with the emitter electrode. A gate formed of conductive material and having a surrounding insulation oxide layer is formed in the trench net. An N+ layer may be formed above each floating P layer under the gate. The floating P layers are isolated from the gate and are also not connected to the emitter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: IXYS Corporation
    Inventors: Kyoung-Wook Seok, Vladimir Tsukanov
  • Publication number: 20120319137
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection element includes a collector area, a first barrier area, a semiconductor area, a second barrier area and an emitter area. The collector area has a first conductivity type. The first barrier area borders on the collector area and has a second conductivity type. The semiconductor area borders on the first barrier area and is an intrinsic semiconductor area, or has the first or second conductivity type and a dopant concentration which is lower than a dopant concentration of the first barrier area. The second barrier area borders on the semiconductor area and has the second conductivity type and a higher dopant concentration than the semiconductor area. The emitter area borders on the second barrier area and has the first conductivity type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Klein, Hans Taddiken, Winfried Bakalski
  • Patent number: 8334581
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to embodiments of the invention includes an n?-type drift region; a p-type base region formed selectively in the surface portion of the drift region; an n+-type emitter region and a p+-type body region, both formed selectively in the surface portion of base region; and an n-type shell region between the drift region and the base region, a shell region surrounding the entire region below base region. The shell region is doped more heavily than the drift region. The shell region contains an n-type impurity at an effective impurity amount of 8.0×1011 cm ?2 or smaller. A drift region exhibits a resistivity low enough to prevent the depletion layer expanding from collector region, formed on the back surface of the drift region, toward a shell region from reaching the shell region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koh Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8334579
    Abstract: An integrated circuit device and method for fabricating the integrated circuit device is disclosed. The integrated circuit device includes a substrate, a diffusion source, and a lightly doped diffusion region in contact with a conductive layer. A junction of the lightly doped diffusion region with the conductive layer forms a Schottky region. An annealing process is performed to form the lightly doped diffusion region. The annealing process causes dopants from the diffusion source (for example, an n-well disposed in the substrate) of the integrated circuit device to diffuse into a region of the substrate, thereby forming the lightly doped diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ping Chun Yeh, Der-Chyang Yeh, Chih-Ping Chao
  • Patent number: 8319335
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power semiconductor module including a power semiconductor chip arranged on a substrate and comprising a bottom side facing the substrate, a top side facing away from the substrate, and an electrical contact face arranged on the top side. A bond wire is bonded to the contact face. At least when the power semiconductor module is fastened to a heatsink, a contact pressure element creates a contact pressure force (F) acting on a sub-portion 36 of a bond wire portion configured between two adjacent bond sites. The contact pressure force (F) results in the power semiconductor chip and a substrate beneath being pressed against the heatsink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Reinhold Bayerer, Olaf Hohlfeld, Thilo Stolze
  • Patent number: 8319315
    Abstract: A bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device including a base region, an emitter region and a collector region comprises a substrate, a deep well region in the substrate, a first well region in the deep well region to serve as the base region, a second well region in the deep well region to serve as the collector region, the second well region and the first well region forming a first junction therebetween, and a first doped region in the first well region to serve as the emitter region, the first doped region and the first well region forming a second junction therebetween, wherein the first doped region includes a first section extending in a first direction and a second section extending in a second direction different from the first direction, the first section and the second section being coupled with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Chi Lin, Wei-Hsun Hsu, Shuo-Lun Tu, Shih-Chin Lien, Chin-Pen Yeh
  • Patent number: 8299539
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; an IGBT element including a collector region; a FWD element including a cathode region adjacent to the collector region; a base layer on the substrate; multiple trench gate structures including a gate electrode. The base layer is divided by the trench gate structures into multiple first and second regions. Each first region includes an emitter region contacting the gate electrode. Each first region together with the emitter region is electrically coupled with an emitter electrode. The first regions include collector side and cathode side first regions, and the second regions include collector side and cathode side second regions. At least a part of the cathode side second region is electrically coupled with the emitter electrode, and at least a part of the collector side second region has a floating potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Kouno
  • Patent number: 8288824
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a vertical IGBT and a vertical free-wheeling diode in a semiconductor substrate. A plurality of base regions is disposed at a first-surface side portion of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of collector regions and a plurality of cathode regions are alternately disposed in a second-surface side portion of the semiconductor substrate. The base regions include a plurality of regions where channels are provided when the vertical IGBT is in an operating state. The first-side portion of the semiconductor substrate include a plurality of IGBT regions each located between adjacent two of the channels, including one of the base regions electrically coupled with an emitter electrode, and being opposed to one of the cathode regions. The IGBT regions include a plurality of narrow regions and a plurality of wide regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukio Tsuzuki, Hiromitsu Tanabe, Kenji Kouno
  • Publication number: 20120248573
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for forming a tunable semiconductor device and the resulting structure. The invention comprises forming a semiconductor substrate. Next, pattern a first mask over the semiconductor substrate. Dope regions of the semiconductor substrate not protected by the first mask to form a first discontinuous subcollector. Remove the first mask. Pattern a second mask over the semiconductor substrate. Dope regions of the semiconductor substrate not protected by the second mask and on top of the first discontinuous subcollector to form a second discontinuous subcollector. Remove the second mask and form a collector above the second discontinuous subcollector. Breakdown voltage of the device may be tuned by varying the gaps separating doped regions within the first and second discontinuous subcollectors. Doped regions of the first and second discontinuous subcollectors may be formed in a mesh pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: David Louis Harame, Alvin Jose Joseph, Qizhi Liu, Ramana Murty Malladi
  • Patent number: RE44140
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there are various methods of making an integrated circuit comprising a bipolar transistor. According to an embodiment of the invention, the bipolar transistor can comprise a substrate, a collector comprising a plurality of alternating doped regions, wherein the plurality of alternating doped regions alternate in a lateral direction from a net first conductivity to a net second conductivity, and a collector contact in electrical contact with the collector. The bipolar transistor can also comprise a heavily doped buried layer below the collector, a base in electrical contact with a base contact, wherein the base is doped to a net second conductivity type and wherein the base spans a portion of the plurality of alternating doped regions, and an emitter disposed within the base, the emitter doped to a net first conductivity, wherein a portion of the alternating doped region under the emitter is doped to a concentration of less than about 3×1012 cm?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventor: James D. Beasom