Cree Gmbh

Wolfspeed, Inc.

Brett Hull

Qingchun Zhang

Edward Robert Van Brunt

Daniel Jenner Lichtenwalner

Shadi Sabri

Sei-Hyung Ryu

Mrinal Kanti Das

Brice McPherson

Thomas E Harrington, Iii

Scott Thomas Allen

Joe W McPherson

Adam Barkley

Sumi Krishnaswami

Alexander V Suvorov

Joseph John Sumakeris

Daniel Namishia

Sarah Kay Haney

James Theodore Richmond

Craig Capell

Matt N McCain

Strategic placement and patterning of electrodes, vias, and metal runners can significantly reduce strain in a power semiconductor die. By modifying the path defining electrodes, vias, and metal runners, as well as patterning the material layers thereof, strain can be better managed to increase reliability of a power semiconductor die.

Power semiconductor device with reduced strain

Semiconductor devices include a semiconductor layer structure comprising a drift region that includes a wide band-gap semiconductor material. A shielding pattern is provided in an upper portion of the drift region in an active region of the device and a termination structure is provided in the upper portion of the drift region in a termination region of the device. A gate trench extends into an upper surface of the semiconductor layer structure. The semiconductor layer structure includes a semiconductor layer that extends above and at least partially covers the termination structure.

Power semiconductor devices having gate trenches and buried edge terminations and related methods

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer structure that includes silicon carbide, a gate dielectric layer on the semiconductor layer structure, and a gate electrode on the gate dielectric layer opposite the semiconductor layer structure. In some embodiments, a periphery of a portion of the gate dielectric layer that underlies the gate electrode is thicker than a central portion of the gate dielectric layer, and a lower surface of the gate electrode has recessed outer edges such as rounded and/or beveled outer edges.

Semiconductor power devices having gate dielectric layers with improved breakdown characteristics and methods of forming such devices

Power switching devices include a semiconductor layer structure that has an active region and an inactive region. The active region includes a plurality of unit cells and the inactive region includes a field insulating layer on the semiconductor layer structure and a gate bond pad on the field insulating layer opposite the semiconductor layer structure. A gate insulating pattern is provided on the semiconductor layer structure between the active region and the field insulating layer, and at least one source/drain contact is provided on the semiconductor layer structure between the gate insulating pattern and the field insulating layer.

Power switching devices with high dV/dt capability and methods of making such devices

A transistor device having a deep recessed P+ junction is disclosed. The transistor device may comprise a gate and a source on an upper surface of the transistor device, and may include at least one doped well region, wherein the at least one doped well region has a first conductivity type that is different from a conductivity type of a source region within the transistor device and the at least one doped well region is recessed from the upper surface of the transistor device by a depth. The deep recessed P+ junction may be a deep recessed P+ implanted junction within a source contact area. The deep recessed P+ junction may be deeper than a termination structure in the transistor device. The transistor device may be a Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET device.

Transistor structures having a deep recessed P+ junction and methods for making same

Semiconductor devices include a plurality of gate fingers extending on a wide bandgap semiconductor layer structure. An inter-metal dielectric pattern is formed on the gate fingers, the inter-metal dielectric pattern including a plurality of dielectric fingers that cover the respective gate fingers. A top-side metallization is provided on the inter-metal dielectric pattern and on exposed portions of the upper surface of the wide bandgap semiconductor layer structure. The top-side metallization includes a first conductive diffusion barrier layer on the inter-metal dielectric pattern and on the exposed portions of the upper surface of the wide bandgap semiconductor layer structure, a conductive contact layer on an upper surface of the first conductive diffusion barrier layer, and a grain stop layer buried within the conductive contact layer.

Power semiconductor devices having top-side metallization structures that include buried grain stop layers

A transistor device having reduced electrical field at the gate oxide interface is disclosed. In one embodiment, the transistor device comprises a gate, a source, and a drain, wherein the gate is at least partially in contact with a gate oxide. The transistor device has a P+ region within a JFET region of the transistor device in order to reduce an electrical field on the gate oxide.

Transistor structures having reduced electrical field at the gate oxide and methods for making same

Power switching devices with DV/DT capability and methods of making such devices

A Schottky diode includes a drift region, a channel in an upper portion of the drift region, and first and second adjacent blocking junctions in the upper portion of the drift region that define the channel therebetween. The drift region and channel are doped with dopants having a first conductivity type, and the first and second blocking junctions doped with dopants having a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type. The blocking junctions extend at least one micron into the upper portion of the drift region and are spaced apart from each other by less than 3.0 microns.

Power Schottky diodes having closely-spaced deep blocking junctions in a heavily-doped drift region

A transistor device having a deep recessed P+ junction is disclosed. The transistor device may comprise a gate and a source on an upper surface of the transistor device, and may include at least one doped well region, wherein the at least one doped well region has a first conductivity type that is different from a conductivity type of a source region within the transistor device and the at least one doped well region is recessed from the upper surface of the transistor device by a depth. The deep recessed P+ junction may be a deep recessed P+ implanted junction within a source contact area. The deep recessed P+ junction may be deeper than a termination structure in the transistor device. The transistor device may be a Silicon Carbide (SIC) MOSFET device.

Embodiments of a semiconductor device including a floating bond pad are disclosed. In one preferred embodiment, the semiconductor device is a power semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a substrate that includes an active area and a control contact area, a first bond pad on the active area, a floating control bond pad on the control contact area and laterally extending over a portion of the first bond pad, and a dielectric between the portion of the first bond pad and the floating control bond pad. The floating control bond pad enables the active area to extend below the floating control bond pad, which in turn decreases a size of the power semiconductor device for a particular rated current or, conversely, increases a size of the active area and thus a rated current for a particular semiconductor die size.

Floating bond pad for power semiconductor devices

Semiconductor devices include a semiconductor layer structure having a wide band-gap semiconductor drift region having a first conductivity type. A gate trench is provided in an upper portion of the semiconductor layer structure, the gate trench having first and second opposed sidewalls that extend in a first direction in the upper portion of the semiconductor layer structure. These devices further include a deep shielding pattern having a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type in the semiconductor layer structure underneath a bottom surface of the gate trench, and a deep shielding connection pattern that has the second conductivity type in the first sidewall of the gate trench. The devices include a semiconductor channel region that has the first conductivity type in the second sidewall of the gate trench.

Power semiconductor devices having gate trenches with implanted sidewalls and related methods

A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, a well region of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor layer wherein the first and second conductivity types are different, and a terminal region of the first conductivity type in the well region. An epitaxial semiconductor layer may be on the surface of the semiconductor layer including the well region and the terminal region with the epitaxial semiconductor layer having the first conductivity type across the well and terminal regions. A gate electrode may be on the epitaxial semiconductor layer so that the epitaxial semiconductor layer is between the gate electrode and portions of the well region surrounding the terminal region at the surface of the semiconductor layer.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Brett Hull