IP Library › Granted Patent US 12684789
Granted Patent B2
US 12684789 · App. 18/500,635 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Semiconductor device including active diode area

Inventors: Benedikt Stoib (Feldkirchen-Westerham, DE); Hans-Joachim Schulze (Taufkirchen, DE); Marten Müller (Schliersee, DE); Daniel Schlögl (Villach, AT); Moriz Jelinek (Villach, AT); Holger Schulze (Villach, AT)
Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
H10D8/045H10D8/411H10D62/105
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12684789
App. No.
18/500,635
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having first and second opposite surfaces along a vertical direction, and an active diode area. The active diode area includes: a p-doped anode region adjoining the first surface; an n-doped drift region between the anode region and the second surface; an n-doped cathode contact region adjoining the second surface; a p-doped injection region adjoining the second surface and the cathode contact region; and a p-doped auxiliary region between the drift region and the cathode contact region. The auxiliary region includes first and second sub-regions. In a top view, the first sub-region covers at least part of the injection region and the second sub-region covers at least part of the cathode contact region. In the top view, the auxiliary region includes a plurality of openings covering from 0.1% to an 20% of a surface area of the active diode area at the second surface.

Claims (73)

1 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other along a vertical direction; and

an active diode area comprising:

a p-doped anode region adjoining the first surface of the semiconductor body;

an n-doped drift region arranged between the p-doped anode region and the second surface;

an n-doped cathode contact region adjoining the second surface;

a p-doped injection region adjoining the second surface and the n-doped cathode contact region;

a p-doped auxiliary region arranged between the n-doped drift region and the n-doped cathode contact region,

wherein the p-doped auxiliary region includes a first sub-region and a second sub-region,

wherein in a top view, the first sub-region covers at least part of the p-doped injection region and the second sub-region covers at least part of the n-doped cathode contact region,

wherein in the top view, the p-doped auxiliary region includes a plurality of openings covering from 0.1% to 20% of a surface area of the active diode area at the second surface.

2 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of openings differ with respect to a minimum lateral extent.

3 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein in the top view, the first sub-region, the second sub-region, and the plurality of openings cover 100% of the surface area of the active diode area at the second surface.

4 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the n-doped cathode contact region adjoins the second sub-region, a vertical extent of the n-doped cathode contact region ranges from 0.1 μm to 1 μm of the p-doped injection region, and a vertical extent of the second sub-region ranges from 0.05 μm to 1 μm.

5 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-region comprises a vertical concentration profile of p-type dopants, and at least one opening of the plurality of openings comprises the vertical concentration profile of p-type dopants that partially compensates a vertical concentration profile of n-type dopants.

6 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising a groove contact at the second surface, the groove contact adjoining the at least one of the plurality of openings.

7 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein at least one opening of the plurality of openings comprises a part of a contact spike extending from the second surface and through the second sub-region.

8 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the p-doped auxiliary region is arranged at a vertical distance from each of the n-doped cathode contact region and the p-doped injection region.

9 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the second sub-region is arranged at a vertical distance from the n-doped cathode contact region, and the first sub-region adjoins the p-doped injection region.

10 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-region is arranged at a vertical distance from the p-doped injection region, and the second sub-region adjoins the n-doped cathode contact region.

11 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the p-doped auxiliary region includes a plurality of the first sub-regions, wherein in the top view, at least one first sub-region of the plurality of the first sub-regions is surrounded laterally by the second sub-region, and wherein at least one opening of the plurality of openings is surrounded laterally by the second sub-region.

12 . The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein in the top view, the at least one first sub-region of the plurality of the first sub-regions is circular, elliptical, stripe-shaped, or polygonal, and the at least one opening of the plurality of openings is circular, elliptical, stripe-shaped, or polygonal.

13 . The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein in the top view, the at least one first sub-region of the plurality of the first sub-regions has a larger minimum lateral extent than the at least one opening of the plurality of openings.

14 . The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein at least two first sub-regions of the plurality of the first sub-regions differ with respect to a minimum lateral extent.

15 . The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising an edge termination area, wherein the active diode area is surrounded laterally by the edge termination area, and wherein the n-doped cathode contact region adjoins the second surface in the edge termination area.

16 . The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the first sub-region is arranged in the edge termination area.

17 . A semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other along a vertical direction; and

an active diode area comprising:

a p-doped anode region adjoining the first surface of the semiconductor body;

an n-doped drift region arranged between the p-doped anode region and the second surface;

an n-doped cathode contact region adjoining the second surface;

a p-doped injection region adjoining the second surface and the n-doped cathode contact region;

a p-doped auxiliary region arranged between the n-doped drift region and the n-doped cathode contact region,

wherein the p-doped auxiliary region includes a first sub-region and a second sub-region,

wherein in a top view, the first sub-region covers at least part of the p-doped injection region and the second sub-region covers at least part of the n-doped cathode contact region,

wherein in the top view, the p-doped auxiliary region includes a plurality of openings,

wherein at least two openings of the plurality of openings differ with respect to a minimum lateral extent.

18 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein in the top view, the first sub-region, the second sub-region, and the plurality of openings cover 100% of a surface area of the active diode area at the second surface.

19 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein the n-doped cathode contact region adjoins the second sub-region, a vertical extent of the n-doped cathode contact region ranges from 0.1 μm to 1 μm of the p-doped injection region, and a vertical extent of the second sub-region ranges from 0.05 μm to 1 μm.

20 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein the first sub-region comprises a vertical concentration profile of p-type dopants, and at least one opening of the plurality of openings comprises the vertical concentration profile of p-type dopants that partially compensates a vertical concentration profile of n-type dopants.

21 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , further comprising a groove contact at the second surface, the groove contact adjoining the at least one of the plurality of openings.

22 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein at least one opening of the plurality of openings comprises a part of a contact spike extending from the second surface and through the second sub-region.

23 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein the p-doped auxiliary region is arranged at a vertical distance from each of the n-doped cathode contact region and the p-doped injection region.

24 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein the second sub-region is arranged at a vertical distance from the n-doped cathode contact region, and the first sub-region adjoins the p-doped injection region.

25 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein the first sub-region is arranged at a vertical distance from the p-doped injection region, and the second sub-region adjoins the n-doped cathode contact region.

26 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , wherein the p-doped auxiliary region includes a plurality of the first sub-regions, wherein in the top view, at least one first sub-region of the plurality of the first sub-regions is surrounded laterally by the second sub-region, and wherein at least one opening of the plurality of openings is surrounded laterally by the second sub-region.

27 . The semiconductor device of claim 26 , wherein in the top view, the at least one first sub-region of the plurality of the first sub-regions is circular, elliptical, stripe-shaped, or polygonal, and the at least one opening of the plurality of openings is circular, elliptical, stripe-shaped, or polygonal.

28 . The semiconductor device of claim 27 , wherein in the top view, the at least one first sub-region of the plurality of the first sub-regions has a larger minimum lateral extent than the at least one opening of the plurality of openings.

29 . The semiconductor device of claim 26 , wherein at least two first sub-regions of the plurality of the first sub-regions differ with respect to a minimum lateral extent.

30 . The semiconductor device of claim 17 , further comprising an edge termination area, wherein the active diode area is surrounded laterally by the edge termination area, and wherein the n-doped cathode contact region adjoins the second surface in the edge termination area.

31 . The semiconductor device of claim 30 , wherein the first sub-region is arranged in the edge termination area.

32 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a semiconductor body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other along a vertical direction;

forming an active diode area, comprising:

forming a p-doped anode region adjoining the first surface of the semiconductor body;

forming an n-doped drift region arranged between the p-doped anode region and the second surface;

forming an n-doped cathode contact region adjoining the second surface;

forming a p-doped injection region adjoining the second surface and the n-doped cathode contact region; and

forming a p-doped auxiliary region arranged between the n-doped drift region and the n-doped cathode contact region, the p-doped auxiliary region including a first sub-region and a second sub-region,

wherein in a top view, the first sub-region covers at least part of the p-doped injection region and the second sub-region covers at least part of the n-doped cathode contact region,

wherein in the top view, the p-doped auxiliary region includes a plurality of openings covering from 0.1% to 20% of a surface area of the active diode area at the second surface.

33 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

providing a semiconductor body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other along a vertical direction;

forming an active diode area, comprising:

forming a p-doped anode region adjoining the first surface of the semiconductor body;

forming an n-doped drift region arranged between the p-doped anode region and the second surface;

forming an n-doped cathode contact region adjoining the second surface;

forming a p-doped injection region adjoining the second surface and the n-doped cathode contact region; and

forming a p-doped auxiliary region arranged between the n-doped drift region and the n-doped cathode contact region, the p-doped auxiliary region including a first sub-region and a second sub-region,

wherein in a top view, the first sub-region covers at least part of the p-doped injection region and the second sub-region covers at least part of the n-doped cathode contact region,

wherein in the top view, the p-doped auxiliary region includes a plurality of openings,

wherein at least two openings of the plurality of openings differ with respect to a minimum lateral extent.