IP Library Granted Patent US 12,684,844
Granted Patent B2
US 12,684,844 · App. 17/886,533 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Semiconductor device and method of producing thereof

Inventors: Andreas Voerckel (Finkenstein, AT); Hans Weber (Bayern, DE); Tobias Franz Wolfgang Hoechbauer (Villach, AT)
Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
H10D62/8325H01L21/0465H10D12/031H10D30/668H10D62/127H10D64/513
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,684,844
App. No.
17/886,533
Filed
Aug 12, 2022
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Examiner
WARD, ERIC A
Art Unit
2891
USPC
257/77
Abstract

A transistor device and a method for forming a transistor device are disclosed. The transistor device includes: a SiC semiconductor body that includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer formed on top of the first semiconductor; a trench structure extending from a first surface of the semiconductor body through the second semiconductor layer into the first semiconductor layer; a drain region arranged in the first semiconductor layer; and a plurality of transistor cells each coupled between the drain region and a source node. The trench structure subdivides the second semiconductor layer into a plurality of mesa regions and includes at least one cavity. At least one of the plurality of transistor cells is at least partially integrated in each of the mesa regions.

Claims (48)

1 . A transistor device, comprising:

a SiC semiconductor body that includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer formed on top of the first semiconductor layer;

a trench structure extending from a first surface of the semiconductor body through the second semiconductor layer into the first semiconductor layer;

a drain region arranged in the first semiconductor layer; and

a plurality of transistor cells each coupled between the drain region and a source node,

wherein the trench structure subdivides the second semiconductor layer into a plurality of mesa regions,

wherein the trench structure comprises at least one cavity,

wherein at least one of the plurality of transistor cells is at least partially integrated in each of the mesa regions,

wherein the at least one cavity of the trench structure is sealed by a plug of dielectric material,

wherein each of the transistor cells comprises:

a drift region and a source region of a first doping type;

a body region of a second doping type arranged between the drift region and the source region; and

a gate electrode arranged adjacent to the body region and dielectrically insulated from the body region by a gate dielectric,

wherein the gate electrode is arranged in a trench that is spaced apart from the trench structure.

2 . The transistor device of claim 1 , wherein a pressure in the at least one cavity is less than 1% of atmospheric pressure.

3 . The transistor device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cavity, in a vertical direction of the semiconductor body, extends into the first semiconductor layer.

4 . The transistor device of claim 1 , wherein the trench structure comprises a plurality of parallel first trenches, and wherein each of the mesa regions is arranged between a respective pair of neighboring ones of the parallel trenches.

5 . A method, comprising:

forming a trench structure in a SiC semiconductor body such that that the trench structure extends from a first surface of the semiconductor body through a second semiconductor layer into a first semiconductor layer and such that the trench structure subdivides the second semiconductor layer into a plurality of mesa regions;

forming at least one transistor cell at least partially in each of the mesa regions,

wherein the trench structure comprises at least one cavity,

wherein forming the trench structure comprises:

forming a plurality of trenches that each extend from the first surface of the semiconductor body through the second semiconductor layer into the first semiconductor layer; and

forming a cavity and a plug closing the cavity in each of the trenches, and

wherein forming the cavity and the plug comprises, in each of the trenches:

forming a sacrificial plug that partially fills the respective trench;

forming a first plug on top of the sacrificial plug;

forming an opening in the first plug;

removing the sacrificial plug in an etching process via the opening to form the cavity; and

closing the opening in the first plug to form the plug closing the cavity,

wherein forming each transistor cell comprises forming at least one compensation region, and

wherein forming the at least one compensation region comprises implanting dopant atoms via sidewalls of the trenches into the mesa regions.

6 . A transistor device, comprising:

a SiC semiconductor body that includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer formed on top of the first semiconductor layer;

a trench structure extending from a first surface of the semiconductor body through the second semiconductor layer into the first semiconductor layer;

a drain region arranged in the first semiconductor layer; and

a plurality of transistor cells each coupled between the drain region and a source node,

wherein the trench structure subdivides the second semiconductor layer into a plurality of mesa regions,

wherein the trench structure comprises at least one cavity,

wherein at least one of the plurality of transistor cells is at least partially integrated in each of the mesa regions,

wherein the at least one cavity of the trench structure is sealed by a plug of dielectric material,

wherein each of the transistor cells comprises:

a drift region and a source region of a first doping type;

a body region of a second doping type arranged between the drift region and the source region; and

a gate electrode arranged adjacent to the body region and dielectrically insulated from the body region by a gate dielectric,

wherein each of the transistor cells further comprises:

at least one compensation region of the second doping type arranged adjacent to the drift region,

wherein each of the transistor cells comprises a plurality of compensation regions that each adjoin a respective one of the trenches and are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the respective one of the trenches.