Schottky diode and method of manufacture

1. A method for manufacturing a Schottky diode having a breakdown voltage of greater than about 250 volts, comprising:

providing a semiconductor material of a first conductivity type having first and second major surfaces, the semiconductor material comprising an epitaxial layer disposed on a semiconductor substrate, the epitaxial layer having a thickness of at least about 15 micrometers and an impurity concentration ranging from about 1×10 14 atoms per cubic centimeter to about 1×10 15 atoms per cubic centimeter;

forming a guard ring of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor material, wherein the guard ring extends from about 3 micrometers to about 15 micrometers into the semiconductor material from the first major surface;

forming a first dielectric material over the guard ring; and

forming an electrically conductive material over a portion of the first major surface and the guard ring.

2. The method of claim 1 , further including forming the guard ring and forming the first dielectric material at substantially the same time.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the guard ring includes forming the guard ring in an annular shape.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein forming the electrically conductive material includes forming the electrically conductive material over the portion of the major surface within the annular shaped guard ring.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein forming an electrically conductive material over a portion of the major surface and the guard ring comprises:

forming a layer of silicide from a portion of the epitaxial layer within the annular shaped guard ring; and

forming a metal layer on the layer of silicide.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the first dielectric material comprises:

forming an oxide layer on the semiconductor material;

forming an annular groove in the oxide layer, wherein the annular groove exposes a portion of the semiconductor material; and

forming the first dielectric material on the portion of the semiconductor material exposed by the annular groove.

7. The method of claim 1 , further including forming the oxide layer to have a first thickness and the first dielectric material to have a second thickness, the first thickness greater than the second thickness.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the impurity material in the epitaxial layer is about 5×10 14 atoms per cubic centimeter.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the electrically conductive material over a portion of the major surface and the guard ring comprises:

forming a layer of silicide from a portion of the epitaxial layer; and

forming a metal layer on the layer of silicide.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the electrically conductive material over a portion of the major surface and the guard ring comprises forming a metal layer on a portion of the epitaxial layer within the guard ring.

11. The method of claim 10 , further including disposing an electrically conductive material on the second major surface of the semiconductor material.

12. A method for manufacturing a Schottky diode having a reverse breakdown voltage of at least about 250 volts, comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate having first and second major surfaces, the semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type;

growing an epitaxial layer from the first major surface, the epitaxial layer having a surface, a thickness of at least about 15 micrometers, and an impurity concentration of the first conductivity type ranging from about 1×10 14 atoms per cubic centimeter to about 1×10 15 atoms per cubic centimeter;

forming a first layer of dielectric material on the epitaxial layer;

forming an opening in the first layer of dielectric material, the opening exposing a first portion of the epitaxial layer;

forming a guard ring of a second conductivity type in the epitaxial layer, the guard ring extending about 3 micrometers to about 15 micrometers from the surface of the epitaxial layer into the epitaxial layer;

forming a second layer of dielectric material on the exposed portion of the guard ring; and

forming an electrically conductive material in contact with a portion of the epitaxial layer within the guard ring.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the guard ring comprises doping the epitaxial layer with an impurity material of a second conductivity type.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the electrically conductive material comprises:

forming a metal silicide from the surface of the epitaxial layer; and

disposing a metal layer on the metal silicide.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including forming an electrically conductive material on the second major surface of the semiconductor substrate.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the electrically conductive material comprises forming one of a heavily doped polysilicon layer or a metal on the surface of the epitaxial layer.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein forming the electrically conductive material comprises disposing metal on the surface of the epitaxial layer.

18. A Schottky diode having a reverse breakdown voltage of at least about 250 volts, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type having first and second major surfaces;

an epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type disposed on the first major surface of the semiconductor substrate, the epitaxial layer having a surface, a thickness of at least about 15 micrometers, and an impurity concentration ranging from about 1×10 14 atoms per cubic centimeter to about 1×10 15 atoms per cubic centimeter;

a guard ring of a second conductivity type extending from the surface of the epitaxial layer into the epitaxial layer a distance ranging from about 3 micrometers to about 15 micrometers, wherein the thickness of the epitaxial layer, the impurity concentration of the epitaxial layer, and the distance of the guard ring into the epitaxial layer cooperate to provide the breakdown voltage of at least about 250 volts;

a first electrically conductive material disposed on a portion of the epitaxial layer within the guard ring; and

a second electrically conductive material disposed on the second major surface of the semiconductor substrate.

19. The Schottky diode of claim 18 , wherein the guard ring is a graded structure.

20. The Schottky diode of claim 18 , wherein the first electrically conductive material comprises:

a metal silicide; and

a metal disposed on the metal silicide.