IP Library Granted Patent US 7,834,376
Granted Patent B2
US 7,834,376 · App. 11/368,979 · Granted Nov 16, 2010

Power semiconductor switch

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,834,376
App. No.
11/368,979
Granted
Nov 16, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A SiC JFET that includes a plurality of trenches formed in a SiC semiconductor body of one conductivity each trench having a region of another conductivity formed in the bottom and sidewalls thereof.

Claims (32)

1. A power semiconductor device comprising: a SiC semiconductor body of one conductivity formed over a SiC substrate of said one conductivity, said SIC semiconductor body including an active region having a plurality of spaced trenches each adjacent a mesa and each trench including a region of another conductivity formed into its sidewalls and bottom thereof, each region of said another conductivity being deep enough so that each mesa includes a first portion of said one conductivity between two opposing regions of said another conductivity;

a contact region of said one conductivity having a lower electrical resistivity than said SiC semiconductor body formed atop each mesa;

a conductive gate electrode formed adjacent to and in contact with said sidewalls and said bottom of each trench;

an insulation cap formed over said conductive gate electrode, said insulation cap covers a portion of said contact region;

a first power contact in contact with said contact region; and

a second power contact in ohmic contact with said SiC substrate, said second power contact comprises solderable aluminum,

wherein said power semiconductor device is a junction field effect transistor.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said conductive gate electrode comprises polysilicon.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein said conductive gate electrode comprises a polycrystalline semiconductor material of said another conductivity.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said conductive gate electrode comprised a polysilicon of said another conductivity.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said insulation cap is comprised of a low temperature depositable oxide.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said insulation cap is comprised of TEOS.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor body includes a termination region formed around said active region, said termination region including a first trench having a region of said another conductivity formed on sidewalls and bottom thereof, a first conductive body formed only adjacent said bottom of said first trench, and an insulation body between at least said conductive body and a sidewall of said trench.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein said termination further includes a plurality of second spaced trenches each having a region of said another conductivity formed in said sidewalls and said bottom thereof and each including a second conductive body formed therein adjacent said sidewalls and said bottom; and another insulation body disposed between first conductive body and another sidewall of said trench and extending over said second conductive bodies.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein said first conductive body is comprised of a same material as that of said gate electrodes.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein said first and said second conductive bodies are comprised of a same material as that of said gate electrodes.

11. A power semiconductor device comprising:

a buffer layer formed over a SiC substrate of one conductivity;

a SiC semiconductor body of said one conductivity formed over said buffer layer, said SiC semiconductor body including an active region having a plurality of spaced trenches each adjacent a mesa and each trench including a region of another conductivity formed into its sidewalls and bottom thereof, each region of said another conductivity being deep enough so that each mesa includes a first portion of said one conductivity between two opposing regions of said another conductivity;

a contact region of said one conductivity having a lower electrical resistivity than said SiC semiconductor body formed atop each mesa;

a conductive gate electrode formed adjacent to and in contact with said sidewalls and said bottom of each trench;

a first power contact in contact with said contact region; and

a second power contact in ohmic contact with said SiC substrate, said second power contact comprises solderable aluminum,

wherein said buffer layer, said SiC semiconductor body, and said contact region are epitaxially formed SiC,

wherein said power semiconductor device is a junction field effect transistor.

12. The power semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein said gate electrode is comprised of a gate metal.

13. The power semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein a passivation body is formed on sidewalls of each trench.

14. The power semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein said passivation body is comprised of silicon dioxide.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein said conductive gate electrode has a similar depth.

16. The power semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein said conductive gate comprises polysilicon.

17. The power semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein said conductive gate comprises a polycrystalline semiconductor material of said another conductivity.

18. The power semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein said conductive gate electrode has a similar depth.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2007
From: INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER CORPORATION
To: SILICONIX TECHNOLOGY C. V.
Reel/Frame 019658/0714 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2006
From: CARTA, ROSSANO; BELLEMO, LAURA; RICHIERI, GIOVANNI; MERLIN, LUIGI
To: INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017793/0447 →