IP Library Granted Patent US 9,153,677
Granted Patent B2
US 9,153,677 · App. 14/514,893 · Granted Oct 6, 2015

Insulated gate bipolar transistor with high emitter gate capacitance

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,153,677
App. No.
14/514,893
Granted
Oct 6, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An IGBT is disclosed with a high emitter-gate capacitance, wherein an active cell region can include plural emitter and gate regions. A termination edge region can include a varied lateral doping region VLD. Each gate polysilicon layer can be arranged at a surface of the semiconductor substrate in the gate regions, separated from the semiconductor substrate by a first insulating layer. A first SIPOS layer and a covering second insulating layer overlie at least portions of the gate polysilicon layer. In a central area, the gate polysilicon layer is in electrical contact with the overlying first SIPOS layer whereas, in a peripheral area, the gate polysilicon layer is electrically separated from the overlying first SIPOS layer. A substrate surface at the VLD region is in electrical contact with a second SIPOS layer, and an increased gate-emitter capacitance may be achieved by slightly modifying etch masks during manufacturing.

Claims (29)

1. An insulated gate bipolar transistor comprising:

a semiconductor substrate including an active cell region and a termination edge region, wherein the active cell region includes a plurality of emitter regions and gate regions arranged between neighboring emitter regions, each gate region having a gate polysilicon layer and a first insulating layer, wherein each gate polysilicon layer is arranged at a surface of the semiconductor substrate in the gate regions and is separated from the semiconductor substrate by the first insulating layer;

a first SIPOS layer covered by a second insulating layer, wherein the first SIPOS layer and the covering second insulating layer overlie at least portions of the gate polysilicon layer, the first SIPOS layer being thereby separated from the semiconductor substrate;

an intermediate third insulating layer, wherein each gate region includes a central area and a peripheral area, and wherein, in the central area, the gate polysilicon layer is in electrical contact with the overlying first SIPOS layer whereas, in the peripheral area, the gate polysilicon layer is electrically separated from the overlying first SIPOS layer by an intermediate third insulating layer; and

an emitter metal layer which overlies the plurality of emitter regions and the gate regions and, at the emitter regions, is in direct contact with the surface of the semiconductor substrate and, at the gate regions, is in direct contact with the second insulating layer.

2. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the termination edge region comprises:

a varied lateral doping region, and wherein a surface of the semiconductor substrate at the varied lateral doping region is in electrical contact with a second SIPOS layer, the second SIPOS layer being covered by the second insulating layer.

3. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the second insulating layer has a thickness of between 0.05 μm and 0.3 μm.

4. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the second insulating layer comprises:

a silicon nitride layer.

5. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the third insulating layer has a thickness of between 0.2 μm and 1.5 μm.

6. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the third insulating layer comprises:

a phosphorous silica glass.

7. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the central area in which the gate polysilicon layer is in electrical contact with the overlying first SIPOS layer is larger than the peripheral area in which the gate polysilicon layer is electrically separated from the overlying first SIPOS layer by the intermediate third insulating layer.

8. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral area in which the gate polysilicon layer is electrically separated from the overlying first SIPOS layer by the intermediate third insulating layer has a width smaller than 1 μm.

9. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the emitter metal layer has an emitter metal area in a plane parallel an emitter side of the semiconductor substrate and the first SIPOS layer is in contact to the gate polysilicon layer in a contact area, which is at least 50% of the emitter metal area.

10. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the gate polysilicon layer is formed as a trench gate electrode in a recess of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the gate polysilicon layer extends to a region on the surface of the semiconductor substrate laterally from the recess.

11. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the first SIPOS layer is electrically insulated from the emitter metal layer by the second insulating layer.

12. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 1 , wherein the emitter metal layer has an emitter metal area in a plane parallel an emitter side of the semiconductor substrate and the first SIPOS layer is in contact to the gate polysilicon layer in a contact area, which is at least 65% of the emitter metal area.

13. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 2 , wherein the second insulating layer has a thickness of between 0.05 μm and 0.3 μm.

14. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 13 , wherein the second insulating layer comprises:

a silicon nitride layer.

15. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 2 , wherein the third insulating layer has a thickness of between 0.2 μm and 1.5 μm.

16. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 5 , wherein the third insulating layer comprises:

a phosphorous silica glass.

17. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 2 , wherein the central area in which the gate polysilicon layer is in electrical contact with the overlying first SIPOS layer is larger than the peripheral area in which the gate polysilicon layer is electrically separated from the overlying first SIPOS layer by the intermediate third insulating layer.

18. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 7 , wherein the peripheral area in which the gate polysilicon layer is electrically separated from the overlying first SIPOS layer by the intermediate third insulating layer has a width smaller than 1 μm.

19. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 2 , wherein the emitter metal layer has an emitter metal area in a plane parallel an emitter side of the semiconductor substrate and the first SIPOS layer is in contact to the gate polysilicon layer in a contact area, which is at least 50% of the emitter metal area.

20. The insulated gate bipolar transistor of claim 2 , wherein the first SIPOS layer is electrically insulated from the emitter metal layer by the second insulating layer.

Assignments (4)
MERGER Recorded Nov 13, 2023
From: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
Reel/Frame 065549/0576 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 31, 2021
From: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 058666/0540 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2020
From: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
To: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 052916/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2014
From: VON ARX, CHRISTOPH
To: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
Reel/Frame 033954/0459 →