Electronic device including an insulating structure
An electronic device can include a substrate and an insulating structure. In an aspect, an anchor can include a portion of the substrate that extends into the insulating structure or a portion of the insulating structure that extends into the substrate. In another aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench and a first anchor; and forming an insulating structure within the trench and adjacent to the first anchor. In a further aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include patterning a substrate to define a trench having a sidewall and a first pillar spaced apart from the sidewall; doping the first pillar to change a conductivity type of the first pillar; and forming an insulating structure that surrounds the first pillar.
1. An electronic device comprising:
a substrate;
an insulating structure; and
a first anchor including:
(1) a portion of the substrate extending from a sidewall of a trench into the insulating structure and has a proximal portion and a distal portion,
the sidewall of the trench is closer to the proximal portion than to the distal portion, and
a width of the proximal portion is less than a width of the distal portion; or
(2) a portion of the insulating structure adjacent to the sidewall of the trench and has a proximal portion and a distal portion,
the sidewall of the trench is closer to the distal portion than to the proximal portion, and
a width of the proximal portion is less than a width of the distal portion.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the insulating structure has first and second opposing sides, wherein the first side includes the first anchor, and the second side does not include an anchor.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first anchor is the portion of the substrate and has a first conductivity type;
the substrate includes a body portion and an adjacent portion from which the first anchor extends, wherein the adjacent portion has the first conductivity type is disposed between the body portion and the first anchor, and the body portion has a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the substrate includes a first body portion, a second body portion, and a second anchor;
the insulating structure has first and second opposing sides;
the first anchor extends from the first body portion of the substrate and lies along the first side of the insulating structure; and
the second anchor extends from the second body portion of the substrate and lies along the second side of the insulating structure.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a second anchor, wherein the first anchor includes the portion of the substrate, and the second anchor includes the portion of the insulating structure.
6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first and second anchors have complementary shapes.
7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein:
the substrate includes a first set of anchors that includes the first anchor;
the insulating structure includes a second set of anchors that includes the second anchor; and
a combination of the first and second sets of anchors forms interlocking features.
8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first set of anchors and the second set of anchors are disposed along an inner side or an outer side of the isolation structure.
9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein in a finished device the insulating structure has a height that is less than a thickness of the substrate.
10. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an active region; and
a peripheral region, wherein the termination region is disposed between the active and peripheral regions,
wherein the termination region includes the insulating structure with rounded or clipped corners.
11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a second anchor having a complementary shape and interlocking with the first anchor.
12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the insulating structure includes a pillar with a first extension having a first length.
13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein:
the insulating structure has a first side and a second side opposite the first side,
an active region is closer to the first side of the insulating structure than to the second side of the insulating structure,
the pillar includes a second extension having a second length, wherein the first length is shorter than the second length, and
the active region is closer to the first extension.
14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the insulating structure has a rounded corner, and the first extension of the pillar and the second extension of the pillar are adjacent to the rounded corner.
15. An electronic device comprising:
a base material having a first conductivity type;
a semiconductor layer overlying the base material and having the first conductivity type, wherein the semiconductor layer is relatively more lightly doped as compared to the base material;
a first doped region overlying the semiconductor layer and having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, wherein the first doped region is relatively more heavily doped as compared to the semiconductor layer;
a trench extending through the first doped region and at least mostly through the semiconductor layer;
a second doped region along sidewalls of the trench, wherein the second doped region has the second conductivity type; and
an insulating layer within the trench,
wherein:
a peripheral region of the electronic device includes the base material, the semiconductor layer, and the first doped region, and
an insulating structure of the electronic device includes the base material, the second doped region, the trench extending, the second doped region, and the insulating layer within the trench.
16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein an active region of the electronic device includes the base material and the semiconductor layer, and the insulating structure is disposed between the active and peripheral regions.
17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the insulating structure is within a termination region between the active and peripheral regions.
18. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the second doped region extends between and to each of the base material and the first doped region.
19. The electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising anchors along sidewalls of the trench, wherein the anchors extend into the insulating structure.
20. An electronic device comprising:
a substrate;
an insulating structure; and
a first anchor including a portion of the substrate that extends into the insulating structure and having a first conductivity type, wherein:
the substrate includes a body portion and an adjacent portion from which the first anchor extends,
the adjacent portion has the first conductivity type is disposed between the body portion and the first anchor, and
the body portion has a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type.