Self-aligned field plate mesa FPM SiC schottky barrier diode

1. A power semiconductor device comprising:

a wide-bandgap semiconductor layer having a first main side and a second main side opposite to the first main side, wherein the first main side and the second main side extend in a lateral direction and wherein the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer comprises an active region and a termination region that laterally surrounds the active region, wherein the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer has a first recess that is recessed from the first main side in the termination region and surrounds the active region and wherein the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer also has a second recess that is recessed from the first main side in the active region and is filled with an insulating material, a depth of the second recess being the same as a depth of the first recess;

a field plate on the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer over a first portion of the termination region, the field plate exposing the active region and a second portion of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the termination region; and

a dielectric layer interposed between the field plate and the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer to separate the field plate from the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer;

wherein a sidewall of the first recess adjacent to the active region is laterally aligned with a circumferential edge of the field plate such that in an orthogonal projection onto a plane parallel to the first main side, an edge of the first recess defined by an upper end of the sidewall is within less than 1 nm from the circumferential edge of the field plate.

2. The power semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the dielectric layer perpendicular to the lateral direction decreases with increasing lateral distance from the first recess.

3. The power semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness adjacent to the first recess which is in a range between 0.2 μm and 1 μm.

4. The power semiconductor device according to claim 3 , wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness adjacent to the first recess which is in a range between 0.2 μm and 0.5 μm.

5. The power semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness adjacent to the first recess which is in a range between 0.2 μm and 0.3 μm.

6. A method for manufacturing the power semiconductor device of claim 1 , the method comprising:

forming the dielectric layer on the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer;

forming a first metal layer on the dielectric layer;

forming the field plate by patterning the first metal layer and the dielectric layer to expose the portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the termination region; and

anisotropically etching the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer using the patterned first metal layer as at least part of an etching mask in areas where the field plate exposes the first portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the termination region to form the first recess in the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the termination region.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

the patterned first metal layer and the patterned dielectric layer expose the active region;

wherein the anisotropically etching further forms the second recess in the active region; and

wherein the method further comprises filling the second recess with a filling material.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising patterning the dielectric layer before forming the first metal layer so as to form an opening in the dielectric layer that exposes at least a second portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the active region.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein:

the patterned first metal layer and the patterned dielectric layer expose a fourth portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the active region;

the method further comprises forming a contact electrode in direct contact with the fourth portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer before the anisotropic etching; and

the contact electrode is used together with the patterned first metal layer as the etching mask while anisotropic etching of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the first metal layer is formed to be in direct contact with the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer through the opening in the dielectric layer.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein forming the field plate comprises:

forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer, wherein the first and the second metal layer are formed of different metals; and

patterning the second metal layer to expose at least the first portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the termination region where the first recess is to be formed in the step of the anisotropic etching; and

wherein the second metal layer is used at least as a part of the etching mask during the anisotropic etching.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein patterning the second metal layer, the first metal layer and the dielectric layer comprises:

patterning the second metal layer to expose the first metal layer in areas of the first portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the termination region;

forming trenches in the second metal layer in the active region to expose the first metal layer at the bottom of the trenches;

refilling the trenches at least partially by a filling material; and

patterning the first metal layer and the dielectric layer by anisotropic etching using the second metal layer and the filling material as an etching mask.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

removing the filling material after patterning the first metal layer and the dielectric layer;

thereafter removing a portion of the second metal layer in which the trenches are formed by isotropic etching of portions respectively separating neighboring trenches;

thereafter removing portions of the first metal layer and of the dielectric layer in the active region by anisotropic etching using the second metal layer as an etching mask to expose a fifth portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer in the active region; and

forming a contact electrode contacting the fifth portion of the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer.

14. A power semiconductor device comprising:

a wide-bandgap semiconductor layer having a first main side and a second main side opposite to the first main side, wherein the first main side and the second main side extend in a lateral direction and wherein the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer comprises an active region and a termination region that laterally surrounds the active region;

a field plate on the first main side of the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer overlying a first portion of the termination region, the field plate exposing the active region and a second portion of the termination region, the second portion of the termination region spaced from the active region by the first portion of the termination region;

a first recess that is recessed from the first main side in the termination region and surrounds the active region, wherein a sidewall of the first recess adjacent to the active region is laterally aligned with a circumferential edge of the field plate such that in an orthogonal projection onto a plane parallel to the first main side an edge of the first recess defined by an upper end of the sidewall is within less than 1 nm from the circumferential edge of the field plate;

a plurality of second recesses that are recessed from the first main side in the active region and are filled with an insulating material, a depth of the plurality of second recesses being the same as a depth of the first recess;

a dielectric layer interposed between the field plate and the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer to separate the field plate from the wide-bandgap semiconductor layer;

a first electrode disposed at first main side and overlying the active region and the plurality of second recesses; and

a second electrode disposed at the second main side.

15. The power semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein a thickness of the dielectric layer perpendicular to the lateral direction decreases with increasing lateral distance from the first recess.