RF power transistor structure and a method of forming the same
In various embodiments, semiconductor structures and methods to manufacture these structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a portion of the unidirectional transistor and a portion of a bidirectional transistor in or over a semiconductor material simultaneously. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
1. A method of forming a semiconductor structure, the method comprising:
forming a first opening in a semiconductor material;
forming a dielectric material in the first opening;
forming a unidirectional transistor, wherein forming the unidirectional transistor comprises forming a shield layer over the semiconductor material and forming a control electrode of the unidirectional transistor over the semiconductor material after forming the shield layer, wherein at least a portion of the shield layer is disposed between at least a portion of the control electrode and at least a portion of the semiconductor material; and
simultaneously forming a first portion of the unidirectional transistor and a first portion of a bidirectional transistor in or over the semiconductor material, wherein the dielectric material is between a second portion of the unidirectional transistor and a second portion of the bidirectional transistor.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises the semiconductor material, wherein the semiconductor material comprises silicon, and wherein forming a dielectric material in the first opening comprises performing a thermal oxidation to convert a portion of the silicon to silicon dioxide.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the control electrode of the unidirectional transistor comprises forming a gate electrode of the unidirectional transistor and further comprising forming a gate electrode of the bidirectional transistor, wherein the first portion of the unidirectional transistor is the gate electrode of the unidirectional transistor and the first portion of the bidirectional transistor is the gate electrode of the bidirectional transistor, and wherein a gate length of the unidirectional transistor is less than a gate length of the bidirectional transistor.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the first portion of the unidirectional transistor after the forming of the dielectric material, wherein forming the first opening comprises forming the first opening to extend from a surface of the semiconductor material to a distance of at least about one micron or greater below the surface of the semiconductor material, wherein a breakdown voltage of the unidirectional transistor is at least about ten volts or greater and a breakdown voltage of the bidirectional transistor is about six volts or less.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming a first portion of the unidirectional transistor comprises forming a doped region in the semiconductor material and further comprising forming a dielectric structure below the surface of the semiconductor material, wherein forming the dielectric structure comprises forming the first opening and forming the dielectric material, wherein the dielectric structure extends to a distance below the lower boundary of the doped region and the dielectric structure surrounds the doped region, and wherein a dielectric constant of the dielectric structure is about 3.9 or lower.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unidirectional transistor is a field effect transistor (FET) having a gate, a source region, a drain region, and a channel region between the source region and drain region and under the gate and wherein forming the unidirectional transistor comprises forming the gate after forming the channel region.
7. A semiconductor structure, comprising:
a semiconductor material having a first opening formed therein;
a dielectric material disposed in the first opening;
a unidirectional transistor, wherein the unidirectional transistor comprises a shield layer over the semiconductor material and a control electrode of the unidirectional transistor disposed over the semiconductor material, wherein at least a portion of the shield layer is disposed between at least a portion of the control electrode and at least a portion of the semiconductor material; and
a first portion of the unidirectional transistor and a first portion of a bidirectional transistor being disposed in or over the semiconductor material, wherein the dielectric material is between a second portion of the unidirectional transistor and a second portion of the bidirectional transistor.
8. A semiconductor structure of claim 7 , further comprising a semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises the semiconductor material, wherein the semiconductor material comprises silicon, and wherein the dielectric material disposed in the first opening comprises a converted portion of the silicon to silicon dioxide via thermal oxidation.
9. A semiconductor structure of claim 7 , wherein the control electrode of the unidirectional transistor comprises a gate electrode of the unidirectional transistor and further comprising a gate electrode of the bidirectional transistor, wherein the first portion of the unidirectional transistor is the gate electrode of the unidirectional transistor and the first portion of the bidirectional transistor is the gate electrode of the bidirectional transistor, and wherein a gate length of the unidirectional transistor is less than a gate length of the bidirectional transistor.
10. A semiconductor structure of claim 7 , wherein the first opening extends from a surface of the semiconductor material to a distance of at least about one micron or greater below the surface of the semiconductor material, wherein a breakdown voltage of the unidirectional transistor is at least about ten volts or greater and a breakdown voltage of the bidirectional transistor is about six volts or less.
11. A semiconductor structure of claim 7 , wherein a first portion of the unidirectional transistor comprises a doped region in the semiconductor material and further comprising a dielectric structure disposed at least partially below the surface of the semiconductor material, wherein the dielectric structure extends to a distance below a lower boundary of the doped region and the dielectric structure surrounds the doped region, and wherein a dielectric constant of the dielectric structure is about 3.9 or lower.
12. A semiconductor structure of claim 7 , wherein the unidirectional transistor comprises a field effect transistor (FET) having a gate, a source region, a drain region, and a channel region disposed between the source region and drain region and under the gate.