IP Library Granted Patent US 9,893,177
Granted Patent B2
US 9,893,177 · App. 15/026,370 · Granted Feb 13, 2018

Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same

Inventor: Takeyoshi Masuda (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
H01L29/7813H01L21/049H01L21/3065H01L21/3083H01L29/0696H01L29/1608H01L29/4236H01L29/42368H01L29/66068
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,893,177
App. No.
15/026,370
Granted
Feb 13, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide semiconductor layer having a main surface, the main surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor layer being provided with a trench having a closed shape when seen in plan view, the trench including a bottom, a plurality of sidewalls continuous with the bottom, and a sidewall-connecting corner portion at a connection portion between two adjacent sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls, the silicon carbide semiconductor device further including a gate insulating film covering the bottom and the sidewalls of the trench, and a gate electrode provided on the gate insulating film, between the bottom and an upper end of the trench, the thickness of the gate insulating film at the sidewall-connecting corner portion of the trench being greater than the thickness of the gate insulating film at a portion other than the sidewall-connecting corner portion.

Claims (41)

1. A silicon carbide semiconductor device, comprising a silicon carbide semiconductor layer having a main surface,

the main surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor layer being provided with a trench having a closed shape when seen in plan view,

the trench including a bottom, a plurality of sidewalls continuous with the bottom, and a sidewall-connecting corner portion at a connection portion between two adjacent sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls,

the silicon carbide semiconductor device further comprising:

a gate insulating film covering the bottom and the sidewalls of the trench; and

a gate electrode provided on the gate insulating film,

the gate insulating film surrounding the gate electrode when seen in plan view, and

between the bottom and an upper end of the trench, the thickness of the gate insulating film at the sidewall-connecting corner portion of the trench being greater than the thickness of the gate insulating film at a portion other than the sidewall-connecting corner portion.

2. The silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

an upper end of the gate electrode is located below the upper end of the trench.

3. The silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the gate insulating film extends to cover an upper end corner portion which is a connection portion between the upper end of the trench and the main surface, and the thickness of a portion of the gate insulating film in contact with the upper end corner portion is smaller than the thickness of the gate insulating film at the center in a depth direction of the trench.

4. The silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the closed shape when seen in plan view of the trench is a hexagonal shape or quadrangular shape.

5. The silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 1 , comprising:

a gate wire electrically connected to the gate electrode;

an interlayer insulating film covering the gate wire;

a source region formed in a position adjacent to the trench in the silicon carbide semiconductor layer; and

a source wire provided on the interlayer insulating film and electrically connected to the source region.

6. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor layer having a main surface; and

forming a trench having a closed shape when seen in plan view in the main surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor layer,

the trench including a bottom, a plurality of sidewalls continuous with the bottom, and a sidewall-connecting corner portion at a connection portion between two adjacent sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls,

the method further comprising the steps of

forming a gate insulating film covering the bottom and the sidewalls of the trench, and

forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film,

the gate insulating film surrounding the gate electrode when seen in plan view, and

between the bottom and an upper end of the trench, the thickness of the gate insulating film at the sidewall-connecting corner portion of the trench being formed to be greater than the thickness of the gate insulating film at a portion other than the sidewall-connecting corner portion.

7. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

an upper end of the gate electrode is formed to be located below the upper end of the trench.

8. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

the gate insulating film extends to cover an upper end corner portion which is a connection portion between the upper end of the trench and the main surface, and the thickness of a portion of the gate insulating film in contact with the upper end corner portion is formed to be smaller than the thickness of the gate insulating film at the center in a depth direction of the trench.

9. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

the closed shape when seen in plan view of the trench is formed as a hexagonal shape or quadrangular shape.

10. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 6 , comprising the steps of:

forming a gate wire electrically connected to the gate electrode; and

forming an interlayer insulating film covering the gate wire, wherein

the silicon carbide semiconductor layer has a source region formed in a position adjacent to the trench, and

the method comprises the step of forming a source wire provided on the interlayer insulating film and electrically connected to the source region.

11. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein

in the step of forming a gate insulating film, the gate insulating film is formed by subjecting the silicon carbide semiconductor layer to heat treatment at a temperature of not less than 1250° C. in an atmosphere including oxygen.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jul 1, 2026
From: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
To: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 075871/0320 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2016
From: MASUDA, TAKEYOSHI
To: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 040031/0686 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-206600 · Oct 1, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160240656A1 · Aug 18, 2016