IP Library Granted Patent US 12,255,253
Granted Patent B2
US 12,255,253 · App. 17/691,008 · Granted Mar 18, 2025

Semiconductor device

Inventors: Takahiro Ogata (Himeji Hyogo, JP); Teruyuki Ohashi (Kawasaki Kanagawa, JP); Hiroshi Kono (Himeji Hyogo, JP)
Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
H01L29/7805H01L29/1608H01L29/7811
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,255,253
App. No.
17/691,008
Granted
Mar 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device of embodiments includes: an element region including a transistor and a first diode; a termination region surrounding the element region and including a second diode; and an intermediate region between the element region and the termination region. The element region includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a gate electrode, a silicon carbide layer, and a gate insulating layer. The termination region includes a first wiring layer electrically connected to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the silicon carbide layer. The intermediate region includes a gate electrode pad, a first connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and a part of the first wiring layer, a second connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and another part of the first wiring layer, a second wiring layer electrically connected to the gate electrode pad and the gate electrode, and the silicon carbide layer.

Claims (100)

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an element region including a transistor and a first diode;

a termination region surrounding the element region and including a second diode; and

an intermediate region provided between the element region and the termination region,

wherein the element region includes:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a gate electrode;

a silicon carbide layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, having a first face on a side of the first electrode and a second face on a side of the second electrode, and including:

a first silicon carbide region of a first conductive type including a first region and a second region, the first region being in contact with the first face and facing the gate electrode, and the second region being in contact with the first face and in contact with the first electrode;

a second silicon carbide region of a second conductive type provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face, the second silicon carbide region being adjacent to the first region, the second silicon carbide region facing the gate electrode, and the second silicon carbide region electrically connected to the first electrode; and

a third silicon carbide region of a first conductive type provided between the second silicon carbide region and the first face and electrically connected to the first electrode; and

a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the second silicon carbide region and between the gate electrode and the first region,

the termination region includes:

a first wiring layer electrically connected to the first electrode, the first wiring layer including a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion, the first portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction parallel to the first face, the second direction being parallel to the first face, the second portion extending in the second direction, the third portion extending in the first direction, the fourth portion extending in the first direction, the first electrode being interposed between the first portion and the second portion and between the third portion and the fourth portion;

the second electrode; and

the silicon carbide layer including the first silicon carbide region and a fourth silicon carbide region of a second conductive type, the first silicon carbide region including a third region, the third region being in contact with the first face and in contact with the first wiring layer, the fourth silicon carbide region provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face and electrically connected to the first wiring layer, and

the intermediate region includes:

a gate electrode pad;

a second wiring layer electrically connected to the gate electrode pad and the gate electrode and including a first line and a second line, the first line extending in the second direction and provided between the first portion and the first electrode, and the second line extending in the second direction and provided between the second portion and the first electrode;

the second electrode;

a first connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and the fourth portion to each other; and

a second connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and the third portion to each other,

wherein the intermediate region further includes a gate wiring layer provided between the second connection layer and the silicon carbide layer, the gate wiring layer electrically connected to the gate electrode pad and the first line.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the transistor includes the gate electrode, the gate insulating layer, the first region, the second silicon carbide region, and the third silicon carbide region,

the first diode includes the first electrode and the second region, and

the second diode includes the first wiring layer and the third region.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the intermediate region does not include the transistor, the first diode, and the second diode.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the silicon carbide layer in the intermediate region includes the first silicon carbide region and a fifth silicon carbide region of a second conductive type provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the intermediate region further includes a third connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and the first portion to each other.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first electrode, the first wiring layer, the first connection layer, the second connection layer, the gate electrode pad, and the second wiring layer contain a same material.

7. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an element region including a transistor and a first diode;

a termination region surrounding the element region and including a second diode; and

an intermediate region provided between the element region and the termination region,

wherein the element region includes:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a gate electrode;

a silicon carbide layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, having a first face on a side of the first electrode and a second face on a side of the second electrode, and including:

a first silicon carbide region of a first conductive type including a first region and a second region, the first region being in contact with the first face and facing the gate electrode, and the second region being in contact with the first face and in contact with the first electrode;

a second silicon carbide region of a second conductive type provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face, the second silicon carbide region being adjacent to the first region, the second silicon carbide region facing the gate electrode, and the second silicon carbide region electrically connected to the first electrode; and

a third silicon carbide region of a first conductive type provided between the second silicon carbide region and the first face and electrically connected to the first electrode; and

a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the second silicon carbide region and between the gate electrode and the first region,

the termination region includes:

a first wiring layer electrically connected to the first electrode, the first wiring layer including a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion, the first portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction parallel to the first face, the second direction being parallel to the first face, the second portion extending in the second direction, the third portion extending in the first direction, the fourth portion extending in the first direction, the first electrode being interposed between the first portion and the second portion and between the third portion and the fourth portion;

the second electrode; and

the silicon carbide layer including the first silicon carbide region and a fourth silicon carbide region of a second conductive type, the first silicon carbide region including a third region, the third region being in contact with the first face and in contact with the first wiring layer, the fourth silicon carbide region provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face and electrically connected to the first wiring layer, and

the intermediate region includes:

a gate electrode pad;

a second wiring layer electrically connected to the gate electrode pad and the gate electrode and including a first line and a second line, the first line extending in the second direction and provided between the first portion and the first electrode, and the second line extending in the second direction and provided between the second portion and the first electrode;

the second electrode;

a first connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and the fourth portion to each other; and

a second connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and the third portion to each other,

wherein the second wiring layer is provided between the second connection layer and the silicon carbide layer.

8. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an element region including a transistor and a first diode;

a termination region surrounding the element region and including a second diode; and

an intermediate region provided between the element region and the termination region,

wherein the element region includes:

a first electrode;

a second electrode;

a gate electrode extending in a first direction;

a silicon carbide layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, having a first face on a side of the first electrode and parallel to the first direction and a second face on a side of the second electrode, and including:

a first silicon carbide region of a first conductive type including a first region and a second region, the first region being in contact with the first face and facing the gate electrode, the second region in contact with the first face and in contact with the first electrode;

a second silicon carbide region of a second conductive type provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face, the second silicon carbide region being adjacent to the first region, the second silicon carbide region facing the gate electrode, and the second silicon carbide region being electrically connected to the first electrode; and

a third silicon carbide region of a first conductive type provided between the second silicon carbide region and the first face and electrically connected to the first electrode; and

a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the second silicon carbide region and between the gate electrode and the first region,

the termination region includes:

the first electrode;

the second electrode; and

the silicon carbide layer including the first silicon carbide region and a fourth silicon carbide region of a second conductive type, the first silicon carbide region including a third region, the third region being in contact with the first face and in contact with the first electrode, the fourth silicon carbide region provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face and electrically connected to the first electrode,

the intermediate region includes:

a gate electrode pad;

the first electrode;

the second electrode;

the silicon carbide layer; and

a gate wiring layer provided between the first electrode and the silicon carbide layer, the gate wiring layer electrically connected to the gate electrode pad and the gate electrode, and the gate wiring layer including a first gate line extending in a second direction parallel to the first face and perpendicular to the first direction and a second gate line extending in the second direction, the gate electrode being interposed between the first gate line and the second gate line, and

an electrical resistance per unit length of the first gate line in the second direction is lower than an electrical resistance per unit length of the gate electrode in the first direction,

wherein in a first cross-section perpendicular to the first face and the first direction, the first electrode in the element region, the first electrode in the intermediate region, and the first electrode in the termination region are physically connected in the second direction, and

in a second cross-section perpendicular to the first face and the second direction, the first electrode in the element region, the first electrode in the intermediate region, and the first electrode in the termination region are physically connected in the first direction.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the transistor includes the gate electrode, the gate insulating layer, the first region, the second silicon carbide region, and the third silicon carbide region,

the first diode includes the first electrode and the second region, and

the second diode includes the first electrode and the third region.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the intermediate region does not include the transistor, the first diode, and the second diode.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the silicon carbide layer in the intermediate region includes the first silicon carbide region and a fifth silicon carbide region of a second conductive type provided between the first silicon carbide region and the first face.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein a width of the first gate line in the first direction is equal to or more than 20 times and equal to or less than 100 times a width of the gate electrode in the second direction.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein a sheet resistance of the first gate line is lower than a sheet resistance of the gate electrode.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the first gate line is polycrystalline silicon containing n-type impurities, and the gate electrode is polycrystalline silicon containing p-type impurities.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2025
From: OGATA, TAKAHIRO; OHASHI, TERUYUKI; KONO, HIROSHI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 070168/0165 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2024
From: OGATA, TAKAHIRO; OHASHI, TERUYUKI; KONO, HIROSHI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA AND TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069311/0001 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230092171A1 · Mar 23, 2023
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