IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,557,333
Granted Patent B2
US 12,557,333 · App. 17/666,809 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Semiconductor power device and method of manufacturing the same

Inventors: Oliver Blank (Villach, AT); Adrian Finney (Villach, AT); Alessandro Ferrara (Landskron, AT); Franz Hirler (Isen, DE); Stefan Tegen (Dresden, DE)
Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
H10D30/668H10D30/0297H10D64/117
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,557,333
App. No.
17/666,809
Granted
Feb 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a power device, having a channel region, a gate region formed aside the channel region, for controlling a channel formation, a drift region formed vertically below the channel region, a field electrode formed in a field electrode trench extending vertically into the drift region, wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region, arranged vertically above the first section, the first and the second field electrode structure formed with a vertical overlap and adapted to balance a capacitive coupling between the first and the second field electrode structure and between the field electrode and the drift region.

Claims (82)

1 . A power device, comprising:

a channel region;

a gate region aside the channel region and configured to control a channel formation;

a drift region vertically below the channel region; and

a field electrode in a field electrode trench vertically extending into the drift region,

wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region arranged vertically above the first section,

wherein the first and the second field electrode structure are formed with a vertical overlap,

wherein an upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is arranged laterally outside a lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure, and

wherein a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure and the drift region is smaller than a dielectric thickness taken laterally between a coupling section of the first field electrode structure and the drift region.

2 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein in a vertical cross-section, an outer sidewall of the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is laterally offset outwards compared to an outer sidewall of a coupling section of the second field electrode structure, and wherein the coupling section of the second field electrode structure is formed on a larger vertical height than the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure.

3 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein in a vertical cross-section, an outer sidewall of the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is laterally offset outwards compared to an outer sidewall of the coupling section of the first field electrode structure, and wherein the coupling section of the first field electrode structure is formed on a smaller vertical height than the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure.

4 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure and the drift region is smaller than a dielectric thickness taken laterally between a coupling section of the second field electrode structure and the drift region.

5 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure and the drift region is smaller than a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure and the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure.

6 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein in the vertical cross-section, a vertical height of the coupling section of the first field electrode structure is larger than a lateral width of the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure, and wherein the coupling section of the first field electrode structure is formed on smaller vertical height than the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure.

7 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling section of the first field electrode structure is formed on a smaller vertical height than the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure, and wherein the coupling section of the first field electrode structure has a vertical height which is between 0.2 and 10 times a vertical height of the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure.

8 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure and the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure is smaller than a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the coupling section of the first field electrode structure and the drift region.

9 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein a coupling section of the second field electrode structure is formed on a larger vertical height than the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure, and wherein in the vertical cross-section, an outer wall face of the second field electrode structure extends obliquely between the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure and the coupling section of the second field electrode structure.

10 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein a coupling section of the second field electrode structure is formed on a larger vertical height than the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure, and wherein in the vertical cross-section, an outer wall face of the second field electrode structure extends with a step between the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure and the coupling section of the second field electrode structure.

11 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein a doping concentration in the drift region has a gradient in at least one of the first section of the drift region and the second section of the drift region.

12 . The power device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a dielectric layer arranged between the first and the second field electrode structure where the vertical overlap is formed; and

a field dielectric formed between the field electrode and the drift region,

wherein the dielectric layer is made of a dielectric material other than the field dielectric formed between the field electrode and the drift region.

13 . The power device of claim 1 , wherein a capacity value between the first and the second field electrode structure is set to a capacity value between the first field electrode structure and a drain region of the power device.

14 . The power device of claim 1 , further comprising a resistor connected in parallel with a capacitor formed by the first and the second field electrode structure.

15 . A power device, comprising:

a channel region;

a gate region aside the channel region and configured to control a channel formation;

a drift region vertically below the channel region; and

a field electrode in a field electrode trench vertically extending into the drift region,

wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region arranged vertically above the first section,

wherein the first and the second field electrode structure are formed with a vertical overlap,

wherein an upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is arranged laterally outside a lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure,

wherein in a vertical cross-section, an outer sidewall of the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is laterally offset outwards compared to an outer sidewall of a coupling section of the first field electrode structure, and

wherein the coupling section of the first field electrode structure is formed on a smaller vertical height than the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure.

16 . A power device, comprising:

a channel region;

a gate region aside the channel region and configured to control a channel formation;

a drift region vertically below the channel region; and

a field electrode in a field electrode trench vertically extending into the drift region,

wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region arranged vertically above the first section,

wherein the first and the second field electrode structure are formed with a vertical overlap,

wherein an upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is arranged laterally outside a lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure, and

wherein a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure and the drift region is smaller than a dielectric thickness taken laterally between the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure and the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure.

17 . A power device, comprising:

a channel region;

a gate region aside the channel region and configured to control a channel formation;

a drift region vertically below the channel region; and

a field electrode in a field electrode trench vertically extending into the drift region,

wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region arranged vertically above the first section,

wherein the first and the second field electrode structure are formed with a vertical overlap,

wherein an upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is arranged laterally outside a lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure,

wherein in a vertical cross-section, a vertical height of a coupling section of the first field electrode structure is larger than a lateral width of the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure, and

wherein the coupling section of the first field electrode structure is formed on smaller vertical height than the upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure.

18 . A power device, comprising:

a channel region;

a gate region aside the channel region and configured to control a channel formation;

a drift region vertically below the channel region; and

a field electrode in a field electrode trench vertically extending into the drift region,

wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region arranged vertically above the first section,

wherein the first and the second field electrode structure are formed with a vertical overlap,

wherein an upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is arranged laterally outside a lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure,

wherein a coupling section of the second field electrode structure is formed on a larger vertical height than the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure, and

wherein in a vertical cross-section, an outer wall face of the second field electrode structure extends obliquely between the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure and the coupling section of the second field electrode structure.

19 . A power device, comprising:

a channel region;

a gate region aside the channel region and configured to control a channel formation;

a drift region vertically below the channel region; and

a field electrode in a field electrode trench vertically extending into the drift region,

wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region arranged vertically above the first section,

wherein the first and the second field electrode structure are formed with a vertical overlap,

wherein an upper overlap section of the first field electrode structure is arranged laterally outside a lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure,

wherein a coupling section of the second field electrode structure is formed on a larger vertical height than the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure, and

wherein in a vertical cross-section, an outer wall face of the second field electrode structure extends with a step between the lower overlap section of the second field electrode structure and the coupling section of the second field electrode structure.

20 . A power device, comprising:

a channel region;

a gate region aside the channel region and configured to control a channel formation;

a drift region vertically below the channel region; and

a field electrode in a field electrode trench vertically extending into the drift region,

wherein the field electrode comprises a first and a second field electrode structure, the first field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a first section of the drift region and the second field electrode structure capacitively coupling to a second section of the drift region arranged vertically above the first section,

wherein the first and the second field electrode structure are formed with a vertical overlap,

wherein a doping concentration in the drift region has a gradient in each of the first section of the drift region and the second section of the drift region, wherein the doping concentration in each respective section of the drift region increases from an upper end of a respective section toward a lower end of the respective section, and wherein the doping concentration decreases from the lower end of the second section toward the upper end of the first section.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2022
From: FINNEY, ADRIAN; FERRARA, ALESSANDRO; HIRLER, FRANZ; BLANK, OLIVER; TEGEN, STEFAN
To: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
Reel/Frame 059710/0194 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 21157608 · Feb 17, 2021 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220262946A1 · Aug 18, 2022
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