Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Field effect device – Having insulated electrode
Patent
1996-03-27
1998-01-27
Thomas, Tom
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Field effect device
Having insulated electrode
257483, 257484, 257492, 257493, H01L 2976, H01L 27095, H01L 2358
Patent
active
057125023
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a semiconductor component.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A semiconductor component generally contains at least one active semiconductor area with one semiconductor region of n- or p-type conductivity as the drift region and two electrodes, associated with this drift region, for applying an operating voltage to the drift region, as well as generally further semiconductor regions for configuring component-specific semiconductor structures. With the component in a conductive state, the drift region carries the electrical current of charge carriers between the two electrodes. With the component in the blocked state, however, the drift region accommodates the depletion zone of a p-n junction or blocking metal/semiconductor contact (Schottky contact), constituted with the drift region, which forms as a result of the high (as compared with the conductive state) operating voltages that are then applied. The depletion zone is often referred to as the volume charge zone or blocking layer.
A distinction is made between unipolarly active and bipolarly active semiconductor areas. With unipolarly active semiconductor areas only one type of charge carriers, electrons or holes, defines operation; while with bipolarly active semiconductor areas both charge carrier types, i.e. electrons and holes, contribute to operation.
In the blocked state, comparatively high electric fields occur at the surface of the component. It must therefore be ensured that these electric fields at the surface transition in a stable fashion into the medium surrounding the component, with a maximum field strength that lies well below the breakdown field strength of the surrounding medium. The surrounding medium can be dielectric layers for isolation and/or passivation, or a surrounding gas, generally air. The problem of excessive field strengths at the surface of a component occurs in particular at high blocking voltages such as in the case of applications in power electronics, small dimensions with high field line curvatures, or high doping levels of semiconductor areas. To reduce field strengths at the surface of a component, a "junction termination" is used, which is produced in the surface of the component and surrounds the active area of the component. The function of a junction termination consists, in addition to electrical shielding of the active semiconductor area from the outside, in also reducing field line curvatures around the active semiconductor area in order to decrease excessive field strengths in the area near the surface inside the semiconductor component.
A variety of embodiments of junction terminations for p-n junctions in silicon-based high-voltage components are known from the book "Modern Power Devices" by B. J. Baliga, John Wiley and Sons (USA), 1987, pp. 79-129. P-n junctions of this kind are usually produced by diffusing a dopant into one surface of a silicon layer as the drift region, the diffused region being of the opposite conductivity type to the silicon layer. At the edge of the diffused region there occurs, because of the field line curvature and as a function of the depth of this region, an excessive field strength as compared to the planar p-n junction.
As is known, "floating field rings," which are produced annularly around the diffused region of the p-n junction in the silicon layer, also by diffusion, can be provided as the junction termination. These floating field rings are of the same conductivity type as the diffused region of the p-n junction, and are separated from one another by the oppositely doped silicon layer. One or more floating field rings can be provided.
A second method of obtaining a junction termination consists in taking away material, and therefore charges, around the edge of the p-n junction by mechanical removal or etching ("beveled-edge termination" or "etch contour terminations"). This produces mesa structures as the junction terminations.
A third known junction termination for a p-n junction is a "field plate." For this, an oxide lay
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Neues Aus Deer Technik, Nr. 6, Dec. 1981, Wurzberg De, p. 3 "PN-Ubergang Mit Schutzring".
Baliga et al., Modern Power Devices, 1987, pp. 79-129.
Appl. Phys Lett. vol. 59, No. 14, Sep. 30, 1991, S. 1770-1772.
Mitlehner Heinz
Stephani Dietrich
Weinert Ulrich
Abraham Fetsum
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Thomas Tom
LandOfFree
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