Power devices in wide bandgap semiconductor

Details Power devices in wide bandgap semiconductor Power devices in wide bandgap semiconductor

2000-04-12

2003-02-04

Lee, Eddie (Department: 2815)

Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode

Specified wide band gap semiconductor material other than...

Diamond or silicon carbide

C257S341000, C257S343000, C257S347000, C257S350000, C257S352000, C257S370000, C438S135000, C438S140000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06515302

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Patent Abstracts of Japan Publication No. 08213606 (published Aug. 20, 1996) describes a lateral high breakdown strength MOSFET having an n+ substrate. German publication No. 4325804 A1 describes a process for producing high-resistance SiC from low-resistance SiC starting material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,955 describes a high resistivity silicon carbide substrate for use in semiconductor devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,912 describes a lateral semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide devices which allow blocking of very high voltages without the need for a very thick drift region which must be grown by epitaxy.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lateral power device structure, such as a very high voltage (greater than 1000 v up to and greater than 10000 v) power switching device, fabricated on a junction-isolated or semi-insulating substrate in a wide bandgap semiconductor having a breakdown field substantially greater than silicon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such lateral power devices in the form of a lateral metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) or lateral insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) on silicon carbide.
Accordingly, one preferred embodiment of the invention provides a lateral power device structure fabricated in an epilayer (epitaxially-grown layer) on a semi-insulating substrate, especially a semi-insulating silicon carbide substrate. Such a semi-insulating substrate can be achieved, for instance, by doping, e.g., with vanadium or similar dopant materials. The preferred devices include a semi-insulating silicon carbide substrate, and an epitaxially grown drift region (e.g., N−) adjacent the semi-insulating substrate (e.g., doped at a level of about 2-5×10
15
cm
−3
). A lateral semiconductor device, e.g., an insulated gate field effect transistor (or MOSFET) or IGBT is provided in the epilayer. Such devices include generally source and drain regions (e.g., both N+), an insulating layer (e.g., SiO
2
), and a gate, e.g., formed of polysilicon. Other conventional semiconductor device features can also be included, as those skilled in the art will appreciate.
Additional objects, embodiments, and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, and the drawings appended hereto.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3845495 (1974-10-01), Cauge et al.
patent: 3846822 (1974-11-01), Riley et al.
patent: 3863330 (1975-02-01), Kraybill et al.
patent: 3883372 (1975-05-01), Lin
patent: 5378912 (1995-01-01), Pein
patent: 5611955 (1997-03-01), Barrett et al.
patent: 5712502 (1998-01-01), Mitlehner et al.
patent: 5828101 (1998-10-01), Endo
patent: 5877515 (1999-03-01), Ajit
patent: 6011278 (2000-01-01), Alok et al.
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 096, No. 012, Dec. 26, 1996 & JP 08 213606 A (Fuji Electric Co. Ltd.), Aug. 20, 1996.
IEEE Electron Device Letters, J. Spitz et al., 2.6 kV 4H-SiC Lateral DMOSFET's, vol. 19, No. 4, Apr. 1998, pp. 100-102.
D. Alok et al., “High voltage (450 V) 6H-SiC lateral MESFET structure”, Electronics Letters, vol. 32, No. 20, pp. 1929-1931, 1996.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Power devices in wide bandgap semiconductor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Power devices in wide bandgap semiconductor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Power devices in wide bandgap semiconductor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3155883