Superjunction semiconductor device

• US 20050116313A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fairchild Korea Semiconductor Limited (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Jae-gil, Jang, Ho-cheol, Jung, Jin-young
• Granted Patent: US 7,301,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/500
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0634 Multiple reduced surface field (multi-RESURF) structures, e.g. double RESURF, charge compensation, cool, superjunction (SJ), 3D-RESURF, composite buffer (CB) structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7802 Vertical DMOS transistors, i.e. VDMOS transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7811 with an edge termination structure guard regions per se H01L29/0619; field plates per se H01L29/402

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a superjunction semiconductor device includes an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region. A central vertical axis of a boundary column of a second conductivity type material defines the boundary between the active region and the termination region. The active and termination regions include columns of first and second conductivity type material alternately arranged along a horizontal direction in a semiconductor region having top and bottom surfaces. At least one of the columns of the first conductivity type material in the termination region has a different width than a width of the columns of the first conductivity type material in the active region.

Claims

1. A superjunction semiconductor device having an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region, a central vertical axis of a boundary column of a second conductivity type material defining the boundary between the active region and the termination region, wherein the active region and the termination region include columns of first conductivity type material and columns of second conductivity type material alternately arranged on both sides of the boundary column in a semiconductor region having top and bottom surfaces,

wherein a difference between a first conductivity type charge quantity within a first column of the first conductivity type material in the termination region adjoining the boundary column and a second conductivity type charge quantity in one half of the boundary column and one half of a second column of the second conductivity type material in the termination region adjoining the first column is less than the difference between a first conductivity type charge quantity within a third column of the first conductivity type material in the active region adjoining the boundary column and a second conductivity type charge quantity in one half of the boundary column and one half of a fourth column of the second conductivity type material in the active region adjoining the third column.

2. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the active region further comprises a plurality of planar-gate structures formed along the top surface of the semiconductor region.

3. A superjunction semiconductor device having an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region, a central vertical axis of a boundary column of a second conductivity type material defining the boundary between the active region and the termination region, the active and termination regions including columns of first and second conductivity type material alternately arranged along a horizontal direction in a semiconductor region having top and bottom surfaces,

wherein a spacing between the central vertical axis of the boundary column and a central vertical axis of a first column of the second conductivity type material in the termination region located closest to the boundary column is less than the spacing between the central vertical axis of the boundary column and a central vertical axis of a second column of the second conductivity type material in the active region located closest to the boundary column.

4. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the width of a third column of the first conductivity type material in the active region is greater than the sum of one-half the width of a fourth column of the second conductivity type material adjoining one side of the third column and one-half the width of a fifth column of the second conductivity type material adjoining the opposite side of the third column.

5. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the spacing between the central vertical axes of adjacent columns of the second conductivity type material in the termination region varies along a horizontal direction.

6. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the spacing between the central vertical axes of adjacent ones of at least three columns of the second conductivity type material in the termination region becomes progressively greater in a direction away from the active region.

7. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 3, wherein the first conductivity type is n-type, and the second conductivity type is p-type.

8. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 3 wherein the active region further comprises a plurality of planar-gate structures formed along the top surface of the semiconductor region.

9. A superjunction semiconductor device having an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region, a central vertical axis of a boundary column of a second conductivity type material defining the boundary between the active region and the termination region, the active and termination regions including columns of first and second conductivity type material alternately arranged along a horizontal direction in a semiconductor region having top and bottom surfaces,

wherein the spacing between the central vertical axes of the boundary column and a first column of the second conductivity type material in the termination region placed closest to the boundary column is equal to the spacing between the central vertical axes of the boundary column and a second column of the second conductivity type material in the active region placed closest to the boundary column, and the width of the first column is greater than the width of the second column.

10. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the width of a third column of the first conductivity type material in the active region is greater than the sum of one-half the width of a fourth column of the second conductivity type material adjoining one side of the third column and one-half the width of a fifth column of the second conductivity type material adjoining the opposite side of the third column.

11. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the spacing between the central vertical axes of adjacent columns of the second conductivity type material in the termination region varies along a horizontal direction.

12. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the spacing between the central vertical axes of adjacent ones of at least three columns of the second conductivity type material in the termination region becomes progressively greater in a direction away from the active region.

13. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 9, wherein the first conductivity type is n-type, and the second conductivity type is p-type.

14. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein the active region further comprises a plurality of planar-gate structures formed along the top surface of the semiconductor region.

15. A superjunction semiconductor device having an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region, a central vertical axis of a boundary column of a second conductivity type material defining the boundary between the active region and the termination region, the active and termination regions including columns of first and second conductivity type material alternately arranged along a horizontal direction in a semiconductor region having top and bottom surfaces,

wherein the spacing between the central vertical axes of adjacent columns of the second conductivity type material in the termination region becomes progressively greater in a direction away from the active region along a horizontal direction.

16. The superjunction semiconductor device of claim 15 wherein the active region further comprises a plurality of planar-gate structures formed along the top surface of the semiconductor region.

17. A superjunction semiconductor device having an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region, a central vertical axis of a boundary column of a second conductivity type material defining the boundary between the active region and the termination region, the active and termination regions including columns of first and second conductivity type material alternately arranged in a semiconductor region,

wherein at least one of the columns of the first conductivity type material in the termination region has a different width than a width of the columns of the first conductivity type material in the active region.

18. A superjunction semiconductor device having an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region, a central vertical axis of a boundary column of a second conductivity type material defining the boundary between the active region and the termination region, the active and termination regions including columns of first and second conductivity type material alternately arranged in a semiconductor region,

wherein at least one of the columns of the second conductivity type material in the termination region has a different width than a width of the columns of the second conductivity type material in the active region.