SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING SWITCHING ELEMENT AND FREE WHEEL DIODE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A semiconductor device comprising:
- a semiconductor switching element with an insulated gate structure; and
a free wheel diode,wherein the semiconductor switching element includes;
a drift layer having a first conductivity type;
a base region having a second conductivity type and arranged on the drift layer;
an element-side first impurity region having the first conductivity type, arranged in a surface part of the base region, separated from the drift layer by the base region therebetween, and having an impurity concentration higher than the drift layer;
an element-side gate electrode disposed in the base region sandwiched between the first impurity region and the drift layer through a gate insulating film;
a second impurity region having the first or second conductivity type, contacting the drift layer, having an impurity concentration higher than the drift layer, and separated from the base region;
an element-side first electrode electrically coupled with the element-side first impurity region and the base region; and
an element-side second electrode electrically coupled with the second impurity region,wherein the semiconductor switching element provides an inversion channel in a portion of the base region opposite to the element-side gate electrode via the gate insulating film therebetween,wherein the semiconductor switching element provides a current flowing between the element-side first electrode and the element-side second electrode through the channel,wherein the free wheel diode includes;
a first conductivity type layer;
a second conductivity type layer arranged on the first conductivity type layer;
a diode-side first electrode coupled to the second conductivity type layer; and
a diode-side second electrode coupled to the first conductivity type layer,wherein the free wheel diode provides a p-n junction including the first conductivity type layer and the second conductivity type layer,wherein the free wheel diode provides a current flowing between the diode-side first electrode and the diode-side second electrode,wherein the semiconductor switching element and the free wheel diode are coupled in parallel with each other,wherein the free wheel diode further includes;
a diode-side first impurity region having the first conductivity type, arranged in a surface part of the second conductivity type layer, and having an impurity concentration higher than the first conductivity type layer; and
a diode-side gate electrode arranged in the second conductivity type layer sandwiched between the first impurity region and the first conductivity type layer through a gate insulating film,wherein the diode-side gate electrode includes a first gate electrode,wherein the first gate electrode provides an excess carrier injection suppression gate,wherein, when a gate voltage is applied to the diode-side gate electrode, the first gate electrode provides the channel in a part of the second conductivity type layer, andwherein the part of the second conductivity type layer is arranged between the diode-side first impurity region and a predetermined position, which is disposed between the diode-side first impurity region and the first conductivity type layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor device includes a switching element having: a drift layer; a base region; an element-side first impurity region in the base region; an element-side gate electrode sandwiched between the first impurity region and the drift layer; a second impurity region contacting the drift layer; an element-side first electrode coupled with the element-side first impurity region and the base region; and an element-side second electrode coupled with the second impurity region, and a FWD having: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; a diode-side first electrode coupled to the second conductive layer; a diode-side second electrode coupled to the first conductive layer; a diode-side first impurity region in the second conductive layer; and a diode-side gate electrode in the second conductive layer sandwiched between first impurity region and the first conductive layer and having a first gate electrode as an excess carrier injection suppression gate.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a semiconductor switching element with an insulated gate structure; and a free wheel diode, wherein the semiconductor switching element includes; a drift layer having a first conductivity type; a base region having a second conductivity type and arranged on the drift layer; an element-side first impurity region having the first conductivity type, arranged in a surface part of the base region, separated from the drift layer by the base region therebetween, and having an impurity concentration higher than the drift layer; an element-side gate electrode disposed in the base region sandwiched between the first impurity region and the drift layer through a gate insulating film; a second impurity region having the first or second conductivity type, contacting the drift layer, having an impurity concentration higher than the drift layer, and separated from the base region; an element-side first electrode electrically coupled with the element-side first impurity region and the base region; and an element-side second electrode electrically coupled with the second impurity region, wherein the semiconductor switching element provides an inversion channel in a portion of the base region opposite to the element-side gate electrode via the gate insulating film therebetween, wherein the semiconductor switching element provides a current flowing between the element-side first electrode and the element-side second electrode through the channel, wherein the free wheel diode includes; a first conductivity type layer; a second conductivity type layer arranged on the first conductivity type layer; a diode-side first electrode coupled to the second conductivity type layer; and a diode-side second electrode coupled to the first conductivity type layer, wherein the free wheel diode provides a p-n junction including the first conductivity type layer and the second conductivity type layer, wherein the free wheel diode provides a current flowing between the diode-side first electrode and the diode-side second electrode, wherein the semiconductor switching element and the free wheel diode are coupled in parallel with each other, wherein the free wheel diode further includes; a diode-side first impurity region having the first conductivity type, arranged in a surface part of the second conductivity type layer, and having an impurity concentration higher than the first conductivity type layer; and a diode-side gate electrode arranged in the second conductivity type layer sandwiched between the first impurity region and the first conductivity type layer through a gate insulating film, wherein the diode-side gate electrode includes a first gate electrode, wherein the first gate electrode provides an excess carrier injection suppression gate, wherein, when a gate voltage is applied to the diode-side gate electrode, the first gate electrode provides the channel in a part of the second conductivity type layer, and wherein the part of the second conductivity type layer is arranged between the diode-side first impurity region and a predetermined position, which is disposed between the diode-side first impurity region and the first conductivity type layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A semiconductor device comprising:
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a first conductivity type semiconductor layer; a drift layer having the first conductivity type, arranged on the semiconductor layer, and having an impurity concentration lower than the semiconductor layer; a base region having a second conductivity type, arranged on the drift layer opposite to the semiconductor layer; a first conductivity type impurity region arranged on the base region, and having an impurity concentration higher than the drift layer; a second conductivity type impurity layer arranged at a position deeper than the base region, and contacting the base region; a trench arranged on a surface of the base region, wherein the trench extends in a longitudinal direction, and the first conductivity type impurity region and the base region are arranged on both sides of the trench; a gate insulating film arranged on a surface of the trench; a gate electrode arranged in the trench through the gate insulating film; a front surface electrode electrically coupled to the first conductivity type impurity region and the base region; and a back surface electrode arranged on a back surface of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer opposite to the drift layer, wherein, when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode, an inversion layer is generated in a surface portion of the base region located on a side of the trench, wherein a current flows between the front surface electrode and the back surface electrode through the first conductivity type impurity region, the inversion layer, and the drift layer so that an inverting vertical semiconductor switching element is provided, wherein a p-n junction is provided between the base region and the drift layer so that a free wheel diode having a diode operation is provided, wherein the semiconductor switching element and the free wheel diode are arranged in one chip, wherein the trench includes a first trench and a second trench, wherein the first trench is deeper than the base region and reaches the drift layer, wherein the second trench has a same depth as the first trench, reaches the second conductivity type impurity layer and is shallower than a bottom portion of the second conductivity type impurity layer, wherein the gate electrode includes a driving gate electrode for driving the vertical semiconductor switching element and a diode gate electrode for generating an inversion layer in the base region at a position where the free wheel diode is arranged, wherein the driving gate electrode is arranged in the first trench, and wherein the diode gate electrode is arranged in the second trench. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification