Schottky barrier rectifier with MOS trench

• US 5,365,102 A
• Filed: 07/06/1993
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: North Carolina State University (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: North Carolina State University (University of North Carolina System)
• Inventors: Mehrotra, Manoj, Baliga, Bantval J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Loke, Steven Ho Yin
• Application Number:
  US08/088,204
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 257/471, 257/475, 257/476, 257/480, 257/481, 257/482, 257/267, 257/264, 257/655, 257/656, 257/603
• US Class Current: 257/475
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/872 Schottky diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/8725 of the trench MOS barrier type [TMBS]

Abstract

A trench MOS Schottky barrier rectifier includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second faces, a cathode region of first conductivity type at the first face and a drift region of first conductivity type on the cathode region, extending to the second face. First and second trenches are formed in the drift region at the second face and define a mesa of first conductivity type therebetween. The mesa can be rectangular or circular in shape or of stripe geometry. Insulating regions are defined on the sidewalls of the trenches, adjacent the mesa, and an anode electrode is formed on the insulating regions, and on the top of the mesa at the second face. The anode electrode forms a Schottky rectifying contact with the mesa. The magnitude of reverse-biased leakage currents in the mesa and the susceptibility to reverse breakdown are limited not only by the potential barrier formed by the rectifying contact but also by the potential difference between the mesa and the portion of anode electrode extending along the insulating regions. Moreover, by properly choosing the width of the mesa, and by doping the mesa to a concentration greater than about 1×10¹⁶ per cubic centimeters, reverse blocking voltages greater than those of a corresponding parallel-plane P-N junction rectifier can be achieved.

Claims

1. A semiconductor rectifier comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing faces, said substrate having a cathode region of first conductivity type extending to said first face and a drift region of said first conductivity type extending to said second face, said drift region having a predetermined drift region doping concentration;

a cathode electrode on said first face, ohmically contacting said cathode region;

an anode electrode on said second face, said anode electrode forming a Schottky rectifying junction with said drift region at said second face; and

means, in said drift region, for increasing the reverse blocking voltage of said Schottky rectifying junction above the reverse blocking voltage of an ideal parallel-plane abrupt P-N junction

2. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 1, wherein said means for increasing the reverse blocking voltage of the Schottky rectifying junction comprises:

a first trench in said drift region at said second face, said first trench having a first sidewall; and

a second trench in said drift region adjacent said first trench, said second trench having a second sidewall, adjacent said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a mesa in said drift region, having a predetermined mesa width from said first sidewall to said second sidewall;

wherein said predetermined drift region doping concentration is greater than 1×

10¹⁶ dopants per cubic centimeter; and

wherein the product of said predetermined drift region doping concentration and said predetermined mesa width is less than or equal to 5×

10¹² per square centimeter.

3. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 2, wherein said cathode region has a predetermined cathode region doping concentration and wherein said drift region doping concentration is less than said cathode region doping concentration.

4. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 1, wherein said means for increasing the reverse blocking voltage of said Schottky rectifying junction comprises:

a first trench in said drift region at said second face, said first trench having a first sidewall; and

a second trench in said drift region adjacent said first trench, said second trench having a second sidewall, adjacent said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a mesa in said drift region; and

wherein said predetermined drift region doping concentration is greater than 1×

10¹⁶ dopants per cubic centimeter.

5. A semiconductor rectifier comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing faces, said substrate having a cathode region of first conductivity type extending to said first face and a drift region of said first conductivity type extending to said second face;

a cathode electrode on said first face, ohmically contacting said cathode region;

a first trench in said drift region at said second face, said first trench having a first sidewall in said drift region;

a second trench in said drift region adjacent said first trench, said second trench having a second sidewall in said drift region, adjacent said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a mesa in said drift region, having a predetermined mesa width from said first sidewall to said second sidewall and having a predetermined mesa doping concentration;

first and second insulating regions on said first sidewall and said second sidewall, respectively; and

an anode electrode on said second face and on said first and said second insulating regions, said anode electrode forming a rectifying contact with said mesa at said second face;

wherein said predetermined mesa doping concentration is greater than 1×

10¹⁶ dopants per cubic centimeter; and

wherein the product of said predetermined mesa doping concentration and said predetermined mesa width is less than or equal to 5×

10¹² per square centimeter.

6. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 5, wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises silicon and wherein said first insulating region and said second insulating region comprise silicon dioxide.

7. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 6, wherein said first sidewall extends parallel to said second sidewall.

8. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 7, wherein said first trench has a first width equal to said predetermined mesa width and wherein said second trench has a second width equal to said predetermined mesa width.

9. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 6, wherein the distance between the center of said first trench and said second trench is twice said predetermined mesa width.

10. A semiconductor rectifier comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing faces, said substrate having a cathode region of first conductivity type extending to said first face;

a cathode electrode on said first face, ohmically contacting said cathode region;

a first trench in said substrate at said second face, said first trench having a first sidewall in said substrate;

a second trench in said substrate adjacent said first trench, said second trench having a second sidewall in said substrate, adjacent said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a mesa in said substrate, said mesa extending to said second face and having a predetermined mesa width from said first sidewall to said second sidewall;

a drift region of said first conductivity type in said substrate, extending between said cathode region and said second face and between said first and said second sidewalls, said drift region having a predetermined drift region doping concentration;

first and second insulating regions on said first sidewall and said second sidewall, respectively; and

an anode electrode on said second face and on said first and said second insulating regions, said anode electrode forming a rectifying contact with said mesa at said second face;

wherein said predetermined drift region doping concentration is greater than 1×

10¹⁶ dopants per cubic centimeter; and

wherein the product of said predetermined drift region doping concentration and said predetermined mesa width is less than or equal to 5×

10¹² per square centimeter.

11. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 10, wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises silicon and wherein said first insulating region and said second insulating region comprise silicon dioxide.

12. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 11, wherein said first sidewall extends parallel to said second sidewall.

13. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 12, wherein said first trench has a first width equal to said predetermined mesa width and wherein said second trench has a second width equal to said predetermined mesa width.

14. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 11, wherein said cathode region has a predetermined cathode region doping concentration and wherein said drift region doping concentration is less than said cathode region doping concentration.

15. A semiconductor rectifier comprising:

a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity type having first and second opposing faces;

a first trench in said substrate at said second face, said first trench having a first sidewall;

a second trench in said substrate adjacent said first trench, said second trench having a second sidewall, adjacent said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a mesa having a predetermined mesa width from said first sidewall to said second sidewall and having a predetermined mesa doping concentration;

first and second insulating regions on said first sidewall and said second sidewall, respectively; and

an anode electrode on said second face and on said first and said second insulating regions, said anode electrode forming a rectifying contact with said mesa at said second face;

wherein said predetermined mesa doping concentration is greater than 1×

10¹⁶ dopants per cubic centimeter; and

wherein the product of said predetermined mesa doping concentration and said predetermined mesa width is less than or equal to 5×

10¹² per square centimeter.

16. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 15 wherein said semiconductor substrate comprises silicon and wherein said first insulating region and said second insulating region comprise silicon dioxide.

17. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 16, wherein said first sidewall extends parallel to said second sidewall.

18. The semiconductor rectifier of claim 17, wherein said first trench has a first width equal to said predetermined mesa width and wherein said second trench has a second width equal to said predetermined mesa width.