Radio frequency power MOSFET device having improved performance characteristics

• US 5,977,588 A
• Filed: 10/31/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Patel, Viren C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin-Wallace, Valencia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fenty, Jesse A.
• Application Number:
  US08/962,343
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 257/328, 257/327, 257/329
• US Class Current: 257/328
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/423 not carrying the current to be rectified, amplified or switched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4238 characterised by the surface lay-out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4983 with a lateral structure, e.g. a Polysilicon gate with a lateral doping variation or with a lateral composition variation or characterised by the sidewalls being composed of conductive, resistive or dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66712 Vertical DMOS transistors, i.e. VDMOS transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7802 Vertical DMOS transistors, i.e. VDMOS transistors

Abstract

A power MOSFET suitable for use in RF applications and a method for making the same is disclosed. The power MOSFET has an increased distance between gate and drain regions of the device in order to decrease the device gate to drain capacitance C_gd. The distance between the gate and drain regions is increased by selective doping of a polysilicon layer of the gate to produce at least two polysilicon gate regions separated by a region of undoped polysilicon that is positioned over a substantial portion of the drain region that resides between the channel portions of the body region of the device. The addition of a contact oxide layer formed directly above the region of undoped polysilicon further increases the distance between gate and drain. Finally, a metal layer is deposited over the entire structure to form the gate and source electrodes of the device.

Claims

1. A vertical MOSFET device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing major surfaces;

a drain region of first conductivity type disposed across the second surface and including an extended drain portion extending to the first surface;

a body region of second conductivity type extending into the substrate from the first surface and being bounded by the extended drain portion;

a source region of first conductivity type extending into the substrate from the first surface within the boundaries of the body region;

a channel portion, defined at the first surface by the source region and the extended drain portion;

a source electrode contacting the source and body regions on the first surface;

a drain electrode contacting the drain region on the second surface;

a polysilicon gate electrode disposed on the first surface over the channel portion and at least a portion of the extended drain portion adjacent the channel portion;

an undoped polysilicon region disposed on the first surface adjacent to the polysilicon gate electrode only over a substantial portion of the extended drain portion; and

a metal gate electrode disposed over the polysilicon gate electrode and the undoped polysilicon region in a manner to make electrical contact with the polysilicon gate electrode.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an oxide layer underlying the metal gate electrode directly over the undoped polysilicon region only.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an oxide layer underlying the polysilicon gate electrode and the undoped polysilicon region on the first surface.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising:

a source electrode disposed on the first surface adjacent to the oxide layer.

5. A vertical MOSFET device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing major surfaces;

a drain region of first conductivity type disposed across the second surface and including an extended drain portion extending to the first surface;

a body region of second conductivity type extending into the substrate from the first surface and being bounded by the extended drain portion;

a source region of first conductivity type extending into the substrate from the first surface within the boundaries of the body region;

a channel portion, defined at the first surface by the source region and the extended drain portion;

a source electrode contacting the source and body regions on the first surface;

a drain electrode contacting the drain region on the second surface;

a polysilicon gate electrode disposed on the first surface over the channel portion and at least a portion of the extended drain portion adjacent the channel portion;

an undoped polysilicon region disposed on the first surface adjacent to the polysilicon gate electrode only over a substantial portion of the extended drain portion;

a first oxide layer disposed over the undoped polysilicon region only; and

a metal gate electrode disposed over the polysilicon gate electrode and the first oxide layer in a manner to make electrical contact with the polysilicon gate electrode.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a second oxide layer underlying the polysilicon gate electrode and the undoped polysilicon region on the first surface.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

a source electrode disposed on the first surface adjacent to the second oxide layer.

8. A vertical MOSFET device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing major surfaces;

a drain region of first conductivity type disposed across the second surface and including an extended drain portion extending to the first surface;

a pair of body regions of second conductivity type extending into the substrate from the first surface, the body regions being spaced apart by the extended drain portion;

a pair of source regions of first conductivity type, each extending into the substrate from the first surface within the boundaries of a body region of the pair of body regions;

a pair of channel portions, defined at the first surface by the pair of source regions and the extended drain portion therebetween;

a source electrode contacting the source and body regions on the first surface;

a drain electrode contacting the drain region on the second surface;

a pair of polysilicon gate electrodes disposed on the first surface over the pair of channel portions and at least a portion of the extended drain portion adjacent the pair of channel portions;

an undoped polysilicon region disposed on the first surface only over a substantial portion of the extended drain portion and separating the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes; and

a metal gate electrode disposed over the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes and the undoped polysilicon region in a manner to make electrical contact with the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

an oxide layer underlying the metal gate electrode directly over the undoped polysilicon region only.

10. The device of claim 8, further comprising:

an oxide layer underlying the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes and the undoped polysilicon region on the first surface.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

a pair of source electrodes disposed on the first surface adjacent to the oxide layer.

12. A vertical MOSFET device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposing major surfaces;

a drain region of first conductivity type disposed across the second surface and including an extended drain portion extending to the first surface;

a pair of body regions of second conductivity type extending into the substrate from the first surface, the body regions being spaced apart by the extended drain portion;

a pair of source regions of first conductivity type, each extending into the substrate from the first surface within the boundaries of a body region of the pair of body regions;

a pair of channel portions, defined at the first surface by the pair of source regions and the extended drain portion therebetween;

a source electrode contacting the source and body regions on the first surface;

a drain electrode contacting the drain region on the second surface;

a pair of polysilicon gate electrodes disposed on the first surface over the pair of channel portions and at least a portion of the extended drain portion adjacent the pair of channel portions;

an undoped polysilicon region disposed on the first surface only over a substantial portion of the extended drain portion and separating the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes;

a first oxide layer disposed over the undoped polysilicon region only; and

a metal gate electrode disposed over the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes and the first oxide layer in a manner to make electrical contact with the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising:

a second oxide layer underlying the pair of polysilicon gate electrodes and the undoped polysilicon region on the first surface.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising:

a pair of source electrodes disposed on the first surface adjacent to the second oxide layer.