Power transistor

• US 7,091,573 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Hirler, Franz, Rieger, Walter, Tihanyi, Jenoe, Poelzl, Martin, Krumrey, Joachim, Henninger, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, Howard
• Application Number:
  US10/666,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20040089910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 257500- 2, 257/501, 257/502, 257/330
• US Class Current: 257/500
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/407 Recessed field plates, e.g. trench field plates, buried field plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42376 characterised by the length or the sectional shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7813 with trench gate electrode, e.g. UMOS transistors trench gate electrodes per se H01L29/4236

Abstract

The power transistor has a trench cell in a semiconductor body. A lower edge of the gate electrode has a profile which is not horizontal, i.e., not planar with respect to the field electrode.

Claims

1. A power transistor having at least one trench transistor cell in a semiconductor body, comprising:

a drain zone, a drift zone, a channel zone, and a source zone formed in each case successively and substantially horizontally in the semiconductor body;

the semiconductor body having a trench formed therein with a base and a defined body height opposite a pn junction between said drift zone and said channel zone;

a first dielectric layer cladding said trench substantially to said body height, and a gate oxide cladding said trench between said body zone and a semiconductor body surface; and

a field electrode extending in said trench substantially from said trench base to an upper edge of said first dielectric layer, said field electrode being connected to be at a fixed potential or at a source potential;

a gate electrode disposed substantially between said body height and the semiconductor body surface, said gate electrode being electrically insulated from the semiconductor body by said gate oxide and having a lower edge with a profile, said profile having a horseshoe shape with two jaws projecting at edges thereof and a center between said jaws having an inward bulge in which said field electrode enters beyond said pn junction; and

a second dielectric layer formed between said gate electrode and said field electrode.

2. The power transistor according to claim 1, wherein said field electrode overlaps said gate electrode.

3. The power transistor according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said field electrode and said gate electrode intersects and/or passes through a plane defined by said pn junction between said drift zone and said channel zone.

4. A power transistor having at least one trench transistor cell in a semiconductor body, comprising:

a drain zone, a drift zone, a channel zone, and a source zone formed in each case successively and substantially horizontally in the semiconductor body;

the semiconductor body having a trench formed therein with a base and a defined body height opposite a pn junction between said drift zone and said channel zone;

a first dielectric layer cladding said trench substantially to said body height, and a gate oxide cladding said trench between said body zone and a semiconductor body surface; and

a field electrode extending in said trench substantially from said trench base to an upper edge of said first dielectric layer, said field electrode being connected to be at a fixed potential or at a source potential;

a gate electrode disposed substantially between said body height and the semiconductor body surface, said gate electrode being electrically insulated from the semiconductor body by said gate oxide and having a lower edge with a profile, said profile being at least partly obliquely angled relative to the semiconductor body surface, and said lower edge being provided above a top surface of said field electrode; and

a second dielectric layer formed between said gate electrode and said field electrode.

5. The power transistor according to claim 4, wherein at least one of said field electrode and said gate electrode intersects and/or passes through a plane defined by said pn junction between said drift zone and said channel zone.

6. A power transistor having at least one trench transistor cell in a semiconductor body, comprising:

a drain zone, a drift zone, a channel zone, and a source zone formed in each case successively and substantially horizontally in the semiconductor body;

the semiconductor body having a trench formed therein with a base and a defined body height opposite a pn junction between said drift zone and said channel zone;

a first dielectric layer cladding said trench substantially to said body height, and a gate oxide cladding said trench between said body zone and a semiconductor body surface; and

a field electrode extending in said trench substantially from said trench base to an upper edge of said first dielectric layer, said field electrode being connected to be at a fixed potential or at a source potential;

a gate electrode disposed substantially between said body height and the semiconductor body surface, said gate electrode being electrically insulated from the semiconductor body by said gate oxide and having a lower edge with a profile, said profile having a horseshoe shape with two jaws projecting at edges thereof and a center between said jaws having an inward bulge in which said field electrode enters, outer edges of said jaws being at least partly obliquely angled relative to the semiconductor body surface; and

a second dielectric layer formed between said gate electrode and said field electrode.

7. The power transistor according to claim 6, wherein said field electrode overlaps said gate electrode.

8. The power transistor according to claim 6, wherein at least one of said field electrode and said gate electrode intersects and/or passes through a plane defined by said pn junction between said drift zone and said channel zone.