Transistor structure with feed-through source-to-substrate contact

• US 8,604,525 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vishay Siliconix
• Original Assignee: Vishay Siliconix
• Inventors: Terrill, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Calvin
• Application Number:
  US12/917,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20110266620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 257/288, 257/327, 257/341, 257/343, 257/271, 438/218, 438/570
• US Class Current: 257/271
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/743 Making of internal connections, substrate contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/402 Field plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4175 for lateral devices where the connection to the source or drain region is done through at least one part of the semiconductor substrate thickness, e.g. with connecting sink or with via-hole
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/456 on silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/4933 with a silicide layer contacting the silicon layer, e.g. Polycide gate with a barrier layer between the silicide and silicon layers H01L29/4941
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66636 with source or drain recessed by etching or first recessed by etching and then refilled
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66659 with asymmetry in the channel direction, e.g. lateral high-voltage MISFETs with drain offset region, extended drain MISFETs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66696 with a step of recessing the source electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66704 with a step of recessing the gate electrode, e.g. to form a trench gate electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7825 with trench gate electrode trench gate electrodes per se H01L29/4236
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7835 with asymmetrical source and drain regions, e.g. lateral high-voltage MISFETs with drain offset region, extended drain MISFETs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7836 with a significant overlap between the lightly doped extension and the gate electrode H01L29/7834, H01L29/7835 take precedence

Abstract

An LDMOS (laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor) structure connects the source to a substrate and also the gate shield while utilizing a reduced area for such contacts. The structure includes an electrically conductive substrate layer, a source, and a drain contact; the drain contact is separated from the substrate layer by at least one intervening layer. An electrically conductive trench-like feed-through element passes through the intervening layer and contacts the substrate and the source to electrically connect the drain contact and the substrate layer.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

an epitaxial layer grown over a heavily doped substrate layer, both of a first conductivity type;

a source region, of a second conductivity type, in said epitaxial layer;

a drain region, of said second conductivity type, in said epitaxial layer;

a drain contact to said drain region, wherein said epitaxial and substrate layers are isolated from said drain contact by a reversed-bias junction and a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) channel;

an electrically conductive trench-like feed-through element that passes through said epitaxial layer and contacts said substrate layer and said source region, wherein said feed-through element is operable for electrically connecting said drain contact and said substrate layer; and

a gate shield that physically contacts said feed-through element.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said gate shield also contacts to said source region.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said gate shield comprises polysilicon.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said feed-through element comprises tungsten.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said feed-through element comprises a conformal coating that forms a barrier layer.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 5 wherein said conformal coating comprises titanium nitride.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a flip chip.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device.

9. A semiconductor device comprising:

a epitaxial layer grown over a heavily doped substrate layer, both of a first conductivity type;

a source region, of a second conductivity type, in said epitaxial layer;

a gate shield adjacent to and in physical contact with said source region;

a drain region, of said second conductivity type, in said epitaxial layer;

a drain contact coupled to a metal layer, wherein said epitaxial and substrate layers are isolated from said drain contact by a reversed-bias junction and a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) channel; and

an electrically conductive trench-like feed-through element that passes through said epitaxial layer and contacts said substrate layer, wherein said feed-through element is separated from said metal layer by at least one intervening layer, and wherein said drain contact and said feed-through element are separated by said epitaxial layer; and

a gate structure, wherein said substrate layer, said drain contact, said epitaxial layer, and said feed-through element comprise an electrical path with an electrical potential applied to said gate structure.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein said gate shield also physically contacts said feed-through element.

11. The semiconductor device of claim 10 wherein said gate shield comprises polysilicon and wherein said feed-through element comprises tungsten.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein said feed-through element comprises a conformal coating that forms a barrier layer.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein said device comprises a flip chip.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein said device comprises a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device.