Transistor structure with improved unclamped inductive switching immunity

• US 9,425,304 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vishay Siliconix
• Original Assignee: Vishay Siliconix
• Inventors: Zhang, Wenjie, Bobde, Madhur, Chen, Qufei, Terrill, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US14/465,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20160056276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/26586 characterised by the angle between the ion beam and the crystal planes or the main crystal surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0623 Buried supplementary region, e.g. buried guard ring multi-RESURF H01L29/0634
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0626 with a localised breakdown region, e.g. built-in avalanching region in self-protected thyristors H01L29/7424
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1045 the doping structure being parallel to the channel length, e.g. DMOS like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1083 with an inactive supplementary region, e.g. for preventing punch-through, improving capacity effect or leakage current
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1095 Body region, i.e. base region, of DMOS transistors or IGBTs cell layout H01L29/0696
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/402 Field plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/407 Recessed field plates, e.g. trench field plates, buried 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 29/41766 with at least part of the source or drain electrode having contact below the semiconductor surface, e.g. the source or drain electrode formed at least partially in a groove or with inclusions of conductor inside the semiconductor H01L29/41733 - H01L29/41758 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66492 with a pocket or a lightly doped drain selectively formed at the side of the gate
• 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 29/66712 Vertical DMOS transistors, i.e. VDMOS transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/781 Inverted VDMOS transistors, i.e. Source-Down VDMOS transistors
• 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

Abstract

A laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor structure with improved unclamped inductive switching immunity. The LDMOS includes a substrate and an adjacent epitaxial layer both of a first conductivity type. A gate structure is above the epitaxial layer. A drain region and a source region, both of a second conductivity type, are within the epitaxial layer. A channel is formed between the source and drain region and arranged below the gate structure. A body structure of the first conductivity type is at least partially formed under the gate structure and extends laterally under the source region, wherein the epitaxial layer is less doped than the body structure. A conductive trench-like feed-through element passes through the epitaxial layer and contacts the substrate and the source region. The LDMOS includes a tub region of the first conductivity type formed under the source region, and adjacent laterally to and in contact with said body structure and said trench-like feed-through element.

Claims

1. A semiconductor transistor structure, comprising:

a substrate of a first conductivity type;

an epitaxial layer adjacent to said substrate;

a gate structure located above said epitaxial layer,

a drain region of a second conductivity type within said epitaxial layer;

a source region of said second conductivity type within said epitaxial layer;

a body structure of said first conductivity type within said epitaxial layer at least partially formed under said gate structure and extending laterally under said source region;

an electrically conductive trench-like feed-through element that passes through said epitaxial layer and contacts said substrate and passes through and contacts said source region; and

a first tub region of said first conductivity type formed under said source region, and adjacent laterally to and in contact with said body structure, and wherein said first tub region is in contact with said trench-like feed-through element.

2. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 1, wherein said body structure is less doped than said first tub region.

3. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a second tub region formed at least partially below said first tub region, wherein said second tub region is less doped than said first tub region.

4. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 1, wherein said drain region comprises:

a first region accessible to a drain contact and spaced apart from said gate structure; and

a second region lightly doped and located at least partially under said first region within said epitaxial layer, wherein said second region extends to at least partially under said gate structure, wherein said second region is less doped than said first region, wherein said second region is coarsely aligned with an edge of said gate structure.

5. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 1, wherein said source region is coarsely aligned with an edge of said gate structure.

6. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 1, wherein said gate structure comprises:

a gate oxide layer;

a tungsten silicide layer; and

a gate poly sandwiched between said gate oxide layer and said tungsten silicide layer.

7. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 1, wherein said first conductivity type comprises a p-type, and wherein said second conductivity type comprises an n-type.

8. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a clamp region of said first conductivity type under said drain region.

9. A semiconductor transistor structure comprising:

a substrate of a first conductivity type;

an epitaxial layer adjacent to said substrate;

a gate structure adjacent to and located above said epitaxial layer,

a drain region of a second conductivity type within said epitaxial layer;

a source region of said second conductivity type within said epitaxial layer;

a body structure of said first conductivity type within said epitaxial layer at least partially formed under said gate structure and extending laterally under said source region;

an electrically conductive trench-like feed-through element that passes through and contacts a first tub region of said first conductivity type formed under said source region and adjacent laterally to and in contact with said body structure;

wherein said drain region comprises a first region accessible to a drain contact and spaced apart from said gate structure, and a second region less doped than said first region and located at least partially under said first region within said epitaxial layer, such that said second region extends to at least partially under said gate structure, wherein said second region is coarsely aligned with an edge of said gate structure; and

a clamp region of a first conductivity type located under said first region such that said second region separates said first region and said clamp region.

10. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 9, wherein said clamp region is coarsely aligned with an edge of said first region.

11. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 9, wherein said clamp region is coarsely aligned within an edge of said lightly doped second region.

12. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 9, wherein said body structure is less doped than said first tub region.

13. The semiconductor transistor structure of claim 9, further comprising:

a second tub region formed at least partially below said first tub region, wherein said second tub region is less doped than said first tub region.

14. A semiconductor device, comprising:

an epitaxial layer grown over a doped substrate layer, both of a first conductivity type, said epitaxial layer comprising a source region and a drain region, both of a second conductivity type, said epitaxial layer further comprising a body structure of said first conductivity type;

a gate structure above said epitaxial layer;

an electrically conductive trench-like feed-through element that passes through said epitaxial layer and contacts said substrate layer and said source region; and

a first tub region of said first conductivity type formed under said source region, and adjacent laterally to and in contact with said body structure, and wherein said first tub region is in contact with said trench-like feed-through element.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 14, further comprising:

a second tub region formed at least partially below said first tub region.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 15, wherein said body structure is less doped than said first tub region and wherein said second tub region is less doped than said first tub region.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 14, further comprising:

a clamp region of said first conductivity type located under said drain region.

18. The semiconductor device of claim 17, wherein said drain region comprises:

a first doped region accessible to a drain contact; and

a second doped region located at least partially under said first region in said epitaxial layer, wherein said second doped region is less doped than said first doped region and wherein said second doped region separates said first doped region and said clamp region.

19. The semiconductor device of claim 18, wherein said clamp region is coarsely aligned with an edge of said first doped region.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 18, wherein said clamp region is coarsely aligned within an edge of said second doped region.