Vertical complementary bipolar transistor device with epitaxial base zones

Claim 2

A semiconductor device having vertical complementary bipolar transistors each with epitaxial base zone, comprising: a. a semiconductor body having a substrate region of a first type conductivity; b. a first epitaxial layer of a second type conductivity conductivity, overlying said substrate region; c. a second epitaxial layer portion of said first conductivity type overlying only the surface of a first portion of said first epitaxial layer; d. a first transistor comprising: i. an emitter zone of said first type conductivity in a second portion of said first epitaxial layer, an emitter connection at the top surface of said first epitaxial layer, said second portion of said first epitaxial layer being adjacent to said first portion, ii. a collector connection to the substrate region adjoining said second portion of said first epitaxial layer, iii. the base zone of said first transistor being constituted by said second portion of said first epitaxial layer, and e. a second transistor complementary to said first transistor comprising: i. a base connection at the top surface of said second epitaxial layer, the base zone of said second transistor being constituted by said second epitaxial layer, ii. said first portion of said first epitaxial layer constituting the collector of said second transistor and being internally connected to the adjoining second portion of said first epitaxial layer constituting said base zone of said first transistor, and iii. an emitter zone of said second type conductivity in said second epitaxial layer portion and an emitter connection thereto at the top surface of said second epitaxial layer portion. pg,27

Claim 3

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first portion of said first layer which constitutes said collector of said second transistor is thinner than said second portion of said first layer which constitutes said base zone of said first transistor, the difference in thickness being substantially equal to the thickness of the layer which constitutes said base zone of said second transistor.

Claim 4

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first epitaxial layer consists of at least two overlying component layers, said upper component layer having a higher doping concentration than said lower component layer which adjoins said substrate region.

Claim 5

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate region comprises a surface layer having a lower doping concentration than the underlying part of said substrate region, said first epitaxial layer extending over said surface layer.

Claim 6

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base zone of said second transistor comprises first and second vertically continuous layers, said first layer adjoining said top surface of said second epitaxial layer being more highly doped than the underlying said second layer.

Claim 7

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a third transistor whose corresponding active zones have the same conductivity type as those of said first transistor, said base zones of said first and said third transistor being insulated from each other by a groove whose depth is greater than the thickness of said first layer at the area of said base zones, the substrate comprising a common collector zone of said first and said third transistor.

Claim 8

A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the internal connection of said first transistor base zone and said second transistor collector is constituted by a common part of said first epitaxial layer between said first and said second portions.

Claim 9

A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the emitter zones of both said first and said second transistor are diffused zones.

Claim 10

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substrate region is n-type conductivity, said first epitaxial layer is p-type conductivity, and said second epitaxial layer is n-type conductivity.

Claim 11

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an npn third transistor of the same structure as said first transistor, the collector zone of which is constituted by said substrate region, and the base zone by said first epitaxial layer, said third transistor being separated from said first transistor by a groove which extends at least down to said substrate region.

Claim 12

A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a second semiconductor body having two further transistors of the same structure as said first transistor connected according to a Darlington circuit.

Claim 13

A semiconductor device having vertical complementary bipolar transistors each with epitaxial base zone, comprising: a. a semiconductor body having a substrate region of a first type conductivity, b. a first epitaxial layer of a second type conductivity opposite to that of said first type conductivity on said substrate region, c. a cavity in the surface of only a first portion of said first epitaxial layer, said cavity extending only partly through said first portion of said first epitaxial layer, d. said cavity being filled with a second epitaxial layer portion of said first type conductivity, e. a first transistor comprising: i. an emitter zone of said first type conductivity in a second portion of said first epitaxial layer and an emitter connection thereto at the top surface of said first epitaxial layer, said second portion of said first epitaxial layer being adjacent to said first portion, ii. a collector connection to said substrate region adjoining said second portion of said first epitaxial layer, iii. the base zone of said first transistor being constituted by said second portion of said first epitaxial layer, and f. a second transistor complementary to said first transistor comprising: i. a base connection at the top surface of said second epitaxial layer, the base zone of said second transistor being constituted by said second epitaxial layer, ii. said first portion of said first epitaxial layer constituting the collector of said second transistor and being internally connected to the adjoining second portion of said first epitaxial layer constituting said base zone of said first transistor, and iii. an emitter zone of said second type conductivity in said second epitaxial layer portion and an emitter connection thereto at the top surface of said second epitaxial layer portion.

Claim 14

A semiconductor device having vertical complementary bipolar transistors each with epitaxial base zone, comprising: a. a semiconductor body having a substrate region of a first type conductivity, b. a first epitaxial layer of a second type conductivity opposite to that of said first type conductivity on said substrate region, c. a cavity in the surface of only a first portion of said first epitaxial layer, said cavity extending only partly through said first portion of said first epitaxial layer, d. said cavity being filled with a second epitaxial layer portion of said first type conductivity, e. a first transistor comprising: i. an emitter zone of said first type conductivity in a second portion of said first epitaxial layer and an emitter connection thereto at the top surface of said first epitaxial layer, said second portion of said first epitaxial layer being adjacent to said first portion, ii. a collector connection to said substrate region adjoining said second portion of said first epitaxial layer, iii. the base zone of said first transistor being constituted by said second portion of said first epitaxial layer, and f. a second transistor complementary to said first transistor comprising: i. a base connection at the top surface of said second epitaxial layer, the base zone of said second transistor being constituted by said second epitaxial layer, ii. said first portion of said first epitaxial layer constituting the collector of said second transistor and being internally connected to the adjoining second portion of said first epitaxial layer constituting said base zone of said first transistor, and iii. an emitter zone of said second type conductivity in said second epitaxial layer portion and an emitter connection thereto at the top surface of said second epitaxial layer portion.

Claim 15

A device as defined in claim 12, wherein the internal connection of said first transistor base zone and said second transistor collector is constituted by a common part of said first epitaxial layer between said first and said second portions.

Claim 16

A device as defined in claim 12, wherein the emitter zones of both said first and said second transistor are diffused zones.

Claim 17

A device as defined in claim 12, further comprising a third epitaxial layer of said first type conductivity but lower doping concentration than that of said substrate region epitaxially situated on said substrate region surface to provide a surface layer having a lower doping concentration than said substrate.