US5378911A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Structure of semiconductor device
Assignee: Nissan Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1994-01-27
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Granted: 1995-01-03
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Expires: 2014-01-27
Abstract
Abstract A structure of a semiconductor device according to the present invention has a normally-off characteristic, a well controlability, a very low on-resistance, a capability for a high breakdown voltage, and is free from parasitic devices. For example, said semiconductor device has a plurality of bar-shaped trenches dug on the surface of an n type semiconductor substrate, which are arranged in stripe, and each of which cross sectional shape is a "U"-shape. At least one n + type source region on the surface and it is sandwiched by the trenches. In the respective trenches, insulated electrodes whose potential is fixed to that of the source region, and whose conductive material is made of such that has a work function to generate a depletion region in the drain region around them are disposed. The depletion region functions as a barrier to interrupt between the source region and the drain region electrically. P type injector region is also disposed on the surface of the drain region, and it touches the every surface of the potential-fixed insulated electrodes at every edge of the bar-shapes, and arbitrary potential can be applied to it from an external. The potential of the injector region controls the potential of the surface of the insulated electrodes, which effects the condition of the depletion region and that effects the main current value.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshinori Murakami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:36
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D12/00; H10D12/211; H10D12/212
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
363 words
A structure of a semiconductor device, comprising: a) a semiconductor substrate having one conductivity type, which constitutes a drain region; b) at least one trench dug from a surface of said substrate; c) at least one source region having the same conductivity type as said drain region, which is formed on a main surface of said substrate, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; d) at least one potential-fixed insulated electrode whose potential is fixed to the potential of said source region, and which includes an insulating film covering a whole inner surface of the trench and a conductive material having a work function so as to form a depletion region in said drain region near said insulating film; e) a channel region which is a part of said drain region, which is adjoined below said source region, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; and f) at least one injector region having an opposite conductivity type to said drain region, formed on said drain region and which contacts with said insulating film of said potential-fixed insulated electrode, but does not contact with said source region, and wherein, during an off-state of said semiconductor device which is maintained by setting a potential of said injector region which is the same as that of said source region, a potential barrier against the majority carriers constituted by said depletion region is formed so that said source region is disconnected with a neutral region of said drain region electrically, and during an on-state of said semiconductor device, which is realized by applying a predetermined potential to said injector region, the minority carriers are introduced into an interface between said insulating film and said drain region with which said injector region contacts, and said minority carriers form an inversion layer which shields an electric field from said potential-fixed insulated electrode to said channel region to reduce a height of said potential barrier, thus said source region connects with said drain region electrically, and wherein, the conductivity of said drain region is increased by the minority carrier injection from said injector region to said drain region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
363 words
A structure of a semiconductor device, comprising: a) a semiconductor substrate having one conductivity type, which constitutes a drain region; b) at least one trench dug from a surface of said substrate; c) at least one source region having the same conductivity type as said drain region, which is formed on a main surface of said substrate, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; d) at least one potential-fixed insulated electrode whose potential is fixed to the potential of said source region, and which includes an insulating film covering a whole inner surface of the trench and a conductive material having a work function so as to form a depletion region in said drain region near said insulating film; e) a channel region which is a part of said drain region, which is adjoined below said source region, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; and f) at least one injector region having an opposite conductivity type to said drain region, formed on said drain region and which contacts with said insulating film of said potential-fixed insulated electrode, but does not contact with said source region, and wherein, during an off-state of said semiconductor device which is maintained by setting a potential of said injector region which is the same as that of said source region, a potential barrier against the majority carriers constituted by said depletion region is formed so that said source region is disconnected with a neutral region of said drain region electrically, and during an on-state of said semiconductor device, which is realized by applying a predetermined potential to said injector region, the minority carriers are introduced into an interface between said insulating film and said drain region with which said injector region contacts, and said minority carriers form an inversion layer which shields an electric field from said potential-fixed insulated electrode to said channel region to reduce a height of said potential barrier, thus said source region connects with said drain region electrically, and wherein, the conductivity of said drain region is increased by the minority carrier injection from said injector region to said drain region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein both side walls of said trench are approximately vertical with respect to said main surface of said drain region, wherein a channel length being defined as a distance between said source region and a bottom surface of said trench is at least twice or more than a channel thickness being defined as a distance between said insulating films facing mutually in said channel region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein some of said trenches are joined to unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an opposite conductivity type base region inserted between said source region and said channel region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 4, said base region is so constructed as to contact with said injector region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said base region is so constructed as to contact with said injector region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the junction formed between said injector region and said drain region is present up to a point which is deeper than said bottom surface of said trenches.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, the conductivity type of said drain region is p type and that of said injector region is n type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conductivity type of said drain region is p type and that of said injector region is n type.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the impurity concentration of said drain is less than 1×10 14 cm -3 , said channel thickness is approximately 2 μm, said thickness of said insulating film is more than 50 nm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 10, wherein said channel length is approximately 6 μm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a top view of said each trench is approximately a bar shape, and said source region contacts with said insulating film at a center portion of said bar shape trench, and said injector region contacts with said insulating film at an edge portion of said bar shape trench.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 1, wherein a top view of said each trench is approximately a C-shape, and said source region contacts with said insulating film at an inner portion of C-shape, and said injector region contacts with said insulating film at toe edges of said C-shape.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
354 words
A structure of a semiconductor device, comprising: a) an n type semiconductor substrate having a drain region; b) at least one trench dug from a main surface of said substrate; c) at least one source region, being an n type which is the same as that of the drain region, which is formed on the main surface of said substrate, and which is so constructed as to be adjacent to said trench; d) at least one potential-fixed insulated electrode whose potential is fixed to a potential of said source region, and which includes an insulating film covering a whole inner surface of the trench and a conductive material having a work function so as to form a depletion region in said drain region near said insulating film; e) at least one channel region which is a part of said drain region, which is adjoined to and below said source region, and which is so constructed as to be adjacent to said trench; and f) a p type injector region formed on said drain region and said insulating film of each of said potential-fixed insulated electrode, but not in contact with said source region, and wherein, during an off-state of said semiconductor device which is maintained by setting a potential of said injector region which is the same as that of said source region, a potential barrier against the majority carriers constituted by said depletion region is formed so that said source region is disconnected from a neutral region of said drain region electrically, and during an on-state of said semiconductor device, which is realized by applying a predetermined positive potential to said injector region, holes are introduced into an interface between said insulating film and said drain region with which said injector region contacts, and the holes form an inversion layer which shields an electric field from said potential-fixed insulated electrode to said channel region to reduce a height of said potential barrier, thus said source region contact with said drain electrically, and furthermore, the conductivity of said drain region is increased by the hole injection from said injector region to said drain region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
354 words
A structure of a semiconductor device, comprising: a) an n type semiconductor substrate having a drain region; b) at least one trench dug from a main surface of said substrate; c) at least one source region, being an n type which is the same as that of the drain region, which is formed on the main surface of said substrate, and which is so constructed as to be adjacent to said trench; d) at least one potential-fixed insulated electrode whose potential is fixed to a potential of said source region, and which includes an insulating film covering a whole inner surface of the trench and a conductive material having a work function so as to form a depletion region in said drain region near said insulating film; e) at least one channel region which is a part of said drain region, which is adjoined to and below said source region, and which is so constructed as to be adjacent to said trench; and f) a p type injector region formed on said drain region and said insulating film of each of said potential-fixed insulated electrode, but not in contact with said source region, and wherein, during an off-state of said semiconductor device which is maintained by setting a potential of said injector region which is the same as that of said source region, a potential barrier against the majority carriers constituted by said depletion region is formed so that said source region is disconnected from a neutral region of said drain region electrically, and during an on-state of said semiconductor device, which is realized by applying a predetermined positive potential to said injector region, holes are introduced into an interface between said insulating film and said drain region with which said injector region contacts, and the holes form an inversion layer which shields an electric field from said potential-fixed insulated electrode to said channel region to reduce a height of said potential barrier, thus said source region contact with said drain electrically, and furthermore, the conductivity of said drain region is increased by the hole injection from said injector region to said drain region.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 14, wherein said conductive material of said potential-fixed insulated electrode is p type polycrystalline semiconductor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 14, wherein said conductive material of said potential-fixed insulated electrode is any metal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 14, wherein both side walls of said each trench are approximately vertical to said main surface of said drain region, a channel length which is defined as a distance between said source region and a bottom surface of said trench is at least twice or more a channel thickness which is defined as a distance between said insulating films facing mutually in said channel region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a p type base region inserted at each interface of said source regions and said channel regions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 15, wherein said base regions are so constructed as to contact with said injector region.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 15, wherein said base regions are so constructed as to enclose said potential-fixed insulated electrode, and are adjoined each other.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
A structure of a semiconductor device as set forth in claim 14, wherein a junction formed between said p type injector region and said n type drain region is present up to the point which is deeper than said bottom surface of said trenches.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
195 words
A structure of a semiconductor device, comprising: a) a semiconductor substrate having one conductivity type, which constitutes a drain region; b) at least one trench dug from a main surface of said substrate; c) at least one source region having the same conductivity type as said drain region, which is formed on the main surface of said substrate, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; d) at least one potential-fixed insulated electrode whose potential is fixed to a potential of said source region, and which includes an insulating film covering a whole inner surface of the trench and a conductive material having a work function so as to form a depletion region in said drain region near said insulating film; e) a channel region which is a part of said drain region, which is provided below said source region, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; and f) at least one injector region having an opposite conductivity type, formed on said drain region and which contacts with said insulating film of said potential-fixed insulated electrode, but does not contact with said source region.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
195 words
A structure of a semiconductor device, comprising: a) a semiconductor substrate having one conductivity type, which constitutes a drain region; b) at least one trench dug from a main surface of said substrate; c) at least one source region having the same conductivity type as said drain region, which is formed on the main surface of said substrate, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; d) at least one potential-fixed insulated electrode whose potential is fixed to a potential of said source region, and which includes an insulating film covering a whole inner surface of the trench and a conductive material having a work function so as to form a depletion region in said drain region near said insulating film; e) a channel region which is a part of said drain region, which is provided below said source region, and which is so constructed as to be provided adjacent to said trench; and f) at least one injector region having an opposite conductivity type, formed on said drain region and which contacts with said insulating film of said potential-fixed insulated electrode, but does not contact with said source region.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-01-02 | 1998-07-04 | 1999-01-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-01-02 | 2002-07-04 | 2003-01-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-01-02 | 2006-07-04 | 2007-01-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |