U.S. patent application number 14/172075 was filed with the patent office on 2014-06-05 for silicon carbide semiconductor element.
This patent application is currently assigned to Panasonic Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is Panasonic Corporation. Invention is credited to Chiaki KUDOU, Masahiko NIWAYAMA, Kunimasa TAKAHASHI, Masao UCHIDA.
Application Number | 20140151719 14/172075 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47423704 |
Filed Date | 2014-06-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140151719 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TAKAHASHI; Kunimasa ; et
al. |
June 5, 2014 |
SILICON CARBIDE SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT
Abstract
This silicon carbide semiconductor element includes: a body
region of a second conductivity type which is located on a drift
layer of a first conductivity type; an impurity region of the first
conductivity type which is located on the body region; a trench
which runs through the body region and the impurity region to reach
the drift layer; a gate insulating film which is arranged on
surfaces of the trench; and a gate electrode which is arranged on
the gate insulating film. The surfaces of the trench include a
first side surface and a second side surface which is opposed to
the first side surface. The concentration of a dopant of the second
conductivity type is higher at least locally in a portion of the
body region which is located beside the first side surface than in
another portion of the body region which is located beside the
second side surface.
Inventors: |
TAKAHASHI; Kunimasa; (Osaka,
JP) ; NIWAYAMA; Masahiko; (Kyoto, JP) ;
UCHIDA; Masao; (Osaka, JP) ; KUDOU; Chiaki;
(Hyogo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Panasonic Corporation |
Osaka |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Panasonic Corporation
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
47423704 |
Appl. No.: |
14/172075 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13816571 |
Feb 12, 2013 |
8686439 |
|
|
PCT/JP2012/004103 |
Jun 25, 2012 |
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14172075 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
257/77 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 29/7813 20130101;
H01L 29/1033 20130101; H01L 29/4236 20130101; H01L 29/1041
20130101; H01L 29/66068 20130101; H01L 29/045 20130101; H01L
29/7827 20130101; H01L 29/42368 20130101; H01L 29/7828 20130101;
H01L 29/66666 20130101; H01L 29/1608 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
257/77 |
International
Class: |
H01L 29/16 20060101
H01L029/16; H01L 29/423 20060101 H01L029/423; H01L 29/78 20060101
H01L029/78 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 27, 2011 |
JP |
2011-141991 |
Claims
1. A silicon carbide semiconductor element comprising: a
semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a drift layer
of the first conductivity type which is located on the principal
surface of the semiconductor substrate; a body region of a second
conductivity type which is located on the drift layer; an impurity
region of the first conductivity type which is located on the body
region; a trench which runs through the body region and the
impurity region to reach the drift layer; a gate insulating film
which is arranged on surfaces of the trench; a gate electrode which
is arranged on the gate insulating film; a first electrode which
contacts with the impurity region; a second electrode which is
arranged on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a
channel layer of the first conductivity type, wherein the surfaces
of the trench include a first side surface and a second side
surface which is opposed to the first side surface, wherein the
channel layer is arranged between the first and second side
surfaces of the trench and the gate insulating film, wherein a
portion of the channel layer which contacts with a part of the body
region that is exposed on the first side surface is thicker than
another portion of the channel layer which contacts with another
part of the body region that is exposed on the second side surface,
and wherein the concentration of a dopant of the second
conductivity type is higher at least locally in a portion of the
body region which is located beside the first side surface than in
another portion of the body region which is located beside the
second side surface.
2. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein a
body concentration adjusting region including the dopant of the
second conductivity type in a higher concentration than the body
region is provided at least in some depth range of the portion of
the body region which is located beside the first side surface.
3. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein a
body concentration adjusting region including the dopant of the
second conductivity type in a lower concentration than the body
region is provided at least in some depth range of the portion of
the body region which is located beside the second side
surface.
4. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein
the semiconductor substrate is a 4H--SiC substrate, of which the
principal surface defines a tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees with
respect to either a (0001) Si plane or a (000-1) C plane.
5. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein
the first and second side surfaces are arranged substantially
perpendicularly to the direction in which the principal surface of
the semiconductor substrate tilts with respect to the (0001) Si
plane or the (000-1) C plane.
6. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein
the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate tilts in a
<11-20> direction with respect to the (0001) Si plane or the
(000-1) C plane and wherein the first and second side surfaces are
arranged substantially perpendicularly to the <11-20>
direction.
7. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein
the channel layer of the first conductivity type has been formed by
epitaxial growth.
8. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein a
difference in threshold voltage between the two opposing sidewall
surfaces of the trench is equal to or smaller than 0.1 V.
9. The silicon carbide semiconductor element of claim 1, wherein
when viewed perpendicularly to the principal surface of the
semiconductor substrate, the trench has the shape of a rectangle on
a plan view, and wherein the first and second side surfaces form
the longer sides of the rectangle.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor element
that uses silicon carbide and a method for producing such an
element. More particularly, the present application relates to a
silicon carbide semiconductor element which can be used in
applications that require a high breakdown voltage and a large
amount of current.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Silicon carbide (SiC) has a wider band gap and a higher
dielectric breakdown voltage than silicon (Si), and therefore, is
expected to be the best semiconductor material to make a
next-generation low-loss power device. SiC has a lot of poly-types
including cubic ones such as 3C--SiC and hexagonal ones such as
6H--SiC and 4H--SiC. Among these various poly-types, the one that
is used generally to make a practical silicon carbide semiconductor
element is 4H--SiC.
[0003] A metal-insulator-semiconductor field-effect transistor
(MISFET) is a typical semiconductor element among various power
elements that use SiC (see Patent Document No. 1, for example). In
this description, a MISFET of SiC will sometimes be simply referred
to herein as a "SiC-FET". And a metal-oxide-semiconductor
field-effect transistor (MOSFET) is one of those MISFETs.
[0004] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a traditional
trench type semiconductor element (SiC-FET) 1000. The semiconductor
element 1000 includes a plurality of unit cells 1000u. The
semiconductor element 1000 is made of a silicon carbide (SiC)
semiconductor and has a structure in which an n.sup.--drift layer
1020 is stacked on an n.sup.+-substrate (SiC substrate) 1010. A
p-body region 1030 has been defined over the n.sup.--drift layer
1020. A p.sup.+-body contact region 1050 and an n.sup.+-source
region 1040 have been defined on the p-body region 1030. And a
source electrode 1090 has been formed on the p.sup.+-body contact
region 1050 and the n.sup.+-source region 1040.
[0005] The semiconductor element 1000 has a trench 1020t, which may
have a groove shape that runs through the source region 1040 and
the p-body region 1030 to reach the drift layer 1020. On the
sidewall of that trench 1020t, an n.sup.--channel layer 1060 which
connects together the n.sup.+-source region 1040 and the drift
layer 1040 has been grown epitaxially. Further formed on the drift
layer 1020 at the bottom of the trench 1020t, the n.sup.+-source
region 1040, and the channel layer 1060 are a gate insulating film
1070 and a gate electrode 1080. Meanwhile, a drain electrode 1100
has been formed on the back surface of the n.sup.+-substrate
1010.
[0006] The source electrode 1090 is connected in parallel to the
respective source electrodes of other cells with an upper
interconnect electrode 1120. This upper interconnect electrode 1120
and the gate electrodes 1080 are electrically insulated from each
other by an interlevel dielectric film 1110. The interlevel
dielectric film 1110 has a plurality of holes 1110c, at which the
upper interconnect electrode 1120 contacts with the source
electrodes 1090. A lower interconnect electrode 1130 is arranged on
the drain electrode 1100. By bonding the lower interconnect
electrode 1130 with solder during a mounting process, this
semiconductor element 1000 is fixed onto a leadframe or a
module.
[0007] It was reported that when an epitaxial growth process was
carried out on an SiC substrate through which trenches had been
formed, the epitaxial film had different thicknesses on two
opposing side surfaces of each of those trenches (see Non-Patent
Document No. 1). If those side surfaces of a trench are
perpendicular to the off-axis angle direction of the SiC substrate,
then facets are formed around a shoulder portion on one side of the
trench. In this case, the facets are (0001) planes that are basal
planes of the SiC substrate. To the sidewall surface of the trench
that is closer to those facets, a source gas that has not
contributed to growth at those facets is supplied. They believe
that the epitaxial film comes to have an increased thickness in
this manner at the trench sidewall surface closer to those
facets.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0008] Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication
No. 9-74193
Non-Patent Literature
[0008] [0009] Non-Patent Document No. 1: Materials Science Forum
Vols. 457-460
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0010] A non-limiting, exemplary embodiment of the present
application provides an SiC semiconductor element which can still
minimize deterioration in performance even if the element
structures are different on two opposing side surfaces in a
trench.
Solution to Problem
[0011] To overcome the problem, a silicon carbide semiconductor
element according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes:
a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a drift
layer of the first conductivity type which is located on the
principal surface of the semiconductor substrate; a body region of
a second conductivity type which is located on the drift layer; an
impurity region of the first conductivity type which is located on
the body region; a trench which runs through the body region and
the impurity region to reach the drift layer; a gate insulating
film which is arranged on surfaces of the trench; a gate electrode
which is arranged on the gate insulating film; a first electrode
which contacts with the impurity region; and a second electrode
which is arranged on the back surface of the semiconductor
substrate. The surfaces of the trench include a first side surface
and a second side surface which is opposed to the first side
surface. The concentration of a dopant of the second conductivity
type is higher at least locally in a portion of the body region
which is located beside the first side surface than in another
portion of the body region which is located beside the second side
surface.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0012] An SiC semiconductor element according to such an aspect of
the present disclosure can still minimize deterioration in
performance even if the element structures are different on two
opposing side surfaces in a trench.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating
a semiconductor element 100 as a first exemplary embodiment and (b)
is a plan view illustrating an exemplary arrangement in a situation
where rectangular unit cells 100u run.
[0014] FIG. 2 A graph showing a correlation between the thickness
of a channel layer and the threshold voltage in a semiconductor
element 100 according to the first embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 3 A graph showing a correlation between the thickness
of a gate oxide film and the threshold voltage in the semiconductor
element 100 of the first embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 4 (a) through (c) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 100 of the first embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 5 (a) through (c) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 100 of the first embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 6 (a) through (c) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 100 of the first embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 7 (a) through (c) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 100 of the first embodiment.
[0020] FIGS. 8 (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views illustrating
respective manufacturing process steps to produce the semiconductor
element 100 of the first embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 9 A schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a
semiconductor element 300 as a second exemplary embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 10 (a) through (d) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 300 of the second embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 11 (a) through (c) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 300 of the second embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 12 (a) through (c) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 300 of the second embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 13 (a) through (c) are cross-sectional views
illustrating respective manufacturing process steps to produce the
semiconductor element 300 of the second embodiment.
[0026] FIGS. 14 (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views illustrating
respective manufacturing process steps to produce the semiconductor
element 300 of the second embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 15 A schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a
semiconductor element 200 as another exemplary embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 16 A cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor
element 400 as still another exemplary embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 17 A cross-sectional view illustrating a semiconductor
element 500 as yet another exemplary embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 18 A cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a
traditional semiconductor element.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0031] The present inventors discovered that in a MISFET with a
trench structure, if either a channel layer that had been
epitaxially grown on two opposing side surfaces of the trench or a
gate insulating film formed on those side surfaces had different
thicknesses there, the threshold voltages were also different on
those two opposing side surfaces of the trench, which is a
problem.
[0032] If the threshold voltages are different between the two
opposing side surfaces of a trench in this manner, then the
threshold voltage of the MISFET is determined by the lower one of
the two threshold voltages. However, since no current flows through
the side surface with the higher threshold voltage, the ON-state
resistance increases there. In addition, if the threshold voltages
are different between the two opposing side surfaces inside a
trench, the swing characteristic, which is defined by a gate
voltage to be applied to increase the drain current by one digit,
deteriorates.
[0033] The present inventors discovered that if the concentration
of a dopant of a second conductivity type in a body region, which
contacts with a channel layer (epitaxial layer) to be grown on
those two opposing side surfaces of a trench in a trench gate
MISFET, is controlled according to the thickness of the channel
layer or a gate insulating film, such a difference in threshold
voltage between those two opposing side surfaces of the trench
(which will be referred to herein as "first and second side
surfaces") can be reduced. Hereinafter, an SiC semiconductor
element which can check an increase in ON-state resistance and
which can suppress deterioration in swing characteristic will be
described.
[0034] A silicon carbide semiconductor element according to the
present disclosure has a structure in which the concentration of a
dopant of the second conductivity type is higher at least at some
depth of a portion of the body region which is located beside the
first side surface of a trench than in another portion of the body
region which is located beside the second side surface.
[0035] (1) A silicon carbide semiconductor device according to an
aspect of the present disclosure includes: a semiconductor
substrate of a first conductivity type; a drift layer of the first
conductivity type which is located on the principal surface of the
semiconductor substrate; a body region of a second conductivity
type which is located on the drift layer; an impurity region of the
first conductivity type which is located on the body region; a
trench which runs through the body region and the impurity region
to reach the drift layer; a gate insulating film which is arranged
on surfaces of the trench; a gate electrode which is arranged on
the gate insulating film; a first electrode which contacts with the
impurity region; and a second electrode which is arranged on the
back surface of the semiconductor substrate. The surfaces of the
trench include a first side surface and a second side surface which
is opposed to the first side surface. The concentration of a dopant
of the second conductivity type is higher at least locally in a
portion of the body region which is located beside the first side
surface than in another portion of the body region which is located
beside the second side surface.
[0036] (2) In (1), a body concentration adjusting region including
the dopant of the second conductivity type in a higher
concentration than the body region may be provided at least in some
depth range of the portion of the body region which is located
beside the first side surface.
[0037] (3) In (1) or (2), a body concentration adjusting region
including the dopant of the second conductivity type in a lower
concentration than the body region may be provided at least in some
depth range of the portion of the body region which is located
beside the second side surface.
[0038] (4) The element of one of (1) to (3) may further include a
channel layer of the first conductivity type which is arranged
between the first and second side surfaces of the trench and the
gate insulating film.
[0039] (5) In one of (1) to (4), a portion of the channel layer
which contacts with a part of the body region that is exposed on
the first side surface may be thicker than another portion of the
channel layer which contacts with another part of the body region
that is exposed on the second side surface.
[0040] (6) In one of (1) to (5), a portion of the gate insulating
film which is arranged on that part of the body region that is
exposed on the first side surface may be thinner than another
portion of the gate insulating film which is arranged on that part
of the body region that is exposed on the second side surface.
[0041] (7) In one of (1) to (6), the semiconductor substrate may be
a 4H--SiC substrate, of which the principal surface defines a tilt
angle of 2 to 10 degrees with respect to either a (0001) Si
(silicon) plane or a (000-1) C (carbon) plane.
[0042] (8) In the silicon carbide semiconductor device of one of
(1) to (7), the first and second side surfaces may be arranged
substantially perpendicularly to the direction in which the
principal surface of the semiconductor substrate tilts with respect
to the (0001) Si plane or the (000-1) C plane.
[0043] (9) In one of (1) to (8), the principal surface of the
semiconductor substrate may tilt in a <11-20> direction with
respect to the (0001) Si plane or the (000-1) C plane and the first
and second side surfaces may be arranged substantially
perpendicularly to the <11-20> direction.
[0044] (10) In (4), the channel layer of the first conductivity
type may have been formed by epitaxial growth.
[0045] (11) In one of (1) to (10), a difference in threshold
voltage between the two opposing sidewall surfaces of the trench
may be equal to or smaller than 0.1 V.
[0046] (12) In one of (1) to (11), when viewed perpendicularly to
the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate, the trench
may have the shape of a rectangle on a plan view, and the first and
second side surfaces may form the longer sides of the
rectangle.
[0047] (13) A method for producing a silicon carbide semiconductor
device according to an aspect of the present invention includes the
steps of: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate, of which the
principal surface is already covered with a drift layer of a first
conductivity type; (b) forming a body region of a second
conductivity type on the drift layer; (c) forming, in the drift
layer, a body concentration adjusting region of the second
conductivity type which includes a dopant of the second
conductivity type in a different concentration from the body
region; (d) forming an impurity region of the first conductivity
type on the body region; (e) subjecting the semiconductor substrate
to an annealing process for activation; (f) forming a trench which
runs through the body region and the impurity region by etching;
(g) forming a gate insulating film on the surface of the trench;
(h) forming a gate electrode in contact with the gate insulating
film; (i) forming a first electrode in contact with the impurity
region; and (j) forming a second electrode on another surface of
the semiconductor substrate that is opposed to the principal
surface. The step (f) includes forming a trench which has a first
side surface and a second side surface, which is opposed to the
first side surface, so that the body concentration adjusting region
is exposed on the first side surface.
[0048] (14) In (13), the step (c) may include forming the body
concentration adjusting region of the second conductivity type by
implanting ions of the second conductivity type into the body
region.
[0049] (15) In (13), the step (c) may include forming the body
concentration adjusting region of the second conductivity type by
implanting ions of the first conductivity type into the body
region.
[0050] Hereinafter, an SiC semiconductor device as an embodiment of
the present invention will be described in detail with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Embodiment 1
[0051] FIG. 1(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a
semiconductor element 100 as a first embodiment of the present
invention. In FIG. 1(a), illustrated are two adjacent unit cells
100u of the semiconductor element 100. FIG. 1(b) is a plan view
illustrating how a number of unit cells may be arranged. The
semiconductor element 100 of this embodiment is a semiconductor
element including a MISFET.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 1(a), the semiconductor element 100 of this
embodiment includes a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate 101
of a first conductivity type and a drift layer (first silicon
carbide semiconductor layer) 102 of the first conductivity type
which has been formed on the surface of the substrate 101. The
principal surface of the substrate 101 tilts from a (0001) plane
rightward (toward a <11-20> direction) at an angle of
approximately 4 degrees. That is to say, a vector representing a
normal to the principal surface of the substrate 101 tilts in the
<11-20> direction and defines a tilt angle of approximately 4
degrees with respect to a vector representing a normal to a (0001)
plane. In the following description, the tilt angle defined by the
vector representing a normal to the principal surface of the
substrate 101 with respect to the vector representing a normal to a
(0001) plane will be referred to herein as an "off-axis angle". The
drift layer 102 may be formed by epitaxial growth. In this
embodiment, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate 101 is an
n.sup.+-substrate (n.sup.+--SiC substrate) and the drift layer 102
is an n.sup.--drift layer. Alternatively, a substrate, of which the
principal surface tilts in a <11-20> direction with respect
to a (000-1) plane, may also be used.
[0053] A body region 103 of a second conductivity type has been
formed on (or in) the drift layer 102. A source region 104 of the
first conductivity type has been formed on the body region 103. The
source region 104 corresponds to an impurity region of the first
conductivity type according to the present invention.
[0054] The body region 103 of this embodiment includes a first
portion and a second portion, which function as a "body
concentration adjusting region 103a" and the "rest 103b of the body
region 103 other than the body concentration adjusting region
103a", respectively. In the following description, the "rest 103b
of the body region 103 other than the body concentration adjusting
region 103a" will be sometimes referred to herein as a "second
portion 103b". In this embodiment, the body concentration adjusting
region 103a is a p.sup.+-type region and the second portion 103b is
a p-type region. The source region 104 is an n.sup.+-type region.
The concentration of a p-type dopant is set to be higher in the
body concentration adjusting region 103a than in the body region
103. In this description, if "the concentration of a p-type dopant
is set to be higher in the body concentration adjusting region 103a
than in the body region 103", then it means that when the
concentrations of a p-type dopant are compared at the same depth
between the body concentration adjusting region 103a and the body
region 103, the concentration of the p-type dopant is set to be
higher in the body concentration adjusting region 103a than in the
body region 103.
[0055] A source electrode 109 has been formed on the source region
104. Specifically, the source electrode 109 has been formed to
cover, and to make electrical contact with, both of the
n.sup.+-source region 104 and a p.sup.+-contact region 105. The
p.sup.+-contact region 105 further makes electrical contact with
the body region 103, too. The source electrode 109 corresponds to
the first electrode according to the present invention.
[0056] This semiconductor element 100 has a trench 102t which runs
through the source region 104 and the body region 103. The trench
102t has been formed substantially perpendicularly to the principal
surface. In this embodiment, the trench 102t has a first side
surface 102t1 and a second side surface 102t2 and has been formed
so that the first and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 thereof
are substantially perpendicular to the <11-20> direction. In
this case, if a substrate which defines an off-axis angle with
respect to either a (0001) Si plane or a (000-1) C plane is used as
the substrate 101, the off-axis direction may be the <11-20>
direction, for example. In that case, the first and second side
surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 are arranged so as to intersect with the
off-axis direction at substantially right angles.
[0057] On the first side surface 102t1, exposed is the body
concentration adjusting region 103a. On the other hand, on the
second side surface 102t2, exposed is the second portion 103b of
the body region 103. Thus, the concentration of the p-type dopant
is higher at least locally in a portion of the body region 103
which is located beside the first side surface 102t1 than in
another portion of the body region 103 which is located beside the
second side surface 102t2.
[0058] In the trench 102t, a channel layer (epitaxial layer) 106
has been formed to make at least partial contact with the
n.sup.--drift layer 102, the body region 103, and the
n.sup.+-source region 104. Portions of the channel layer 106 which
contact with the p-body concentration adjusting region 103a and the
second portion 103b will be referred to herein as a "first channel
region 106a" and a "second channel region 106b", respectively.
[0059] The first channel region 106a which contacts with the p-body
concentration adjusting region 103a is thicker than the second
channel region 106b which contacts with the second portion 103b. In
this description, if "the first channel region 106a which contacts
with the p-body concentration adjusting region 103a is thicker than
the second channel region 106b which contacts with the second
portion 103b", then it means herein that when respective portions
of the first and second channel regions 106a and 106b which are
located at the same depth in the trench are compared to each other,
the first channel region 106a in contact with the p-body
concentration adjusting region 103a is thicker than the second
channel region 106b in contact with the second portion 103b. The
channel layer 106 has been formed by growing SiC epitaxially.
[0060] An off-axis substrate is used as the SiC substrate and is
arranged so that the first and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2
of the trench 102 intersect with the off-axis direction, and
therefore, SiC has mutually different plane orientations on the
first and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2. As a result, facet
planes are produced around a shoulder portion on one side of the
trench 102, and the source gas will be supplied at different rates
to the first and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2.
Consequently, the first and second channel regions 106a and 106b
come to have mutually different thicknesses. In this embodiment,
the vector representing a normal to the principal surface of the
substrate 101 tilts in the <11-20> direction with respect to
the vector representing a normal to a (0001) plane, and therefore,
the facets planes are likely to be produced around the shoulder
portion of the first side surface 102t1. That is why while the
channel layer 106 is being formed by epitaxial growth, the source
gas tends to be supplied more to the first side surface 102t1
rather than to the second side surface 102t2. As a result, the
first channel region 106a on the first side surface 102t1 tends to
be thicker than the second channel region 106b on the second side
surface 102t2. It should be noted that the channel layer 106 has
only to contact at least partially with either the p-body
concentration adjusting region 103a or the second portion 103b. And
the channel layer 106 does not have to be arranged in contact with
the drift layer 102 at the bottom of the trench 102t.
[0061] The length of the first and second channel regions 106a and
106b (channel length) is as indicated by the double-headed arrow t
in FIG. 1(a). That is to say, the length of the first and second
channel regions 106a and 106b is the length of a portion of the
channel layer 106 which contacts with either the body concentration
adjusting region 103a or the second portion 103b. In other words,
the length of the first and second channel regions 106a and 106b is
the thickness of either the p-body concentration adjusting region
103a or the second portion 103b on the surface of the trench.
[0062] A gate insulating film 107 has been formed on the channel
layer 106. A portion of the gate insulating film 107 which contacts
with the first channel region 106a may be thinner than another
portion of the gate insulating film 107 which contacts with the
second channel region 106b. In this description, if "a portion of
the gate insulating film 107 which contacts with the first channel
region 106a is thinner than another portion of the gate insulating
film 107 which contacts with the second channel region 106b", then
it means herein that when measured at the same depth in the trench,
a portion of the gate insulating film 107 in contact with the first
channel region 106a is thinner than another portion of the gate
insulating film 107 in contact with the second channel region
106b.
[0063] A gate electrode 108 has been formed on the gate insulating
film 107. Meanwhile, a drain electrode 110 has been formed on the
back surface of the substrate 101. The gate electrode 108 is
covered with an interlevel dielectric film 111, which has holes
111c that are filled with an upper interconnect electrode 112. A
plurality of source electrodes 109 are connected in parallel
together with the upper interconnect electrode 112. A back surface
interconnect electrode 113 has further been formed on the drain
electrode 110. The drain electrode 110 corresponds to the second
electrode according to the present invention.
[0064] The semiconductor element 100 shown in FIG. 1(a) includes a
plurality of unit cells 100u. As shown in FIG. 1(b), each of those
unit cells 100u may have a rectangular shape on a plan view, and
those unit cells 100u are arranged in stripes. By arranging the
unit cells 100u in stripes, the first and second side surfaces
102t1 and 102t2 will account for a higher percentage of all side
surfaces of the trench 102t, and therefore, a particularly
significant effect is achieved. However, the unit cell 100u may
also have a square planar shape (such a cell is called a "square
cell") and may even have a polygonal shape.
[0065] In FIG. 1(b), the planar shape of the trenches 102t is
indicated by the dotted lines. Each of the trenches 102t has first
and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 which run in the
longitudinal direction and third and fourth side surfaces 102t3 and
102t4 which run perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction. As
shown in FIG. 1(b), on a plan view, each trench 102t has the shape
of a rectangle, the first and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2
thereof form the longer sides of the rectangle, and the third and
fourth side surfaces 102t3 and 102t4 thereof form the shorter sides
of the rectangle.
[0066] Optionally, respective portions of the body region 103 which
contact with the third and fourth side surfaces 102t3 and 102t4 may
include a dopant of the second conductivity type in mutually
different concentrations.
[0067] The MISFET threshold voltage (i.e., the threshold voltage of
forward current) of this semiconductor element 100 will be
identified herein by Vth. If this MISFET satisfies Vgs.gtoreq.Vth
(i.e., in transistor turned-ON mode), the drain electrode 110 and
the source electrode 109 become electrically conductive with each
other through the channel layer 106 (and if Vds>0 V is
satisfied, ON-state current flows from the drain electrode 110 into
the source electrode 109). On the other hand, if Vgs <Vth is
satisfied, the MISFET turns OFF as a transistor. The threshold
voltage Vth of the transistor is determined primarily by the
concentrations of a dopant in the body concentration adjusting
region 103a and the second portion 103b, the dopant concentration
and thickness of the channel layer 106, and the thickness of the
gate insulating film 107.
[0068] In the semiconductor element 100 of this embodiment, the
concentrations in the body concentration adjusting region 103a and
the second portion 103b are controlled according to the thicknesses
of the channel layer 106 to be grown on the first and second side
surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 of the trench 102t. That is to say, since
the dopant concentration of the body concentration adjusting region
103a is controlled so that the first and second side surfaces 102t1
and 102t2 of the trench 102 that are opposed to each other have
substantially the same Vth, an increase in the ON-state resistance
of the trench type MISFET and deterioration in the swing
characteristic thereof can be both minimized.
[0069] According to this embodiment, the thicknesses of the channel
layer 106 and gate insulating film 107 to be formed on the first
and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 are measured in advance by
some evaluation method such as cross-sectional SEM, and the dopant
concentration of the body concentration adjusting region 103a is
determined so as to make the threshold voltages on the first and
second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 equal to each other. In the
semiconductor element 100 shown in FIG. 1, the channel layer 106 is
thicker on the first side surface 102t1 than on the second side
surface 102t2, and the gate insulating film 107 is also thicker on
the first side surface 102t1 than on the second side surface 102t2.
That is why if the p-type dopant concentrations on the first and
second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 are equal to each other, then
the threshold voltage on the first side surface 102t1 becomes lower
than the threshold voltage on the second side surface 102t2.
[0070] FIG. 2 shows the results of calculations that were made to
plot a correlation between the thickness of the channel layer and
the threshold voltage. In this case, the gate insulating film
(silicon dioxide film) had a thickness of 70 nm, the channel layer
had an n-type dopant concentration of 2.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3,
and the body region had a p-type dopant concentration of
1.times.10.sup.19 cm.sup.-3. As can be seen from this graph, when
the channel layer has a thickness of 30 nm, the threshold voltage
is 6 V. And if the thickness of the channel layer has varied by
.+-.5% from 30 nm (i.e., if the thickness of the channel layer has
varied within the range of 28.5 nm to 31.5 nm), then the threshold
voltage comes to have a value of approximately 7 to 5 V. Thus, it
can be seen that if the thickness of the channel layer varies by
.+-.5%, the threshold voltage varies by .+-.1 V or more. That is to
say, in the trench type MISFET, if the thicknesses of a channel
layer on two opposing trench sidewall surfaces are different from
each other by .+-.5%, then the threshold voltages on those two
opposing trench sidewall surfaces will be different from each other
by .+-.1 V or more.
[0071] According to this embodiment, the body concentration
adjusting region 103a is formed so that the p-type dopant
concentration becomes higher on one of the two trench side surfaces
that has the thicker channel layer. As a result, the problem that
the two opposing trench sidewall surfaces have mutually different
threshold voltages can be overcome.
[0072] The thickness of the gate insulating film also has some
impact on the threshold voltage. FIG. 3 shows the results of
calculations that were made to plot a correlation between the
thickness of the gate insulating film and the threshold voltage. A
silicon dioxide film was used as the gate insulating film, the
channel layer had an n-type dopant concentration of
2.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 and a thickness of 30 nm, and the body
region had a p-type dopant concentration of 1.times.10.sup.19
cm.sup.-3. As can be seen from this graph, when the gate insulating
film has a thickness of 70 nm, the threshold voltage is 6 V. And if
the thickness of the gate insulating film has varied by .+-.5% from
70 nm (i.e., if the thickness of the channel layer has varied
within the range of 66.5 nm to 73.5 nm), then the threshold voltage
comes to have a value of 5.6 to 6.2 V. Thus, it can be seen that if
the thickness of the gate insulating film varies by .+-.5%, the
threshold voltage varies by approximately .+-.0.3 V. Compared to
the thickness of the channel layer, the thickness of the gate
insulating film has less influence on the threshold voltage.
However, even if the thicknesses of the gate insulating film on two
opposing trench sidewall surfaces are different, the problem that
the two opposing trench sidewall surfaces have different threshold
voltages can still be overcome by forming the body concentration
adjusting region 103a by the method of this embodiment.
[0073] Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 4
through 8 how to make the semiconductor element 100 of this
embodiment. First of all, a substrate 101 is provided. The
substrate 101 may be an n-type 4H--SiC (0001) Si plane off-cut
substrate with low resistance (with a resistivity of 0.02
.OMEGA.cm). Alternatively, an SiC (000-1) C plane off-cut substrate
may also be used as the substrate 101. A vector representing a
normal to the principal surface of the substrate 101 tilts in the
<11-20> direction with respect to a vector representing a
normal to a (0001) plane and may define an off-axis angle of 4
degrees. According to this embodiment, however, the off-axis angle
does not have to be 4 degrees but may fall within the range of 2
degrees to 10 degrees, for example. In FIG. 4, the direction
pointing from the right to the left is supposed to indicate the
<11-20> direction.
[0074] Next, as shown in FIG. 4(a), a high-resistance drift layer
102 is grown epitaxially on the substrate 101. An n-type 4H--SiC
layer may be used as the drift layer 102, for example. The drift
layer 102 may have a dopant concentration of 1.times.10.sup.16
cm.sup.-3 and a thickness of 10 .mu.m, for example. Optionally,
before the drift layer 102 is deposited, a buffer layer of
low-resistance SiC may be deposited on the substrate 101. In that
case, the buffer layer may have a dopant concentration of
1.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 and a thickness of 1 .mu.m, for
example.
[0075] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4(b), Al ions, for example,
are implanted into an upper portion of the drift layer 102. The ion
implanted region thus formed is a body implanted region 103' to be
the body region 103 eventually. In FIG. 4(b), the body implanted
region 103' has been formed over the entire surface of the unit
cell 100u. The species of the ions to be implanted to form the body
implanted region 103' may be aluminum, and its acceleration
energies and implant doses may be changed from 500 KeV and
1.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2 into 250 KeV and 5.times.10.sup.13
cm.sup.-2, 100 KeV and 1.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2 and then 50 KeV
and 5.times.10.sup.12 cm.sup.-2. If a peripheral structure needs to
be formed in a ring shape in order to lessen the overconcentration
of an electric field around the element, then a mask of SiO.sub.2
may be formed in this process step to define a patterned body
implanted region 103' in the peripheral region.
[0076] Since Al has a small diffusion coefficient, a variation in
the concentration profile due to the diffusion of Al, if any, is
almost negligible. If boron is used as a dopant for the body
region, then the rate of activation and diffusion coefficient
thereof need to be known in advance and then the energy and dose of
the ions to be implanted may be determined to obtain an intended
dopant concentration profile.
[0077] Next, as shown in FIG. 4(c), a mask 211 is formed and
aluminum ions, for example, are implanted into the body implanted
region 103' through the mask 211 to form a body concentration
adjusting implanted region 103a', which comes to have a higher
p-type dopant concentration than the second portion 103b'. In this
process step, the implant energy and number of times of
implantation may be the same as those of the body implanted region
103', for example, and the implant doses may be determined by the
respective thicknesses of the first and second channel regions 106a
and 106b to grow on the first and second side surfaces 102t1 and
102t2 of the trench 102t, for example. That is to say, the implant
doses are adjusted so that the first and second channel regions
106a and 106b have substantially the same threshold voltage. For
example, if the first and second channel regions 106a and 106b have
a thickness of 100 nm and a thickness of 95 nm, respectively, the
implant doses may be 4.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2, 2.times.10.sup.14
cm.sup.-2, 4.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2, and 2.times.10.sup.13
cm.sup.-2, respectively.
[0078] In this process step, the mask 211 is arranged with possible
mask misalignment taken into account so that the body concentration
adjusting implanted region 103a' will be located beside the first
side surface 102t1 of the trench 102t. Specifically, in the cross
section shown in FIG. 4(c), one end P1 of the mask 211 (i.e., the
end that is located more distant from one end of the unit cell
100u) is arranged at a distance d1 from the other end B1 of the
unit cell 100u. This distance d1 from that end B1 of the unit cell
is set to be greater than the sum of a half of the trench's width
(i.e., the width Wt shown in FIG. 6(a)), a half of the difference
in the size (width) of a hole of a mask 204 to form the trench 102t
from its designed value, the magnitude of misalignment (stacking
error) to involve when a photomask to form the trench 102t is
stacked on the wafer, and the magnitude of misalignment (stacking
error) to involve when a photomask to form the body concentration
adjusting region 103a is stacked on the wafer. By arranging the
mask 211 at such a position, even if any error such as a mask
misalignment has occurred, the body concentration adjusting region
103a can be arranged beside the first side surface 102t1 of the
trench just as intended.
[0079] In the cross section shown in FIG. 4(c), the other end Ps of
the mask 211 (i.e., the end that is located closer to the end of
the unit cell 100u) is arranged at a distance ds from that end Bs
of the unit cell 100u. This distance ds is set to be smaller than
the value obtained by subtracting a half of the difference in the
size (width) of a hole of a mask 204 to form the trench 102t from
its designed value, the magnitude of misalignment (stacking error)
to involve when a photomask to form the trench 102t is stacked on
the wafer, and the magnitude of misalignment (stacking error) to
involve when a photomask to form the body concentration adjusting
region 103a is stacked on the wafer from a half of the trench's
width (i.e., the width Wt shown in FIG. 6(a)). As a result, even if
any error such as a mask misalignment has occurred, the second
portion 103b can be arranged beside the second side surface 102t2
of the trench just as intended.
[0080] Next, after the mask 211 has been removed, another mask 212
is formed to define a source implanted region 104' as shown in FIG.
5(a). The dopant to be introduced in this process step may be
nitrogen to be n-type.
[0081] After the ions have been implanted, the mask 212 is removed.
Subsequently, still another mask 213 is formed and Al ions are
implanted through it to define a contact implanted region 105' as
shown in FIG. 5(b).
[0082] After these ion implantation process steps have been
performed, the mask 213 is removed, and an annealing process for
activation is carried out. In this manner, a body region 103, a
source region 104 and a contact region 105 are formed as shown in
FIG. 5(c). By forming the body concentration adjusting region 103a
and the second portion 103b with the same implant energy, their
depths can be substantially the same. For example, if the surface S
of the drift layer 102 is supposed to be the reference surface,
their depths are approximately 500 nm. The ion implantation profile
is determined so that the body concentration adjusting region 103a
has an average dopant concentration of approximately
5.times.10.sup.19 cm.sup.-3. And the ion implantation profile is
determined so that the body region has an average dopant
concentration of approximately 1.times.10.sup.19 cm.sup.-3. Also,
the source region is supposed to be located at a depth where a
dopant concentration of 5.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3 is
obtained.
[0083] The contact region 105 may be located at a depth of 400 nm
under the surface S as a reference surface and may have an average
dopant concentration of approximately 1.times.10.sup.20 cm.sup.-3.
The contact region 105 is supposed to be located at a depth where a
dopant concentration of 5.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3 is
obtained.
[0084] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a mask 204 is formed to
form a trench 102t which runs through the source region 104 and the
body concentration adjusting region 103a to expose the drift layer
102. This trench 102t may be formed by subjecting this silicon
carbide structure to a dry etching process using a mixture of
chlorofluorocarbon and oxygen gases, for example. The center axis
of the trench 102t needs to agree with the boundary between
adjacent unit cells 100u. This trench 102t may have a width of
approximately 1 .mu.m and a depth of approximately 1.1 .mu.m, for
example. The mask 204 is made of a material that has tolerance to
this dry etching process (such as aluminum). If the tolerance is
insufficient, then a rather thick mask 204 may be formed. The hole
width of the mask 204 that defines the trench 102t is set to be
greater than the hole width of the mask 211 that defines the body
concentration adjusting implanted region 103a'. By making such a
design, the body concentration adjusting implanted region 103a' can
be arranged on only one of the first and second side surfaces 102t1
and 102t2 of the trench 102t.
[0085] Next, the mask 204 is removed, the substrate is washed well,
and then a channel layer 106 is grown epitaxially over the surface
of the drift layer 102 as well as over the body concentration
adjusting region 103a or the body region 103, the source region 104
and the contact region 105. The channel layer 106 may be grown by
performing a thermal CVD process using silane (SiH.sub.4) and
propane (C.sub.3H.sub.8) gases as source gases, a hydrogen
(H.sub.2) gas as a carrier gas, and a nitrogen gas as a dopant gas,
respectively. The channel layer 106 may have a dopant concentration
of 1.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3, for example. At least the sidewalls
of the trench 102t (i.e., the first and second side surfaces 102t1
and 102t2) are covered with the channel layer 106. The thicknesses
of the channel layer 106 on the side surfaces of the trench 102t
need to be known in advance by evaluating, by cross-sectional SEM,
a sample in which the channel layer was grown epitaxially on the
same trench structure as this semiconductor element's. The
difference in thickness between the right and left portions of the
channel layer 106 to be formed on those side surfaces of the trench
102t varies according to the epitaxial growth condition. In this
embodiment (in which the principal surface of the substrate defines
a tilt angle of 4 degrees in the <11-20> direction with
respect to a (0001) plane), it was known in advance, as a result of
a cross-sectional SEM, that the epitaxial layer formed on the first
side surface 102t1 of the trench 102t was approximately 5% thicker
than the channel layer 106 formed on the second side surface
102t2.
[0086] Next, predetermined portions of the channel layer 106 are
dry-etched as needed, and then a gate insulating film 107 is formed
by thermal oxidation, for example, on the surface of the channel
layer 106 as shown in FIG. 6(b). In this process step, the gate
insulating film 107 has different thicknesses on the first and
second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 of the trench 102t, and the
thickness of the gate insulating film 107 also varies according to
the crystal plane orientations of the first and second side
surfaces 102t1 and 102t2 of the trench 102t. It is known, as a
result of a cross-sectional SEM that was carried out in advance,
that if the off-axis direction is a rightward direction (i.e., the
<11-20> direction) as in this embodiment, the gate insulating
film 107 is less thick on the right-hand side (i.e., on the first
side surface 102t1) than on the left-hand side (i.e., on the second
side surface 102t2) of the trench 102t.
[0087] Thereafter, a polysilicon film doped with phosphorus is
deposited to a thickness of about 500 nm over the surface of the
gate insulating film 107. In this manner, the trench 102t is filled
with the polysilicon film.
[0088] Next, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the polysilicon film is
dry-etched through a mask (not shown) to form a gate electrode 108
in an intended region.
[0089] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7(a), an interlevel
dielectric film 111 of SiO.sub.2, for example, is deposited to a
thickness of 1.5 .mu.m, for example, by CVD process over the
surface of the gate electrode 108 and over the exposed portion of
the gate insulating film 107, which is not covered with the gate
electrode 108.
[0090] Next, as shown in FIG. 7(b), respective portions of the
interlevel dielectric film 111, the gate insulating film 107 and
the epitaxial layer 106 are dry-etched away through a mask (not
shown) so that the surface of the contact region 105 and a part of
the surface of the source region 104 are exposed. In this manner,
holes (via holes) 111c are cut.
[0091] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7(c), a nickel film 109' is
deposited to a thickness of about 50 nm, for example, on the
interlevel dielectric film 111. After that, a heat treatment
process is carried out at 950 degrees Celsius for five minutes
within an inert atmosphere to make the nickel react with the
surface of silicon carbide and form a source electrode 109 made of
nickel silicide. Then, by removing the nickel film 109' on the
interlevel dielectric film 111, the structure shown in FIG. 8(a) is
obtained.
[0092] Next, as shown in FIG. 8(b), nickel is also deposited over
the entire back surface of the substrate 101 and is also made to
react with silicon carbide through a heat treatment process. In
this manner, a drain electrode 110 is formed.
[0093] Subsequently, aluminum is deposited to a thickness of about
4 .mu.m over the interlevel dielectric film 111 and inside the hole
111c and then selectively etched to form a predetermined pattern to
obtain the source line (upper interconnect electrode) 112 shown in
FIG. 1(a). Although not shown, a gate line (or gate pad) which
contacts with the gate electrode is also formed in another region
at an end of the chip. Finally, a stack of Ti/Ni/Ag is deposited on
the back surface of the drain electrode 110 as a back surface
interconnect electrode 113 for die bonding so that Ti contacts with
the drain electrode 110. In this manner, the semiconductor element
100 shown in FIG. 1 is completed.
Embodiment 2
[0094] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a
semiconductor element 300 as a second embodiment of the present
invention. In FIG. 9, illustrated are two adjacent unit cells 300u
of the semiconductor element 300.
[0095] In the semiconductor element 300 shown in FIG. 9, the body
region 303 includes a first body concentration adjusting region
303a, a second body concentration adjusting region 303c, and the
other region 303b. On the first side surface 302t1 of each trench
302t, exposed is the first body concentration adjusting region
303a. On the second side surface 302t2, on the other hand, exposed
is the second body concentration adjusting region 303c. The first
body concentration adjusting region 303a may have an average dopant
concentration of 1.2.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3, for example. The
second body concentration adjusting region 303c may have an average
dopant concentration of 1.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3, for example.
The rest 303b of the body region 303 other than the first and
second body concentration adjusting regions 303a and 303c may have
an average dopant concentration of 8.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3, for
example. In the other respects, the semiconductor element 300 of
this embodiment is the same as the semiconductor element 100 of the
first embodiment.
[0096] According to this embodiment, the p-type dopant
concentration can be controlled on both of the first and second
side surfaces 302t1 and 302t2 of the trench 302t based on the
thicknesses of the channel layer 306 and the gate insulating film
307. Consequently, the threshold voltage can be regulated more
precisely.
[0097] Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 10
through 14 how to make the semiconductor element of this
embodiment. First of all, a substrate 301 is provided. The
substrate 301 may be an n-type 4H--SiC (0001) Si plane off-cut
substrate with low resistance (with a resistivity of 0.02
.OMEGA.cm). Alternatively, an SiC (000-1) C plane off-cut substrate
may also be used as the substrate 101. A vector representing a
normal to the principal surface of the substrate 101 tilts in the
<11-20> direction with respect to a vector representing a
normal to a (0001) plane and may define an off-axis angle of 4
degrees. In FIG. 10, the direction pointing from the right to the
left is supposed to indicate the <11-20> direction.
[0098] Next, as shown in FIG. 10(a), a high-resistance drift layer
302 is grown epitaxially on the substrate 301. An n-type 4H--SiC
layer may be used as the drift layer 302, for example. The drift
layer 302 may have a dopant concentration of 1.times.10.sup.16
cm.sup.-3 and a thickness of 10 .mu.m, for example. Optionally,
before the drift layer 302 is deposited, a buffer layer with
low-resistance may be deposited on the substrate 301. In that case,
the buffer layer may have a dopant concentration of
1.times.10.sup.18 cm.sup.-3 and a thickness of 1 .mu.m, for
example.
[0099] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 10(b), Al ions, for example,
are implanted into an upper portion of the drift layer 302. The ion
implanted region thus formed is a body implanted region 303' to be
the body region 303 eventually. In FIG. 10(b), the body implanted
region 303' has been formed over the entire surface of the unit
cell 300u. The species of the ions to be implanted to form the body
implanted region 303' may be aluminum, and its acceleration
energies and implant doses may be changed from 500 KeV and
1.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2 into 250 KeV and 5.times.10.sup.13
cm.sup.-2, 100 KeV and 1.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2 and then 50 KeV
and 5.times.10.sup.12 cm.sup.-2. If a peripheral structure needs to
be formed in a ring shape in order to lessen the overconcentration
of an electric field around the element, then a mask of SiO.sub.2
may be formed in this process step to define a patterned body
implanted region 303' in the peripheral region.
[0100] Since Al has a small diffusion coefficient, a variation in
the concentration profile due to the diffusion of Al, if any, is
almost negligible. If boron is used as a dopant for the body
region, then the rate of activation and diffusion coefficient
thereof need to be known in advance and then the energy and dose of
the ions to be implanted may be determined to obtain an intended
dopant concentration profile.
[0101] Next, as shown in FIG. 10(c), a mask 410 is formed and
aluminum ions, for example, are implanted into the body implanted
region 303' through the mask 410 to form a first body concentration
adjusting implanted region 303a', which comes to have a higher
p-type dopant concentration than the rest 303b' of the body
implanted region 303' other than the first body concentration
adjusting implanted region 303a'. In this process step, the implant
energy and number of times of implantation may be the same as those
of the body implanted region 103', for example, and the implant
doses may be determined by the respective thicknesses of the first
and second channel regions 306a and 306b to grow on the first and
second side surfaces 302t1 and 302t2 of the trench 302t, for
example. That is to say, the implant doses are adjusted so that the
first and second channel regions 306a and 306b have substantially
the same threshold voltage. For example, if the first and second
channel regions 306a and 306b have a thickness of 100 nm and a
thickness of 95 nm, respectively, the implant doses may be
4.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2, 2.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2,
4.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2, and 2.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2,
respectively.
[0102] Next, as shown in FIG. 10(d), a mask 401 is formed to cover
not only the rest 303b' of the body implanted region 303' other
than the first body concentration adjusting implanted region 303a'
but also a portion of the first body concentration adjusting
implanted region 303a'. And nitrogen ions, for example, are
implanted into the rest of the first body concentration adjusting
implanted region 303a' through the mask 401 to form a second body
concentration adjusting implanted region 303c', which comes to have
a lower p-type dopant concentration than the first body
concentration adjusting implanted region 303a'. In this process
step, the implant energy and number of times of implantation may be
the same as those of the body implanted region 103', for example,
and the implant doses may be determined by the respective
thicknesses of the first and second channel regions 306a and 306b
to grow on the first and second side surfaces 302t1 and 302t2 of
the trench 302t, for example. That is to say, the implant doses are
adjusted so that the first and second channel regions 306a and 306b
have substantially the same threshold voltage. For example, if the
first and second channel regions 306a and 306b have a thickness of
100 nm and a thickness of 95 nm, respectively, the implant doses
may be 4.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2, 2.times.10.sup.14 cm.sup.-2,
4.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2, and 2.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2,
respectively.
[0103] In the process steps shown in FIGS. 10(c) and 10(d), the
masks 410 and 401 are arranged so that the first body concentration
adjusting implanted region 303a' will be located beside one of the
first and second side surfaces 302t1 and 302t2 of the trench 302t
and that the second body concentration adjusting implanted region
303c' will be located beside the other side surface. In this case,
the positions of the masks 410 and 401 are determined with possible
exposure mask misalignment taken into account.
[0104] Next, after the mask 401 has been removed, another mask 402
is formed to define a source implanted region 304' as shown in FIG.
11(a). The dopant to be introduced in this process step may be
nitrogen to be n-type.
[0105] After the ions have been implanted, the mask 402 is removed.
Subsequently, still another mask 403 is formed and Al ions are
implanted through it to define a contact implanted region 305' as
shown in FIG. 11(b).
[0106] After these ion implantation process steps have been
performed, the mask 403 is removed, and an annealing process for
activation is carried out. In this manner, a body region 103, a
source region 104 and a contact region 105 are formed as shown in
FIG. 11(c). By forming the first and second body concentration
adjusting regions 303a and 303c with the same implant energy as the
rest of the body region 303 other than the first and second body
concentration adjusting region 303a and 303c, their depths can be
substantially the same. For example, if the surface S of the drift
layer 302 is supposed to be the reference surface, their depths are
approximately 500 nm. The ion implantation profile is determined so
that the first body concentration adjusting region 303a has an
average dopant concentration of approximately 5.times.10.sup.19
cm.sup.-3. The ion implantation profile is determined so that the
second body concentration adjusting region 303c has an average
dopant concentration of approximately 1.times.10.sup.19 cm.sup.-3.
And the ion implantation profile is determined so that the body
region has an average dopant concentration of approximately
1.times.10.sup.19 cm.sup.-3. Also, the source region is supposed to
be located at a depth where a dopant concentration of
5.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3 is obtained.
[0107] The contact region 105 may be located at a depth of 400 nm
under the surface S as a reference surface and may have an average
dopant concentration of approximately 1.times.10.sup.20 cm.sup.-3.
The contact region 105 is supposed to be located at a depth where a
dopant concentration of 5.times.10.sup.17 cm.sup.-3 is
obtained.
[0108] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 12(a), a mask 404 is formed to
form a trench 302t which runs through the source region 304 and the
first and second body concentration adjusting regions 303a and 303c
to expose the drift layer 302. This trench 302t may be formed by
subjecting this silicon carbide structure to a dry etching process
using a mixture of chlorofluorocarbon and oxygen gases, for
example. This trench 102t may have a width of approximately 1 .mu.m
and a depth of approximately 1.1 .mu.m, for example. The mask 204
is made of a material that has tolerance to this dry etching
process (such as aluminum). If the tolerance is insufficient, then
a rather thick mask 204 may be formed.
[0109] Next, the mask 404 is removed, the substrate is washed well,
and then a channel layer (epitaxial layer) 306 is grown over the
surface of the drift layer 302 as well as over the first and second
body concentration adjusting regions 303a and 303c, the source
region 304 and the contact region 305. In this manner, at least the
sidewalls of the trench 302t (i.e., the first and second side
surfaces 302t1 and 302t2) are covered with the channel layer 306.
The thicknesses of the channel layer 306 on the side surfaces of
the trench 302t need to be known in advance by evaluating, by
cross-sectional SEM, a sample in which the channel layer was grown
epitaxially on the same trench structure as this semiconductor
element's. The difference in thickness between the right and left
portions of the channel layer 306 to be formed on those side
surfaces of the trench 302t varies according to the epitaxial
growth condition. In this embodiment (in which the principal
surface of the substrate defines a tilt angle of 4 degrees in the
<11-20> direction with respect to a (0001) plane), it was
known in advance, as a result of a cross-sectional SEM, that the
channel layer 306 formed on the first side surface 302t1 of the
trench 302t was approximately 5% thicker than the channel layer 306
formed on the second side surface 302t2.
[0110] Next, predetermined portions of the channel layer 306 are
dry-etched as needed, and then a gate insulating film 307 is formed
by thermal oxidation, for example, on the surface of the channel
layer 306 as shown in FIG. 12(b). In this process step, the gate
insulating film 307 has different thicknesses on the first and
second side surfaces 302t1 and 302t2 of the trench 302t, and the
thickness of the gate insulating film 307 also varies according to
the crystal plane orientations of the first and second side
surfaces 302t1 and 302t2 of the trench 302t. It is known, as a
result of a cross-sectional SEM that was carried out in advance,
that if the off-axis direction is a rightward direction (i.e., the
<11-20> direction) as in this embodiment, the gate insulating
film 307 is less thick on the right-hand side (i.e., on the first
side surface 302t1) than on the left-hand side (i.e., on the second
side surface 302t2) of the trench 302t.
[0111] Thereafter, a polysilicon film doped with phosphorus is
deposited to a thickness of about 500 nm over the surface of the
gate insulating film 107. In this manner, the trench 302t that has
been formed through the drift layer 302 is filled with the
polysilicon film.
[0112] Next, as shown in FIG. 12(c), the polysilicon film is
dry-etched through a mask (not shown) to form a gate electrode 108
in an intended region.
[0113] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 13(a), an interlevel
dielectric film 311 of SiO.sub.2, for example, is deposited to a
thickness of 1.5 .mu.m, for example, by CVD process over the
surface of the gate electrode 308 and over the exposed portion of
the gate insulating film 307, which is not covered with the gate
electrode 308.
[0114] Next, as shown in FIG. 13(b), respective portions of the
interlevel dielectric film 311, the gate insulating film 307 and
the channel layer 306 are dry-etched away through a mask (not
shown) so that the surface of the contact region 305 and a part of
the surface of the source region 304 are exposed. In this manner,
holes (via holes) 311c are cut.
[0115] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 13(c), a nickel film 309' is
deposited to a thickness of about 50 nm, for example, on the
interlevel dielectric film 311. After that, a heat treatment
process is carried out at 950 degrees Celsius for five minutes
within an inert atmosphere to make the nickel react with the
surface of silicon carbide and form a source electrode 309 made of
nickel silicide. Then, by removing the nickel film 309' on the
interlevel dielectric film 311, the structure shown in FIG. 14(a)
is obtained.
[0116] Next, as shown in FIG. 14(b), nickel is also deposited over
the entire back surface of the substrate 301 and is also made to
react with silicon carbide through a heat treatment process. In
this manner, a drain electrode 310 is formed.
[0117] Subsequently, aluminum is deposited to a thickness of about
4 .mu.m over the interlevel dielectric film 311 and inside the via
hole 311c and then selectively etched to form a predetermined
pattern to obtain the source line (upper interconnect electrode)
312 shown in FIG. 9. Although not shown, a gate line (or gate pad)
which contacts with the gate electrode is also formed in another
region at an end of the chip. Finally, a stack of Ti/Ni/Ag is
deposited on the back surface of the drain electrode 310 as a back
surface interconnect electrode 313 for die bonding so that Ti
contacts with the drain electrode 310. In this manner, the
semiconductor element 300 shown in FIG. 9 is completed.
[0118] Supposing the chip size of each unit cell of a traditional
trench type MISFET shown in FIG. 18 is the same as the
semiconductor elements 100 and 300 shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, the
semiconductor elements 100 and 300 of the first and second
embodiments would have lower ON-state resistance than the
semiconductor element shown in FIG. 18. In addition, the
semiconductor elements 100 and 300 of the first and second
embodiments would have improved swing characteristic, which is
defined by a gate voltage that needs to be applied to increase the
amount of drain current by one digit, compared to the semiconductor
element shown in FIG. 18.
[0119] The reason is probably as follows. Specifically, in the
semiconductor elements 100 and 300 of the first and second
embodiments, according to the thickness of a channel layer to be
grown on the two opposing side surfaces of a trench, the
concentration of a p-type dopant in a body region that contacts
with that channel layer is changed, and therefore, the threshold
voltages are substantially the same on those two opposing side
surfaces of the trench.
[0120] On the other hand, in the semiconductor element shown in
FIG. 18, portions of the channel layer on the two opposing side
surfaces of a trench have mutually different thicknesses, and yet
the body region in contact with those portions of the channel layer
has the same concentration. That is why the threshold voltages on
the two opposing side surfaces of the trench are different from
each other. Consequently, in the MISFET shown in FIG. 18, in some
cases, even when ON-state current is flowing through a portion of
the channel layer on one trench sidewall, no ON-state current might
be flowing through the other trench sidewall. In such a situation,
the ON-state resistance would increase and the swing characteristic
would deteriorate.
[0121] In this case, if there is a significant difference in
threshold voltage between those two opposing side surfaces of a
trench, then the resultant electrical characteristic would be the
one to get the source-drain current Ids once saturated when the
gate-source voltage Vgs reaches a certain value and to make the
source-drain current Ids rise again if the gate-source voltage Vgs
is further increased. In that case, the ON-state resistance would
increase and the swing characteristic would deteriorate as
described above. On the other hand, the semiconductor elements 100
and 300 of the first and second embodiments do not exhibit such a
characteristic but have such a characteristic that the source-drain
current Ids continues to increase as the gate-source voltage Vgs
rises. And to realize such a good characteristic, the difference in
threshold voltage between those two opposing side surfaces of the
trench may be equal to or smaller than 0.1 V. If the difference in
threshold voltage is 0.1 V or less, increase in ON-state resistance
and deterioration of the swing characteristic can be checked or
suppressed sufficiently.
[0122] In the first embodiment described above, the body
concentration adjusting region 103a is supposed to be formed by
implanting ions of a p-type dopant. However, such a body
concentration adjusting region which compensates for a
concentration in the body region may also be formed by implanting
ions of an n-type dopant. FIG. 15 illustrates the structure of such
a semiconductor element. In this semiconductor element 200, the
body concentration adjusting region 201 has been formed by
implanting ions of an n-type dopant. The body concentration
adjusting region 201 is arranged beside the second side surface
102t2 of each trench 102t. By implanting an n-type dopant into the
body region 203 in this manner, the carrier concentration can be
compensated for and the concentration of the p-type dopant in the
body concentration adjusting region 201 can be lower than in the
second portion 103b. That is why if the channel layer 106 is
thicker, and the gate insulating film 107 is less thick, on the
first side surface 102t1, the threshold voltage can be kept
constant by forming the body concentration adjusting region 201 in
a portion of the body region 203 beside the second side surface
102t2. The semiconductor element 200 shown in FIG. 15 has the same
configuration as the semiconductor element 100 shown in FIG. 1
except that an n-type dopant has been implanted into the body
concentration adjusting region 201. In the semiconductor element
shown in FIG. 15, first of all, after a p-type dopant has been
implanted into a body implanted region (to be the body region 203
through a heat treatment), an n-type dopant is implanted to form
the body concentration adjusting region 201. The implant dose
(concentration) of the n-type dopant to be introduced to form the
body concentration adjusting region 201 is set to be less than the
implant dose of the p-type dopant to be introduced to form the body
region 203. As a result, the body concentration adjusting region
201 becomes a p-type region which has a lower p-type carrier
concentration than the second portion 103b. Optionally, in the
semiconductor element 300 shown in FIG. 9, an n-type dopant may be
implanted into the body concentration adjusting region 303b.
[0123] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a
semiconductor element 400 as another embodiment of the present
invention. In the semiconductor element 400 shown in FIG. 16, the
body concentration adjusting region 103d is shallower than the
second portion 103b. In this manner, the body concentration
adjusting region 103d may be arranged only in some depth range of
the body region 103. In the manufacturing process of the
semiconductor element 400 shown in FIG. 16, the implant energy of
the ion implantation process to form the body concentration
adjusting region 103d is set to be lower than the implant energy of
the ion implantation process to form the body region 103. In this
manner, the depth of the body concentration adjusting region 103d
can be less than that of the second portion 103b.
[0124] In the embodiments described above, the source region,
source electrode and drain electrode respectively correspond to the
impurity region of the first conductivity type, first electrode,
and second electrode according to the present invention.
[0125] Also, in the embodiments described above, the semiconductor
element is supposed to be an accumulation type MISFET having a
channel layer. However, this is just an example of the present
invention. The semiconductor element may also be an inversion type
MISFET with no channel layer (epitaxial layer). FIG. 17 illustrates
a configuration for such a semiconductor element with no channel
layer. In the semiconductor element 500 shown in FIG. 17, by
applying a voltage to the gate electrode 108, the conductivity type
of a portion of the body region 103, which is located opposite from
the gate electrode 108 with the gate insulating film 107 interposed
between them, can be inverted locally, thereby forming a channel
there (and such a structure is called an "inverted channel
structure"). Even in such an inverted channel structure, the
thickness of the gate insulating film 107 also affects the
threshold voltages at the first and second side surfaces 102t1 and
102t2 of the trench 102t. That is why by adjusting the dopant
concentrations in portions of the body region which are located
beside the first and second side surfaces 102t1 and 102t2, the
threshold voltages can be equal to each other.
[0126] In the embodiments described above, the channel layer is
supposed to have mutually different thicknesses on two opposing
sidewall surfaces of a trench. However, this is only an example of
the present invention. Even if the channel layer has mutually
different concentrations on two opposing sidewall surfaces of a
trench, the threshold voltages at those two opposing side surfaces
of the trench can be substantially equal to each other by forming a
body concentration adjusting region with ions of a p-type or n-type
dopant implanted there.
[0127] Furthermore, even though the plane orientation of the
trench's sidewall surfaces is supposed to substantially agree with
the <11-20> direction in the embodiments described above, the
sidewall surfaces do not have to have such a plane orientation.
[0128] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, the silicon
carbide semiconductor element is supposed to be implemented as a
trench type MISFET. However, this is just an embodiment of the
present invention. Alternatively, the silicon carbide semiconductor
element of the present invention may also be implemented as an
insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or junction field-effect
transistor (JFET) with such a trench type structure.
[0129] For example, if the substrate and the semiconductor layer
formed thereon have mutually different conductivity types, then an
IGBT can be formed. In the case of an IGBT, however, the source
electrode, drain electrode and source region are called an emitter
electrode, a collector electrode and an emitter region,
respectively.
[0130] Thus, if in the silicon carbide semiconductor element
described above, the conductivity type of its drift region and
emitter region is set to be n-type and the conductivity type of its
substrate and body region is set to be p-type, an n-type IGBT can
be obtained. In that case, an n-type buffer layer may be arranged
between the p-type substrate and the n-type drift layer.
Conversely, if the conductivity type of its drift region and
emitter region is set to be p-type and the conductivity type of its
substrate and body region is set to be n-type, a p-type IGBT can be
obtained. In that case, a p-type buffer layer may be arranged
between the n-type substrate and the p-type drift layer.
[0131] Furthermore, even though silicon carbide is supposed to be
4H--SiC in the embodiments described above, silicon carbide
according to the present invention may also have any other
poly-type (such as 6H--SiC, 3C--SiC, or 15R--SiC). Also, the plane
orientation of the principal surface is supposed to be an off-cut
one with respect to a (0001) plane, the principal surface may also
be any other plane (such as a (11-20) plane, a (1-100) plane or a
(000-1) plane) or an off-cut plane thereof. Still alternatively,
the substrate may even be made of Si, and the drift layer may have
a heterojunction formed by silicon carbide (e.g., 3C--SiC).
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0132] An SiC semiconductor device according to an aspect of the
present invention can be used as a power element that is required
to cause low loss.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0133] 100, 200, 1000 semiconductor element [0134] 100u, 1000u unit
cell [0135] 101, 1010 substrate (silicon carbide semiconductor
substrate) [0136] 102, 1020 drift layer (first silicon carbide
semiconductor layer) [0137] 103a, 201 body concentration adjusting
region [0138] 103b second portion [0139] 103, 1030 body region
[0140] 104, 1040 source region [0141] 105, 1050 body contact region
(contact region) [0142] 106, 1060 channel layer (epitaxial layer)
[0143] 106c channel portion [0144] 107, 1070 gate insulating film
[0145] 108, 1080 gate electrode [0146] 109, 1090 source electrode
[0147] 110, 1100 drain electrode [0148] 211, 212, 213 mask [0149]
111, 1110 interlevel dielectric film [0150] 112, 1120 upper
interconnect electrode [0151] 113, 1130 back surface interconnect
electrode (lower interconnect electrode) [0152] 1020t trench
* * * * *