U.S. patent application number 17/321695 was filed with the patent office on 2021-09-02 for semiconductor device having body contact regions and corresponding methods of manufacture.
The applicant listed for this patent is Infineon Technologies Austria AG. Invention is credited to Thomas Feil, Wei-Chun Huang, Martin Poelzl, Maximilian Roesch.
Application Number | 20210273067 17/321695 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005585145 |
Filed Date | 2021-09-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210273067 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huang; Wei-Chun ; et
al. |
September 2, 2021 |
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HAVING BODY CONTACT REGIONS AND CORRESPONDING
METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
Abstract
A semiconductor device includes a contact opening extending
through a source region and a body region of the device. An
electrically insulative spacer lines sidewalls of the semiconductor
substrate formed by the contact opening, and is recessed along the
sidewalls such that at least part of the source region or body
region is uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer. A body
contact plug is in the contact opening. A first body contact region
formed adjacent a bottom of the contact opening adjoins the body
contact plug at the bottom of the contact opening. A second body
contact region formed in the part of the source region or body
region uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer adjoins the
body contact plug along the part of the source region or body
region uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer.
Inventors: |
Huang; Wei-Chun; (Torrance,
CA) ; Poelzl; Martin; (Ossiach, AT) ; Feil;
Thomas; (Villach, AT) ; Roesch; Maximilian;
(St. Magdalen, AT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Infineon Technologies Austria AG |
Villach |
|
AT |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005585145 |
Appl. No.: |
17/321695 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15878183 |
Jan 23, 2018 |
11031478 |
|
|
17321695 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 29/41766 20130101;
H01L 27/0629 20130101; H01L 21/76831 20130101; H01L 29/7397
20130101; H01L 29/66719 20130101; H01L 29/66727 20130101; H01L
29/0869 20130101; H01L 29/872 20130101; H01L 29/7843 20130101; H01L
21/76805 20130101; H01L 29/66734 20130101; H01L 29/66348 20130101;
H01L 29/423 20130101; H01L 29/7813 20130101; H01L 29/7806 20130101;
H01L 29/0634 20130101; H01L 29/1095 20130101; H01L 29/41741
20130101; H01L 29/6634 20130101; H01L 29/407 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01L 29/423 20060101
H01L029/423; H01L 29/40 20060101 H01L029/40; H01L 29/66 20060101
H01L029/66; H01L 29/78 20060101 H01L029/78; H01L 29/10 20060101
H01L029/10; H01L 29/417 20060101 H01L029/417; H01L 29/06 20060101
H01L029/06; H01L 29/08 20060101 H01L029/08; H01L 21/768 20060101
H01L021/768; H01L 27/06 20060101 H01L027/06 |
Claims
1. A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate
having a first main surface; a trench extending from the first main
surface into the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode in the
trench and insulated from the semiconductor substrate; a source
region having a first conductivity type and formed in the
semiconductor substrate at the first surface and adjacent the
trench; a body region having a second conductivity type and formed
in the semiconductor substrate below the first region and adjacent
the trench; a drift region having the first conductivity type and
formed in the semiconductor substrate below the second region and
adjacent the trench; a contact opening extending through the source
region and into the body region; an electrically insulative spacer
on sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate formed by the contact
opening, wherein the electrically insulative spacer is recessed
below the first main surface along the sidewalls such that at least
part of the source region or body region is uncovered by the
electrically insulative spacer; a body contact plug in the contact
opening; a first body contact region having the second conductivity
type and formed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent a bottom of
the contact opening, wherein the first body contact region adjoins
the body contact plug at the bottom of the contact opening; and a
second body contact region having the second conductivity type and
formed in the part of the source region or body region uncovered by
the electrically insulative spacer, wherein the second body contact
region adjoins the body contact plug along the part of the source
region or body region uncovered by the electrically insulative
spacer.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the source region
extends to the sidewalls, wherein at least part of the source
region is uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer, and
wherein the second body contact region adjoins the body contact
plug along the part of the source region uncovered by the
electrically insulative spacer.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the source region
is separated from the sidewalls by the body region, wherein at
least part of the body region is uncovered by the electrically
insulative spacer, and wherein the second body contact region
adjoins the body contact plug along the part of the body region
uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the contact opening
terminates within the body region such that the body contact plug
is separated from the drift region by a section of the body
region.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the contact opening
terminates within the body region, and wherein the first body
contact region is formed in the body region.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 5, wherein the source region
is separated from the sidewalls by the body region, wherein at
least part of the body region is uncovered by the electrically
insulative spacer, and wherein the second body contact region
adjoins the body contact plug along the part of the body region
uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer.
7. The semiconductor device of claim 5, wherein the source region
is separated from the sidewalls by the body region, wherein at
least part of the body region is uncovered by the electrically
insulative spacer, and wherein the second body contact region
adjoins the body contact plug along the part of the body region
uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer.
8. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the contact opening
extends through the body region, and wherein the first body contact
region is formed in the drift region.
9. The semiconductor device of claim 8, wherein the source region
is separated from the sidewalls by the body region, wherein at
least part of the body region is uncovered by the electrically
insulative spacer, and wherein the second body contact region
adjoins the body contact plug along the part of the body region
uncovered by the electrically insulative spacer.
10. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising a drain
region having the first conductivity type and formed at a second
main surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite the first main
surface, wherein the drain region is doped more heavily than the
drift region.
11. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising a field
plate in the trench below the gate electrode, wherein the field
plate is electrically insulated from the gate electrode.
12. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising an
interlayer dielectric on the first main surface of the
semiconductor substrate, wherein the contact opening extends
through the interlayer dielectric and into the semiconductor
substrate, and wherein a width of the contact opening is larger in
the interlayer dielectric than in the semiconductor substrate such
that the electrically conductive material has a stepped profile in
the contact opening.
13. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising an
interlayer dielectric on the first main surface of the
semiconductor substrate, wherein the contact opening extends
through the interlayer dielectric and into the semiconductor
substrate, and wherein the electrically insulative spacer extends
onto the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate and
along sidewalls of the interlayer dielectric formed by the contact
opening.
14. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the electrically
insulative spacer extends onto the first main surface of the
semiconductor substrate.
15. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the electrically
insulative spacer comprises oxide, nitride, carbon or
tetraethoxysilane.
16. A method of producing a semiconductor device, the method
comprising: forming a trench that extends from a first main surface
of a semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate;
forming a gate electrode in the trench and insulated from the
semiconductor substrate; forming a source region having a first
conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate at the first
surface and adjacent the trench; forming a body region having a
second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate below the
first region and adjacent the trench; forming a drift region having
the first conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate below
the second region and adjacent the trench; forming a contact
opening that extends through the source region and into the body
region; forming an electrically insulative spacer on sidewalls of
the semiconductor substrate formed by the contact opening, wherein
the electrically insulative spacer is recessed below the first main
surface along the sidewalls such that at least part of the source
region or body region is uncovered by the electrically insulative
spacer; forming a body contact plug in the contact opening; forming
a first body contact region having the second conductivity type in
the semiconductor substrate adjacent a bottom of the contact
opening, wherein the first body contact region adjoins the body
contact plug at the bottom of the contact opening; and forming a
second body contact region having the second conductivity type in
the part of the source region or body region uncovered by the
electrically insulative spacer, wherein the second body contact
region adjoins the body contact plug along the part of the source
region or body region uncovered by the electrically insulative
spacer.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the source region extends to
the sidewalls, the method further comprising: removing the
electrically insulative spacer from at least part of the source
region, wherein the second body contact region adjoins the body
contact plug along the part of the source region from which the
electrically insulative spacer was removed.
18. The method of claim 16, wherein the source region is separated
from the sidewalls by the body region, the method further
comprising: removing the electrically insulative spacer from at
least part of the body region, wherein the second body contact
region adjoins the body contact plug along the part of the body
region from which the electrically insulative spacer was
removed.
19. The method of claim 16, further comprising: terminating the
contact opening within the body region; and forming the first body
contact region in the body region.
20. The method of claim 16, further comprising: extending the
contact opening through the body region; and forming the first body
contact region in the drift region.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The channel dimensions of power MOSFETs are routinely
reduced to increase performance. The distance between the channel
and the groove contact to the body region of the device also
becomes smaller, resulting in several crucial trade-offs including:
the interaction of the p+ contact implant into the groove with
channel dopants; and the slope of the threshold voltage
characteristic decreases as parasitic source capacitance increases
and gate control is reduced by depletion capacitance.
[0002] The distance between the channel and the groove contact can
be kept large enough, but this results in higher Rdson (on-state
resistance). The decrease in the slope of the threshold voltage
characteristic can be addressed by using thinner oxide which yields
smaller gate capacitance. However, smaller gate capacitance
increases gate total charge Figure of Merit (FOMg).
[0003] Hence, new power MOSFETs with smaller channel dimensions and
acceptable FOMg are needed.
SUMMARY
[0004] According to an embodiment of a semiconductor device, the
semiconductor device comprises: a trench extending into a first
main surface of a semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode and a
gate dielectric in the trench, the gate dielectric separating the
gate electrode from the semiconductor substrate; a first region
having a first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor
substrate at the first surface and adjacent the trench; a second
region having a second conductivity type formed in the
semiconductor substrate below the first region and adjacent the
trench; a third region having the first conductivity type formed in
the semiconductor substrate below the second region and adjacent
the trench; a contact opening in the semiconductor substrate which
extends into the second region; an electrically insulative spacer
on sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate formed by the contact
opening; and an electrically conductive material in the contact
opening and adjoining the electrically insulative spacer on the
sidewalls of the semiconductor substrate formed by the contact
opening. Corresponding methods of manufacture are also
provided.
[0005] Those skilled in the art will recognize additional features
and advantages upon reading the following detailed description, and
upon viewing the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0006] The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale
relative to each other. Like reference numerals designate
corresponding similar parts. The features of the various
illustrated embodiments can be combined unless they exclude each
other. Embodiments are depicted in the drawings and are detailed in
the description which follows.
[0007] FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate respective partial
cross-sectional views of embodiments of semiconductor devices
having body contacts with dielectric spacers.
[0008] FIGS. 5A through 5D illustrate an embodiment of some
processing steps for manufacturing the semiconductor devices shown
in FIGS. 1 through 4.
[0009] FIG. 6 illustrates a partial top plan view of the
semiconductor device embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 4.
[0010] FIGS. 7 through 10 illustrate respective partial
cross-sectional views of additional embodiments of semiconductor
devices having body contacts with dielectric spacers.
[0011] FIGS. 11A through 11Q illustrate an embodiment of a method
of manufacturing the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 10.
[0012] FIG. 12 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of an
embodiment of a semiconductor device having body contacts with
dielectric spacers and integrated Schottky barrier diodes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The embodiments described herein provide power MOSFETs with
reduced channel dimensions and good FOMg, and corresponding methods
of manufacture. By introducing a spacer dielectric along sidewalls
of the contact to the highly-doped body contact region of a power
device, the lateral dimension of the channel region can be further
reduced while also reducing source capacitance and increasing the
distance between the highly-doped body contact region and the
channel region. The small fin-like portion of the device body
region between the contact opening/groove in the semiconductor
substrate and the gate trench is in parallel with the contact
opening/groove, reducing the swing of the IV curve and DIBL
(drain-induced barrier lowering). The highly-doped body contact
region is decoupled from the channel region by the spacer
dielectric along the contact opening/groove, improving threshold
voltage stability. The dielectric spacer also introduces stress
along the channel side, which should reduce Rdson and leakage.
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of a
semiconductor device 100 having body contacts with dielectric
spacers. The semiconductor device 100 includes a semiconductor
substrate 102 with gate trenches 104 extending into the front
surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate 102. The semiconductor
substrate 102 can comprise any type of semiconductor material such
as a single element semiconductor (e.g. Si, Ge, etc.),
silicon-on-insulator, a binary semiconductor (e.g. SiC, GaN, GaAs,
etc.), a ternary semiconductor, etc. with or without epitaxial
layer(s). A gate electrode 108 and a gate dielectric 110 are
disposed in each gate trench 104, the gate dielectric 110
separating the corresponding gate electrode 108 from the
semiconductor substrate 102. A field plate 112 can be disposed in
the gate trenches 104 below the gate electrodes 108, each field
plate 112 being separated from the semiconductor substrate 102 and
the corresponding gate electrode 108 by a field dielectric 114 that
is thicker than the gate dielectric 110. Alternatively or
additionally, field plates can be disposed in dedicated field plate
trenches which are not shown in FIG. 1.
[0015] A first (source/emitter) region 116 having a first
conductivity type (e.g. n-type in the case of an n-channel device,
or p-type in the case of a p-channel device) is formed in the
semiconductor substrate 102 at the front surface 106 and adjacent
each gate trench 104. A second (body) region 118 having a second
conductivity type (e.g. p-type in the case of an n-channel device,
or n-type in the case of a p-channel device) is formed in the
semiconductor substrate 102 below the source/emitter region 116 and
adjacent each gate trench 104. A third (drift) region 120 having
the first conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor
substrate 102, e.g. as part of an epitaxial layer, below the body
region 118 and adjacent each gate trench 104. A drain/collector
region 122 of the first conductivity type is formed at the back
surface 124 of the semiconductor substrate 102 opposite the front
surface 106, and is doped more heavily than the drift region
120.
[0016] The semiconductor device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a vertical
power MOSFET which has a channel region 126 that extends in the
vertical direction along gate dielectric 110 in the body region
118. By applying a sufficient gate voltage to the gate electrodes
108, minority carriers (electrons in the case of a p-type body
region 118, or holes in the case of an n-type body region 118)
collect along the gate dielectric 110 in the channel region 126 and
an electrically conductive path is completed between the
source/emitter region 116 and the drain/collector region 122 via
the drift and channel regions 120, 126.
[0017] An interlayer dielectric 128 such a silicon dioxide, silicon
nitride, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), etc. is formed on the front
surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate 102 to separate one or
more overlying metal layers (not shown) from the underlying
semiconductor substrate 102. A contact opening 130 extends through
the interlayer dielectric 128 and into the semiconductor substrate
102. In one embodiment, the minimum width (w1) of the contact
opening 130 is larger in the interlayer dielectric 128 than the
minimum width (w2) of the contact opening 130 in the semiconductor
substrate 102. The width of the drift region 120 between adjacent
gate trenches 104 is labelled w3 in FIG. 1, and which can be in the
range of several hundred nanometres, e.g. about 300 nm or more or
less. The part of the contact opening 130 formed in the
semiconductor substrate 102 is also referred to herein as a groove.
An electrically conductive material 132 fills the contact opening
130 to form a body contact plug 134 having a stepped profile in the
contact opening 130 due to the width difference described above
(w1>w2).
[0018] The contact opening 130 extends at least into the body
region 118. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the contact
opening 130 terminates within the body region 118 so that the body
contact plug 134 is separated from the drift region 120 by a
section of the body region 118. A highly-doped (e.g. p+) body
contact region 136 of the second conductivity type, and which is
doped more heavily than the body region 118, is formed in the body
region 118 adjacent the bottom of the contact opening 130. The
highly-doped body contact region 136 adjoins, and is in ohmic
contact with, the body contact plug 134 at the bottom of the
contact opening 130.
[0019] An electrically insulative spacer 138 is disposed on
sidewalls 140 of the semiconductor substrate 102 formed by the
contact opening 130. The electrically conductive material 132 in
the contact opening 130 adjoins the electrically insulative spacer
138 on the sidewalls 140 of the semiconductor substrate 102 formed
by the contact opening 130. By providing the electrically
insulative spacer 138 along the sidewalls 140 of the semiconductor
substrate 102 formed by the contact opening 130, the lateral
dimension of the channel regions 126 can be reduced while also
reducing source capacitance and increasing the distance between the
body contact plug 134 and the channel regions 126. As a result, the
body contact plug 134 is better decoupled from the channel regions
126 by the electrically insulative spacer 138 disposed on the
sidewalls 140 of the semiconductor substrate 102 formed by the
contact opening 130. Any suitable electrically insulating material
can be used for the electrically insulative spacer 140, such as
oxide, nitride, carbon, TEOS, etc.
[0020] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the
electrically insulative spacer 138 extends onto the front surface
106 of the semiconductor substrate 102, along sidewalls 142 of the
interlayer dielectric 128 formed by the contact opening 130, and
onto the surface 144 of the interlayer dielectric 128 facing away
from the semiconductor substrate 102. With such a contact groove
spacer configuration, the ohmic contact between the highly-doped
body contact region 136 formed in the semiconductor substrate 102
and the body contact plug 134 occurs only at the bottom of the
contact opening 130. As previously described herein, the
semiconductor substrate 102 can include one or more epitaxial
layers such as Si epitaxial layers. For example, the heavily doped
drain/collector region 122 may have been fabricated from a
semiconductor wafer and the body region 118 and the drift region
120 can be formed in one or more epitaxial layers grown on the
heavily doped drain/collector region 122.
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of another
embodiment of a semiconductor device 200 having a buried dielectric
plug. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is similar to the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1. Different, however, the portion of the
electrically insulative spacer 138 disposed in the contact opening
130 is recessed below the front surface 106 of the semiconductor
substrate 102 along the sidewalls 140 of the semiconductor
substrate 102 formed by the contact opening 130. According to this
embodiment, the electrically insulative spacer 138 is recessed
before formation of the highly-doped body contact region 136. As a
result, the part of the source/collector region 116 exposed as a
result of the removal of the electrically insulative spacer 138 in
select regions is implanted during the body contact formation
process. After a corresponding anneal process, a first highly-doped
body contact region 136 of the second conductivity type, which is
doped more heavily than the body region 118, is formed in the body
region 118 adjacent the bottom of the contact opening 130. A second
highly-doped body contact region 202 of the second conductivity
type can be formed in the part of the source/collector region 116
exposed as a result of the selective removal of the electrically
insulative spacer 138. The first highly-doped body contact region
136 adjoins, and is in ohmic contact with, the body contact plug
134 at the bottom of the contact opening 130, whereas the second
highly-doped body contact region 202 adjoins, and is in ohmic
contact with, the body contact plug 134 along the part of the
contact opening 130 devoid of the electrically insulative spacer
138. A variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 can omit the
second highly-doped body contact region 202, so that the
source/collector region 116 is at least partly uncovered by the
electrically insulative spacer 138 along the sidewalls of the
contact opening 130 and possibly along part of the front surface
106 of the semiconductor substrate 102. For example, the first
highly-doped body contact region 136 can be formed by implantation
(e.g. p+) at the bottom of the contact opening 130. Some of the
dopant species being implanted may also reach uncovered portions of
the sidewalls of the contact opening 130. In a first option,
uncovered portions of the source/collector region 116 are implanted
and include highly-doped contact region 202 in the final product.
In a second option, the implantation does not essentially affect
the doping of the source/collector 116 so that the final product
does not include the highly-doped contact region 202, but has an
overall (net) doping concentration sufficient to function as a
source/collector for the device and to make sure that good ohmic
contact (e.g. n+) is maintained.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of yet
another embodiment of a semiconductor device 300 having body
contacts with dielectric spacers. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is
similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. Different, however, a
section 302 of the body region 118 extends to the front surface 106
of the semiconductor substrate 102 and each source/collector region
116 is disposed laterally between the adjacent gate trench 104 and
the section 302 of the body region 118 that extends to the front
surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate 102. The contact opening
130 is formed in the section 302 of the body region 118 that
extends to the front surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate
102. The electrically insulative spacer 138 is recessed below the
front surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate 102 along the
sidewalls 140 of the section 302 of the body region 118 that
extends to the front surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate
102, so that an upper part of the sidewalls 140 is devoid of the
electrically insulative spacer 138.
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of still
another embodiment of a semiconductor device 400 having body
contacts with dielectric spacers. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is
similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3. Different, however, the
contact opening 130 extends to a depth (d_co) in the semiconductor
substrate 102 measured from the front surface 106 deeper than the
body region 118 and into the underlying drift region 120 so that
the body contact plug 134 extends into the drift region 120.
According to this embodiment, the highly-doped body contact region
136 that adjoins the body contact plug 134 at the bottom of the
contact opening 130 is formed in the drift region 118 and provides
blocking capability of the resulting pn junction with the drift
region 120. The upper highly-doped body contact region 202 provides
a low-ohmic connection to the body contact plug 134 at the front
surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate 102.
[0024] In some embodiments, the source/collector region 116 has a
depth in a range between 10 nm to 50 nm, the body region 118 has a
depth in a range between 100 nm and 200 nm, the interlayer
dielectric 128 has a thickness in a range between 50 nm and 300 nm,
the contact opening 130 in the interlayer dielectric 128 has a
minimum width w1 in a range between 200 nm and 220 nm, the contact
(groove) opening 130 in the semiconductor body 100 has a minimum
width w2 in a range between 100 nm and 140 nm, the length of the
channel regions 126 in the vertical direction is in a range between
50 nm and 200 nm, and/or the lateral channel length is less than
250 nm. Other depth, thickness, width and length ranges are
contemplated.
[0025] FIGS. 5A through 5D illustrate an embodiment of some
processing steps for manufacturing the semiconductor devices shown
in FIGS. 1 through 4.
[0026] FIG. 5A shows the interlayer dielectric 128 formed on the
front surface 106 of the semiconductor substrate 102, after the
gate trenches 104, source/collector region 116, body region 118,
drift region 120, and drain/collector region 122 have been
formed.
[0027] FIG. 5B shows an opening 500 formed in the interlayer
dielectric 128. The opening 500 can be formed using a self-aligned
process, using a lithography-aligned process, etc. The amount of
overlay and critical dimension variation of the opening 130 define
the width of the contact stripe to be formed.
[0028] FIG. 5C shows a groove 502 that is aligned with the opening
500 in the interlayer dielectric 128 and etched into the
semiconductor body 100. The groove 502 extends at least into the
body region 118. The opening 500 in the interlayer dielectric 128
and the groove 502 etched into the semiconductor body 100 form the
contact opening 130. The groove 502 can be etched completely
through the body region 118 so that the contact opening 130 extends
into the underlying drift region 120 e.g. as shown in FIG. 4. In
either case, the sidewalls 142 of the interlayer dielectric 128
formed by the opening 130 are etched back to define the thickness
(t_s) of the electrically insulative spacer 138 to be formed. In
one embodiment, the thickness of the electrically insulative spacer
138 is in a range between 10 nm and 30 nm. In one embodiment, the
width of the semiconductor fin or stripe 504 between each side of
the contact opening 130 and the corresponding gate trench 104 is
less than 100 nm e.g. between 80 nm and 100 nm.
[0029] FIG. 5D shows the electrically insulative spacer 138 formed
on the surface 144 of the interlayer dielectric 128 facing away
from the semiconductor substrate 102, on the etched-back sidewalls
142 of the interlayer dielectric 128, on the front surface 106 of
the source/emitter region 116, and on the sidewalls 140 of the
groove 502 formed in the semiconductor substrate 102 that extends
at least into the body region 118. Prior to deposition of the
electrically conductive material 132 which fills the contact
opening 130, the electrically insulative spacer 138 is removed from
the bottom of the contact opening 130. The electrically insulative
spacer 138 also can be removed from the front surface 106 of the
source/emitter region 116 and along the upper part of the sidewalls
140 of the groove 502 formed in the semiconductor substrate 102
e.g. as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4.
[0030] FIG. 6 illustrates a partial top plan view of the
semiconductor device embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. The
top-half of FIG. 6 illustrates the upper features of the
semiconductor device 100 shown in FIG. 1. The bottom-half of FIG. 6
illustrates the upper features of the semiconductor devices 200,
300, 400 shown in FIGS. 2 through 4. In each case, the gate
trenches 104 (out of view in FIG. 6), source region 116, body
region 118, and contact opening 130 are each stripe-shaped and
extend in a longitudinal direction of the semiconductor substrate
102. The dashed line in FIG. 6 demarcates the top and bottom halves
of the figure.
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of an
embodiment of a semiconductor device 700 having body contacts with
dielectric spacers. The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is similar to
the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. Different, however, a
pillar/column/stripe region 702 of the second conductivity type is
formed in the drift region 120 and adjoins the highly-doped body
contact region 136 below the bottom of the contact opening 130. The
pillar/column/stripe region 702 of the second conductivity type
extends to a greater depth in the semiconductor substrate 102 as
measured from the front surface 106 than the gate trenches 104 and
the highly-doped body contact region 136. In one embodiment, the
pillar/column/stripe region 702 of the second conductivity type
extends to and adjoins the drain/collector region 122 at the bottom
surface 124 of the semiconductor substrate 102.
[0032] Further according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7,
an additional highly-doped body contact region 202 of the second
conductivity type is formed on a section of the body region 118
adjacent the contact opening 130. The additional body contact
region 202 is doped more heavily than the body region 118. The
source/emitter region 116 adjoins a side surface 704 of the
additional body contact region 202 facing the neighbouring gate
trench 104, and extends onto the front surface 706 of the
additional body contact region 202. The electrically conductive
material filling the contact opening also adjoins the front surface
of the additional body contact region.
[0033] FIG. 8 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of another
embodiment of a semiconductor device 800 having body contacts with
dielectric spacers. The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is similar to
the embodiment shown in FIG. 7. Different, however, the gate
trenches 104 do not include field plates.
[0034] FIG. 9 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of yet
another embodiment of a semiconductor device 900 having body
contacts with dielectric spacers. The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is
similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7. Different, however, a
pillar/column/stripe region 902 of the first conductivity type is
formed in the drift region 120 under each gate trench 104. The
pillar/column/stripe region 902 of the first conductivity type is
laterally separated from the pillar/column/stripe region 702 of the
second conductivity type by a section of the drift region 120. The
pillar/column/stripe region 902 of the first conductivity type
extends to and adjoins the drain/collector region 122 at the back
surface 124 of the semiconductor substrate 102. The drain/collector
region 122 is doped more heavily than the pillar/column/stripe
region 902 of the first conductivity type.
[0035] FIG. 10 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of still
another embodiment of a semiconductor device 1000 having body
contacts with dielectric spacers. The embodiment shown in FIG. 10
is similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8. Different, however, a
pillar/column/stripe region 902 of the first conductivity type is
formed in the drift region 120 under each gate trench 104. The
pillar/column/stripe region 902 of the first conductivity type is
laterally separated from the pillar/column/stripe region 702 of the
second conductivity type by a section of the drift region 120. The
pillar/column/stripe region 902 of the first conductivity type
extends to and adjoins the drain/collector region 122 at the back
surface 124 of the semiconductor substrate 102. The drain/collector
region 122 is doped more heavily than the pillar/column/stripe
region 902 of the first conductivity type.
[0036] The semiconductor devices 700, 800, 900, 1000 illustrated in
FIGS. 7 through 10 are shown as an n-channel devices, but the
conductivity types of the device regions can be reversed to instead
realize p-channel devices.
[0037] FIGS. 11A through 11Q illustrate an embodiment of a method
of manufacturing the semiconductor device 1000 shown in FIG.
10.
[0038] FIG. 11A shows a semiconductor substrate 1100 with an n+
region 1102 at the back surface 1101 of the substrate 1000 and a n-
region 1104 adjoining the n+ region 1102. The semiconductor
substrate 1100 can comprise any type of semiconductor material such
as a single element semiconductor (e.g. Si, Ge, etc.),
silicon-on-insulator, a binary semiconductor (e.g. SiC, GaN, GaAs,
etc.), a ternary semiconductor, etc. with or without epitaxial
layer(s). The n- region 1104 can be formed, e.g., as part of an
epitaxial layer. A hard mask 1106 is formed on the front surface
1103 of the semiconductor substrate 1100. An opening 1108 is etched
through the hard mask 1106, e.g. using an anisotropic etch process,
to expose part of the front surface 1103 of the semiconductor
substrate 1100.
[0039] FIG. 11B shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after the
part of the semiconductor substrate 1100 exposed by the opening
1108 in the hard mask 1106 is recessed below the front surface 1103
of the substrate 1100. The depth of the recess 1110 can vary based
on the application.
[0040] FIG. 11C shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after the
hard mask 1106 is removed and a spacer oxide 1112 is formed on the
front surface 1103 of the substrate 1100. An opening 1114 is etched
through the spacer oxide 1112 to expose part of the recessed
surface 1110 of the semiconductor substrate 1100.
[0041] FIG. 11D shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after a
groove 1116 is etched into the exposed part of the recessed surface
1110 of the semiconductor substrate 1100. The groove 1116 has
sidewalls 1118 and a bottom 1120. The depth of the groove 1116 can
vary depending on the application.
[0042] FIG. 11E shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after a
sacrificial oxide 1122 is formed on the sidewalls 1118 and bottom
1120 of the groove 1116 formed in the recessed surface 1110 of the
semiconductor substrate 1100.
[0043] FIG. 11F shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after a
p-type pillar/column/stripe region 1124 is implanted into the n-
layer 1104 through the bottom 1120 of the groove 1116 formed in the
recessed surface 1110 of the semiconductor substrate 1100.
[0044] FIG. 11G shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after the
spacer oxide 1112 and the sacrificial oxide 1122 are removed and
the recessed part of the substrate 1100 is filled with an oxide
1126. The spacer oxide 1112 and the sacrificial oxide 1122 are
removed from the front surface 1103 of the semiconductor substrate
1100, e.g., by a CMP (chemical-mechanical polishing) process which
stops on the semiconductor material of the substrate 1100.
[0045] FIG. 11H shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after
trenches 1128 are etched into the part of the substrate 1100 not
protected by the sacrificial oxide 1126. Each trench 1128 has
sidewalls 1130 and a bottom 1132.
[0046] FIG. 11I shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after a
sacrificial oxide 1134 is formed on the sidewalls 1130 and bottom
1132 of the trenches 1128.
[0047] FIG. 11J shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after an
n-type pillar/column/stripe region 1136 is implanted into the n-
layer 1104 through the bottom 1132 of each trench 1128. In one
embodiment, the p-type pillar/column/stripe regions 1124 extend to
the n+ layer 1102 at the back surface 1101 of the semiconductor
substrate whereas the n-type pillar/column/stripe regions terminate
in the n- layer before reaching the n+ layer.
[0048] FIG. 11K shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after the
sacrificial oxide 1134 is removed, a gate oxide is formed on the
sidewalls 1130 and bottom 1132 of each trench 1128, and each trench
1128 is filled with an electrically conductive material such as
doped polysilicon. The gate oxide and electrically conductive
material are planarized, e.g., by a CMP (chemical-mechanical
polishing) process which stops on the semiconductor material of the
substrate 1100. The resulting trench structures form gate trenches
1138, each of which includes a gate electrode 1140 and a gate
dielectric 1142 in the trench 1138, the gate dielectric 1142
separating the gate electrode 1140 from the semiconductor substrate
1100.
[0049] FIG. 11L shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after the
front surface of the substrate 1100 is recessed, e.g. by dry and/or
wet etching, between the gate trenches 1138 to recess the n- layer
1104 in this region of the substrate 1100. Also, the gate
electrodes 1140 are covered with an oxide 1144.
[0050] FIG. 11M shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after p-type
body regions 1146 and n-type source/emitter regions 1148 are formed
in the n- layer 1104 between the gate trenches 1138. P-type dopants
are implanted into the semiconductor substrate 1100 between the
gate trenches 1138 and annealed to form the p-type body regions
1146, and n-type dopants are implanted between the gate trenches
1138 and annealed to form the source/emitter regions 1148.
[0051] FIG. 11N shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after an
interlayer dielectric 1150 is formed on the front surface of the
semiconductor substrate 1100, an opening 1152 is formed in the
interlayer dielectric 1150 and a groove 1154 is etched into the
part of the semiconductor substrate 1100 exposed by the opening
1152 in the interlayer dielectric 1150. The opening 1152 in the
interlayer dielectric 1150 is wider than the contact groove 1154
etched in the semiconductor substrate 1100. The interlayer
dielectric material is removed from the part of the front face 1156
of the source/emitter regions 1148 closest to the contact groove
1154 and from the side faces 1158 of the source/emitter regions
1148 facing toward the contact groove 1154, exposing these faces
1156, 1158 of the source/emitter regions 1148. The interlayer
dielectric material remains on the sidewalls 1160 of the contact
groove 1154 below the source/emitter regions 1148 to form
dielectric spacers 1151, but is removed from the bottom 1162 of the
contact groove 1154.
[0052] FIG. 11O shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after the
exposed surfaces 1156, 1158 of the source/emitter regions 1148 are
etched away so as to laterally recess each source/emitter region
1148 in a direction toward the neighboring gate trench 1138,
thereby exposing the part of the front face 1164 of the body
regions 1146 closest to contact groove 1166.
[0053] FIG. 11P shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after p-type
dopants are implanted into the exposed parts of the substrate 1100
and subsequently annealed to form a first highly-doped (e.g. p+)
body contact region 1168 at the bottom of each contact groove 1166
and a second highly-doped (e.g. p+) body contact region 1170 in the
exposed part of the front face 1164 of each body region 1146
closest to the corresponding contact groove 1166.
[0054] FIG. 11Q shows the semiconductor substrate 1100 after an
electrically conductive material 1172 such is metal is deposited
over the substrate to fill the contact openings 1166. The
electrically conductive material adjoins the recessed part of the
semiconductor substrate 1100, and is planarized e.g. by a CMP
process. The semiconductor device regions illustrated in FIGS. 11A
through 11Q are shown as device regions of an n-channel device, but
the conductivity types of the device regions can be reversed to
instead realize a p-channel device.
[0055] The superjunction charge-balance structure formed by the
p-type and n-type pillars/columns/stripes 1124, 1136 results in
reduced on-resistance while maintaining required breakdown voltage.
By providing dielectric spacers 1151 in the body contact openings
to separate the channel regions 1174 from the underlying p-type
pillars/columns/stripes 1124, the width needed for the p-type
pillars/columns/stripes 1124 can be reduced which in turn decreases
the energy levels needed to implant the p-type
pillars/columns/stripes 1124 which are used to form a superjunction
structure and achieve charge balance. With a deep body contact
opening and the contact trench with underlying p-type
pillars/columns/stripes, the required voltage can be sustained
while also relocating the impact ionization location to the
vicinity of the p-type pillars/columns/stripes. Such a construction
causes a greater portion of avalanche current to go directly
through the p-type pillars/columns/stripes and disperse to the
source metal, and by doing so, effectively avoids high current
density surrounding the source/emitter region and subsequent turn
on the parasitic BJT which could otherwise destroy the device. The
depth of the gate trenches 1138 can be varied to adjust gate charge
and gate resistance.
[0056] FIG. 12 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of an
embodiment of a semiconductor device 1200 having body contacts with
dielectric spacers. The embodiment shown in FIG. 12 is similar to
the embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11Q. Different, however, the
semiconductor device 1200 also includes a Schottky barrier diode
1202 formed in the semiconductor substrate 102 between adjacent
body contact openings/grooves 130 formed in the substrate 102. The
Schottky barrier diode 1202 is spaced apart from each neighbouring
gate trench 104 by a respective contact opening/groove 130
extending along each longitudinal side of the Schottky barrier
diode 1202. One sidewall 1204 of the semiconductor substrate 102
formed by each adjacent contact opening/groove 130 adjoins the
Schottky barrier diode 1202. The Schottky barrier diode 1202
includes a Schottky contact 1206 on the front face 106 of the
semiconductor substrate 102 between the neighbouring contact
openings/grooves 130 formed in the substrate 102. Any suitable
metal or metal silicide can be used for the Schottky contact 1206.
A guard ring 1208 of p+ semiconductor material can be provided
around the edge of the Schottky barrier diode 1202, surrounding the
Schottky contact 1206. The guard ring 1208 drives the adjacent
semiconductor region into avalanche breakdown before the Schottky
junction is damaged by large levels of reverse current flow during
transient events.
[0057] The Schottky barrier diode 1202 has low leakage, low forward
voltage and when merged with a power MOSFET, low reverse recovery
charge Qrr. Gate trenches 104 with underlying superjunction
structures formed by pillar/column/stripe region 702 of the second
conductivity type and the drift region 120 of the first
conductivity type flank both the gate regions and the diode mesas.
The superjunction structures underneath the body contacts 136 at
the bottom of the contact openings/grooves 130 reduce leakage when
the device 1200 is off at both the Schottky barrier and at the body
diode of the transistor. The conductivity types of the device
regions can be reversed in FIG. 12 to realize p-channel devices
instead of n-channel devices.
[0058] Spatially relative terms such as "under", "below", "lower",
"over", "upper" and the like, are used for ease of description to
explain the positioning of one element relative to a second
element. These terms are intended to encompass different
orientations of the device in addition to different orientations
than those depicted in the figures. Further, terms such as "first",
"second", and the like, are also used to describe various elements,
regions, sections, etc. and are also not intended to be limiting.
Like terms refer to like elements throughout the description.
[0059] As used herein, the terms "having", "containing",
"including", "comprising" and the like are open-ended terms that
indicate the presence of stated elements or features, but do not
preclude additional elements or features. The articles "a", "an"
and "the" are intended to include the plural as well as the
singular, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
[0060] With the above range of variations and applications in mind,
it should be understood that the present invention is not limited
by the foregoing description, nor is it limited by the accompanying
drawings. Instead, the present invention is limited only by the
following claims and their legal equivalents.
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