The present disclosure relates to a field effect transistor.
There has been known a field effect transistor that includes a plurality of p-type deep layers protruding downward from a body layer.
The present disclosure provides a field effect transistor including a plurality of p-type deep layers and a plurality of n-type deep layers. Each of the p-type deep layers protrudes downward from a body layer, extends along a first direction that intersects the trench when a semiconductor substrate is viewed from above, and is disposed to have a spacing portion therebetween in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction when the semiconductor substrate is viewed from above. Each of the n-type deep layers is disposed in the spacing portion. A drift layer has a lower n-type impurity concentration than each of the n-type deep layers. A dimension of each of the n-type deep layers in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate is larger than a dimension of each of the n-type deep layers in the second direction.
Objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
Next, a relevant technology is described only for understanding the following embodiments. A field effect transistor according to the relevant technology includes a plurality of p-type deep layers protruding downward from a body layer. Each of the p-type deep layers extends so as to intersect trenches when a semiconductor substrate is viewed from above. The p-type deep layers are arranged at intervals in a width direction of the p-type deep layers. Each of the p-type deep layers extends from the body layer to a position below a bottom surface of each of the trenches. Each of the p-type deep layers is in contact with a gate insulating film on a side surface of each of the trenches and the bottom surface of each of the trenches located below the body layer. The field effect transistor includes an n-type drift layer in contact with the body layer and each of the p-type deep layers. When the field effect transistor is turned off, a depletion layer spreads from the body layer into the drift layer. The source-drain voltage is held by the depletion layer extending into the drift layer. When the field effect transistor is turned off, a depletion layer also spreads from each of the p-type deep layers into the drift layer. Since each of the p-type deep layers is in contact with the gate insulating film on the bottom surface of each of the trenches, the drift layer in the vicinity of the bottom surface of each of the trenches is depleted by the depletion layer spreading from each of the p-type deep layers. In this manner, the depletion layer extending from each of the p-type deep layers to the vicinity of the bottom surface of each of the trenches restricts the occurrence of electric field concentration in the gate insulating film and the drift layer in the vicinity of the bottom surface of each of the trenches. Therefore, the above-described field effect transistor can have a high breakdown voltage.
When the above-described field effect transistor is turned on, a channel is formed in the body layer. Then, electrons flow from the source layer to the channel. Since there are the p-type deep layers on the lower side of the body layer, electrons that have passed through the channel flow into the drift layer disposed in the space between the p-type deep layers. The electrons that have passed through the spacing portion flow to the drift layer below the spacing portion. In this manner, electrons flow from the source layer to the drift layer below the spacing portion through the channel and the drift layer in the spacing portion. The drift layer in the spacing portion is sandwiched by the p-type deep layers. When the field effect transistor is in an on-state, a depletion layer spreads from each of the p-type deep layers to the drift layer in the spacing portion. The depletion layer spreading in this manner narrows a path through which electrons flow in the drift layer located in the spacing portion. As a result, the resistance of the spacing portion increases. Therefore, the above-described field effect transistor has a high on-resistance.
A field effect transistor according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a semiconductor substrate having a trench on an upper surface, a gate insulating film covering an inner surface of the trench, and a gate electrode disposed in the trench and being insulated from the semiconductor substrate by the gate insulating film. The semiconductor substrate includes a source layer of n-type being in contact with the gate insulating film on a side surface of the trench, a body layer of p-type located below the source layer and being in contact with the gate insulating film on the side surface of the trench, a plurality of p-type deep layers, a plurality of n-type deep layers, and a drift layer. Each of the plurality of p-type deep layers protrudes downward from the body layer, extends from the body layer to a position below a bottom surface of the trench, extends along a first direction that intersects the trench when the semiconductor substrate is viewed from above, is disposed to have a spacing portion therebetween in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction when the semiconductor substrate is viewed from above, and is in contact with the gate insulating film on the side surface of the trench and the bottom surface of the trench located below the body layer. Each of the plurality of n-type deep layers is disposed in the spacing portion and is in contact with the gate insulating film on the side surface of the trench located below the body layer. The drift layer is n-type having an n-type impurity concentration lower than an n-type impurity concentration of each of the plurality of n-type deep layers, and is in contact with a lower surface of each of the plurality of n-type deep layers. Each of the plurality of p-type deep layers has a shape in which a dimension in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate is larger than a dimension in the second direction. Each of the plurality of n-type deep layers has a shape in which a dimension in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate is larger than a dimension in the second direction.
The “dimension in the second direction” of each of the p-type deep layers means a distance between both side surfaces of each of the p-type deep layers in the second direction. The “dimension in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate” of each of the p-type deep layers means a distance in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate from a lower surface of the body layer (that is, an upper surface of each of the p-type deep layers) to a lower surface of each of the p-type deep layers. The “dimension in the second direction” of each of the n-type deep layer means a distance between both side surfaces of each of the n-type deep layers in the second direction. The “dimension in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate” of each of the n-type deep layers means a distance in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate from the lower surface of the body layer (that is, an upper surface of each of the n-type deep layers) to the lower surface of each of the n-type deep layers.
Since the field effect transistor has the p-type deep layers, it is possible to restrict an electric field concentration in the vicinity of the bottom surface of the trench when the field effect transistor is turned off. Therefore, the above-described field effect transistor can have a high breakdown voltage. In the field effect transistor, each of the n-type deep layers having a higher n-type impurity concentration than the drift layer is disposed in the spacing portion between the p-type deep layers. The dimension of each of the n-type deep layers in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate is larger than the dimension of each of the n-type deep layers in the second direction. That is, each of the n-type deep layer has a shape elongated in a vertical direction (that is, in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate). Therefore, a wide range of the spacing portion is constituted by each of the n-type deep layers. When the field effect transistor is turned on, electrons flow from the source layer to the drift layer through the channel and the n-type deep layers. Since each of the n-type deep layers is disposed in the spacing portion, depletion layers spread from the p-type deep layers on both sides of each of the n-type deep layers. However, since the n-type impurity concentration of each of the n-type deep layers is high, the width of the depletion layer extending from each of the p-type deep layers to each of the n-type deep layers is narrow. Therefore, a wide electron flow path is secured in the n-type deep layers. Therefore, the resistance of the spacing portion can be reduced. Therefore, according to the configuration of this field effect transistor, a low on-resistance can be realized.
In one example, in the field effect transistor, the plurality of n-type deep layers may extend from a lower surface of the body layer to a depth of a lower surface of each of the plurality of p-type deep layers. In this case, the plurality of n-type deep layers may extend from the lower surface of the body layer to a position below the lower surface of each of the plurality of p-type deep layers.
According to these configurations, it is possible to configure the entire spacing portion with the n-type deep layers having the high n-type impurity concentration. Therefore, the on-resistance of the field effect transistor can be further reduced.
In one example, in the field effect transistor, the plurality of n-type deep layers may be connected to each other via a region below the lower surface of each of the plurality of p-type deep layers.
In one example, in the field effect transistor, the dimension of the plurality of n-type deep layers in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate may be 1.07 times or less the dimension of the plurality of p-type deep layers in the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate.
According to this configuration, a higher breakdown voltage can be realized in the field effect transistor.
A metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) 10 of an embodiment shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Each of the source layers 30 is an n-type layer having a high n-type impurity concentration. Each of the source layers 30 is disposed in a range partially including the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12. Each of the source layers 30 is in ohmic contact with the source electrode 22. Each of the source layers 30 is in contact with the gate insulating film 16 at an uppermost portion of the side surface of the trench 14. Each of the source layers 30 faces the gate electrode 18 with the gate insulating film 16 interposed therebetween. Each of the source layers 30 extends in the y direction along the side surface of the trench 14.
Each of the contact layers 32 is a p-type layer having a high p-type impurity concentration. Each of the contact layers 32 is disposed in a range partially including the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12. Each of the contact layers 32 is disposed between two corresponding source layers 30. Each of the contact layers 32 is in ohmic contact with the source electrode 22. Each of the contact layers 32 extends in the y direction.
The body layer 34 is a p-type layer having a lower p-type impurity concentration than the contact layers 32. The body layer 34 is disposed below the source layers 30 and the contact layers 32. The body layer 34 is in contact with the source layers 30 and the contact layers 32 from below. The body layer 34 is in contact with the gate insulating film 16 on the side surface of the trench 14 located below the source layer 30. The body layer 34 faces the gate electrode 18 with the gate insulating film 16 interposed therebetween.
Each of the p-type deep layers 36 is a p-type layer protruding downward from the lower surface of the body layer 34. A p-type impurity concentration of each of the p-type deep layers 36 is higher than the p-type impurity concentration of the body layer 34 and lower than the p-type impurity concentration of the contact layer 32. As shown in
Each of the n-type deep layers 37 is an n-type layer having an n-type impurity concentration higher than that of the drift layer 38. The n-type impurity concentration of each of the n-type deep layers 37 is lower than the p-type impurity concentration of each of the p-type deep layers 36. As shown in
The drift layer 38 is an n-type layer having an n-type impurity concentration lower than that of the source layers 30. The drift layer 38 is disposed below the n-type deep layers 37. The drift layer 38 is in contact with the n-type deep layers 37 from below.
The drain layer 40 is an n-type layer having a higher n-type impurity concentration than the drift layer 38 and the n-type deep layers 37. The drain layer 40 is in contact with the drift layer 38 from below. The drain layer 40 is arranged in a region including the lower surface 12b of the semiconductor substrate 12. The drain layer 40 is in ohmic contact with the drain electrode 24.
Next, a manufacturing method of the MOSFET 10 will be described. The MOSFET 10 is manufactured from a semiconductor substrate entirely constituted by the drain layer 40. First, as shown in
When the MOSFET 10 is used, a higher potential is applied to the drain electrode 24 as compared to the source electrode 22. When a potential equal to or higher than a gate threshold value is applied to each of the gate electrodes 18, a channel is formed in the body layer 34 in the vicinity of the gate insulating film 16. The source layers 30 and the n-type deep layers 37 are connected by the channel. Therefore, as indicated by arrows 100 in
Next, the operation when the MOSFET 10 is turned off will be described in more detail. When the channel disappears, a reverse voltage is applied to a pn junction at an interface between the body layer 34 and each of the n-type deep layers 37. Therefore, a depletion layer spreads from the body layer 34 to each of the n-type deep layers 37. Each of the p-type deep layers 36 is connected to the body layer 34 and has substantially the same potential as the body layer 34. Therefore, when the channel disappears, a reverse voltage is also applied to a pn junction at an interface between each of the p-type deep layers 36 and each of the n-type deep layers 37. Therefore, a depletion layer also spreads from each of the p-type deep layers 36 to each of the n-type deep layers 37. As shown in
Next, the operation when the MOSFET 10 is turned on will be described in more detail. As described above, when the MOSFET 10 is turned on, electrons flow from the source layers 30 to the drift layer 38 through the channel and the n-type deep layers 37 as indicated by the arrows 100 in
As described above, according to the structure of the MOSFET 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to realize a high breakdown voltage and a low on-resistance.
In addition, as described above, in the MOSFET 10 of the present embodiment, each of the n-type deep layers 37 and each of the p-type deep layers 36 have a vertically long shape. When each of the n-type deep layers 37 and each of the p-type deep layers 36 are configured as described above, an electrostatic capacitance (that is, a feedback capacitance) between the gate electrode 18 and the drain electrode 24 decreases. Accordingly, a switching speed of the MOSFET 10 can be improved.
In the MOSFET 10 of the embodiment shown in
In addition, in the MOSFET 10 of the embodiment illustrated in
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, each of the p-type deep layers 36 is orthogonal to each of the trenches 14. However, each of the p-type deep layers 36 may obliquely intersect each of the trenches 14.
Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of claims. The techniques described in the claims include various modifications of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in the present specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. In addition, the techniques illustrated in the present specification or drawings achieve a plurality of objectives at the same time, and achieving one of the objectives itself has technical usefulness.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2021-039306 | Mar 2021 | JP | national |
The present application is a continuation application of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2021/037475 filed on Oct. 8, 2021, which designated the U.S. and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-039306 filed on Mar. 11, 2021. The entire disclosures of all of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2021/037475 | Oct 2021 | US |
Child | 18354769 | US |