The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device.
Conventionally, there has been known a semiconductor device including an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and a diode.
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate and a lower electrode. The semiconductor substrate includes a collector region of p-type being in contact with the lower electrode and a cathode region of n-type being in contact with the lower electrode at a position adjacent to the collector region. The semiconductor substrate has an insulated gate bipolar transistor range overlapping with the collector region when viewed along a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate, and a diode range overlapping with the cathode region when viewed along the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate further includes a buffer region of n-type being in contact with upper surfaces of the collector region and the cathode region, a drift region of n-type being in contact with an upper surface of the buffer region, and a current limiting region of p-type disposed above a boundary between the collector region and the cathode region and being in contact with an upper surface of the buffer region.
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 semiconductor device according to the relevant technology includes an IGBT and a diode. A semiconductor substrate of the semiconductor device has an IGBT range and a diode range. A lower electrode is disposed on a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate. In the IGBT range, a collector region of p-type is disposed in contact with the lower electrode. In the diode range, a cathode region of n-type is disposed in contact with the lower electrode. The collector region and the cathode region are adjacent to each other. A buffer layer and a drift layer are disposed above the collector region and the cathode region. A body region of p-type and a source region of n-type are disposed in an upper portion of the IGBT range. The body region faces a gate electrode with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween. An anode region of p-type is disposed in an upper portion of the diode region. An IGBT is formed in the IGBT range, and a diode is formed in the diode range. When the IGBT operates, an upper electrode functions as an emitter electrode, and a lower electrode functions as a collector electrode. When the diode operates, the upper electrode functions as an anode electrode, and the lower electrode functions as a cathode electrode.
In the semiconductor device described above, when a potential of the upper electrode becomes higher than a potential of the lower electrode, the diode is turned on. That is, in the diode range, a current flows from the anode region toward the cathode region. At this time, holes flow from the body region in the IGBT range toward the cathode region in the diode range. That is, the holes flow across a boundary between the IGBT range and the diode range. Thereafter, when a voltage applied to the semiconductor device is inverted, holes present in the drift region flow backward and are discharged to the upper electrode. This causes a reverse recovery loss. At this time, holes present in the drift region in the vicinity of the boundary between the IGBT range and the diode range also flow backward and are discharged to the upper electrode. In this way, when holes flow backward at the boundary between the IGBT range and the diode range, a high reverse recovery loss occurs.
A semiconductor device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite from each other, a lower electrode being in contact with the lower surface of the semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode. The semiconductor substrate includes a collector region of p-type being in contact with the lower electrode, and a cathode region of n-type being in contact with the lower electrode at a position adjacent to the collector region. The semiconductor substrate has an insulated gate bipolar transistor range overlapping with the collector region when viewed along a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate, and a diode range overlapping with the cathode region when viewed along the thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate further includes a buffer region of n-type, a drift region of n-type, a body region of p-type, a source region of p-type, an anode region of p-type, and a current limiting region of p-type. The buffer region is disposed over the insulated gate bipolar transistor range and the diode range, is in contact with an upper surface of the collector region and an upper surface of the cathode region, and has an n-type impurity concentration lower than an n-type impurity concentration of the cathode region. The drift region is disposed over the insulated gate bipolar transistor range and the diode range, is in contact with an upper surface of the buffer region, and has an n-type impurity concentration lower than the n-type impurity concentration of the buffer region. The body region is disposed within the insulated gate bipolar transistor region and is in contact with the drift region. The source region is disposed within the insulated gate bipolar transistor range and is separated from the drift region by the body region. The anode region is disposed within the diode range and is in contact with the drift region. The current limiting region is disposed above a boundary between the collector region and the cathode region, is in contact with an upper surface of the buffer region, is in contact with the drift region, and floats in an n-type region constituted by the buffer region and the drift region. The gate electrode faces the body region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween.
In this semiconductor device, the current limiting region of p-type floats in the n-type region constituted by the buffer region and a drift region. Therefore, when the diode is in on-state, holes cannot flow from the drift region into the current limiting region. Since the current limiting region is disposed above the boundary between the collector region and the cathode region, holes are restricted from flowing into the cathode region from the drift region in the vicinity of the boundary between the collector region and the cathode region. That is, in a state where the diode is in on-state, holes are restricted from flowing to the boundary between the IGBT range and the diode range. Therefore, when a voltage applied to the semiconductor device is inverted thereafter, backflow of holes at the boundary between the IGBT range and the diode range is restricted. Therefore, in this semiconductor device, a reverse recovery loss can be restricted.
In a semiconductor device of one example of the present disclosure, the drift region may be in contact with a side surface of the current limiting region.
In a semiconductor device of one example of the present disclosure, a region of p-type floating in the n-type region constituted by the buffer region and the drift region may be only the current limiting region.
In a semiconductor device of one example of the present disclosure, a distance in a direction along the lower surface of the semiconductor substrate from the boundary between the collector region and the cathode region to a side surface of the current limiting region located above the cathode region may be 20 μm or more.
According to this configuration, the reverse recovery loss can be effectively restricted.
A semiconductor device 10 according to an embodiment of the present embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate 12 as shown in
An upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12 is covered with an interlayer insulating film 14. The interlayer insulating film 14 covers the upper surface 12a in a range extending over the IGBT range 30 and the diode range 50. An upper surface of the interlayer insulating film 14 is covered with an upper electrode 16. The upper electrode 16 covers the upper surface of the interlayer insulating film 14 in a range extending over the IGBT range 30 and the diode range 50. The interlayer insulating film 14 has a plurality of contact holes 14a. The contact holes 14a are provided in each of the IGBT range 30 and the diode range 50. The upper electrode 16 includes buried metal layers 16a disposed in the contact holes 14a and a surface metal layer 16b disposed on the interlayer insulating film 14. Each of the buried metal layers 16a is mainly made of tungsten. The surface metal layer 16b is mainly made of aluminum. The upper electrode 16 is in contact with the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12 in each of the contact holes 14a.
A plurality of trenches 20 is provided from the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12. The trenches 20 extend substantially in parallel. The trenches 20 are provided in each of the IGBT range 30 and the diode range 50. An inner surface of each of the trenches 20 is covered with a gate insulating film 22. A gate electrode 24 is disposed in each of the trenches 20. Each of the gate electrode 24 is insulated from the semiconductor substrate 12 by the gate insulation film 22. An upper surface of each of the gate electrodes 24 is covered with the interlayer insulating film 14. Each of the gate electrodes 24 is insulated from the upper electrode 16 by the interlayer insulating film 14.
The collector region 32 is a p-type region having a high p-type impurity concentration. As described above, the collector region 32 is in contact with the lower electrode 18 within the IGBT range 30. The collector region 32 is in ohmic contact with the lower electrode 18.
The cathode region 52 is an n-type region having a high n-type impurity concentration. As described above, the cathode region 52 is in contact with the lower electrode 18 within the diode range 50. More specifically, the cathode region 52 is in contact with the lower electrode 18 in a range adjacent to the collector region 32. The cathode region 52 is in ohmic contact with the lower electrode 18. A boundary 60 between the collector region 32 and the cathode region 52 coincides with a boundary between the IGBT range 30 and the diode range 50.
The semiconductor substrate 12 includes a buffer region 34, a drift region 36, a current limiting region 38, an upper p-type region 40, and a plurality of emitter regions 42.
The buffer region 34 is an n-type region having an n-type impurity concentration lower than the n-type impurity concentration of the cathode region 52. The buffer region 34 extends from the IGBT range 30 to the diode range 50. The buffer region 34 is in contact with the upper surface of the collector region 32 and the upper surface of the cathode region 52.
The drift region 36 is an n-type region having an n-type impurity concentration lower than the n-type impurity concentration of the buffer region 34. The drift region 36 extends from the IGBT range 30 to the diode range 50. The drift region 36 is in contact with an upper surface of the buffer region 34 within the IGBT range 30 and the diode range 50.
The current limiting region 38 is disposed in an n-type region 35 constituted by the buffer region 34 and the drift region 36. The entire periphery of the current limiting region 38 is surrounded by the n-type region 35. Therefore, the current limiting region 38 floats in the n-type region 35. In the n-type region 35, there is no floating p-type region other than the current limiting region 38. In other words, a region of p-type floating in the n-type region 35 is only the current limiting region 38. The current limiting region 38 is disposed above the boundary 60 between the collector region 32 and the cathode region 52. That is, the current limiting region 38 extends over the IGBT range and the diode range 50. The current limiting region 38 is in contact with the upper surface of the buffer region 34. The drift region 36 is in contact with an upper surface of the current limiting region 38. That is, above the boundary 60, the current limiting region 38 is disposed on the buffer region 34, and the drift region 36 is disposed on the current limiting region 38. The drift region 36 is in contact with a side surface of the current limiting region 38. The current limiting region 38 is more widely extend in the diode range 50 than in the IGBT range 30. That is, in a direction parallel to the lower surface 12b of the semiconductor substrate 12 and orthogonal to the boundary a distance from the boundary 60 to an end portion (that is, a side surface) of the current limiting region 38 located above the cathode region 52 (hereinafter, referred to as a width L1) is longer than a distance from the boundary 60 to an end portion (that is, a side surface) of the current limiting region 38 located above the collector region 32 (hereinafter, referred to as a width L2). The width L1 is greater than 20 μm.
Each of the emitter regions 42 is an n-type region and is disposed in a range including a part of the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12. Each of the emitter regions 42 is in ohmic contact with the upper electrode 16 in the corresponding contact hole 14a. Each of the emitter regions 42 is in contact with the gate insulating film 22 on the side surface of the corresponding trench 20. In the present embodiment, the emitter regions 42 are disposed in each of the IGBT range and the diode range 50. However, in other embodiments, the emitter region 42 may be omitted in the diode range 50.
The upper p-type region 40 is disposed in a range including a part of the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12. The upper p-type region 40 extends from the IGBT range 30 to the diode range 50. Hereinafter, the upper p-type region 40 in the IGBT range 30 is referred to as a body region 44, and the upper p-type region 40 in the diode range 50 is referred to as an anode region 54.
In the IGBT range 30, the body region 44 extends from sides of the emitter regions 42 to a region below the emitter regions 42, and separates each of the emitter regions 42 from the drift region 36. The body region 44 includes a plurality of contact regions 44a and a low concentration region 44b. A p-type impurity concentration of each of the contact regions 44a is higher than a p-type impurity concentration of the low concentration region 44b. Each of the contact regions 44a is disposed in a range including a part of the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12 on the sides of the emitter regions 42. Each of the contact regions 44a is in ohmic contact with the upper electrode 16 in the corresponding contact hole 14a. The low concentration region 44b is disposed below the contact regions 44a and the emitter regions 42. The low concentration region 44b is in contact with the gate insulating films 22 at positions below the emitter regions 42. The low concentration region 44b is in contact with the upper surface of the drift region 36.
In the diode range 50, the anode region 54 extends from the sides of the emitter regions 42 to a region below the emitter region 42, and separates each of the emitter regions 42 from the drift region 36. The anode region 54 includes a plurality of contact regions 54a and a low concentration region 54b. A p-type impurity concentration of each of the contact regions 54a is higher than a p-type impurity concentration of the low concentration region 54b. Each of the contact regions 54a is disposed in a range including a part of the upper surface 12a of the semiconductor substrate 12 on the sides of the emitter regions 42. Each of the contact regions 54a is in ohmic contact with the upper electrode 16 in the corresponding contact hole 14a. The low concentration region 54b is disposed below the contact regions 54a and the emitter regions 42. The low concentration region 54b is in contact with the gate insulating films 22 at positions below the emitter regions 42. The low concentration region 54b is in contact with the upper surface of the drift region 36.
The drift region 36 is in contact with the gate insulating films 22 at positions below the low concentration regions 44b and 54b.
In the IGBT range 30, an IGBT is formed by the emitter region 42, the body region 44, the drift region 36, the buffer region 34, the collector region 32, the gate electrode 24, the gate insulating film 22, and the like. When the IGBT is operated, a potential higher than a potential of the upper electrode 16 is applied to the lower electrode 18. When a potential equal to or higher than a gate threshold is applied to the gate electrode 24, a channel is formed in the low concentration region 44b of the body region 44, and the emitter regions 42 and the drift region 36 are connected by the channel. As a result, the IGBT is turned on, and a current flows from the lower electrode 18 toward the upper electrode 16.
In the diode range 50, a PIN diode is formed by the anode region 54, the drift region 36, the buffer region 34, and the cathode region 52. When a potential higher than the potential of the lower electrode 18 is applied to the upper electrode 16, the diode is turned on, and a current flows from the upper electrode 16 to the lower electrode 18.
The operation of the diode in the diode range 50 will be described in detail. When a potential higher than the potential of the lower electrode 18 is applied to the upper electrode 16, holes flow into the drift region 36 from the anode region 54 (that is, the contact regions 54a and the low concentration region 54b) as indicated by arrows 100 in
In contrast, in the semiconductor device 10 of the embodiment shown in
As described above, according to the semiconductor device 10 of the embodiment having the current limiting region 38 above the boundary 60 between the collector region 32 and the cathode region 52, the reverse recovery loss Err of the diode can be restricted.
In another embodiment, as illustrated in
In another embodiment, as shown in
Hereinafter, a configuration in which the reverse recovery current of the boundary is restricted by a region other than the current limiting region 38 will be described as first to third reference examples. That is, the semiconductor devices of the first to third reference examples do not include the current limiting region 38.
In the semiconductor device of the first reference example illustrated in
In the semiconductor device of the second reference example illustrated in
In the semiconductor device of the third reference example illustrated in
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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2021-075293 | Apr 2021 | JP | national |
The present application is a continuation application of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2021/037476 filed on Oct. 8, 2021, which designated the U.S. and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-075293 filed on Apr. 27, 2021. The entire disclosures of all of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/JP2021/037476 | Oct 2021 | US |
Child | 18464312 | US |