Split-Gate Trench Semiconductor Structure for Lower Switching Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices with trench gate structures face issues such as shoot-through and increased switching loss due to resistance in field plate and gate electrodes, leading to false turn-on and avalanche current flow, which are not effectively addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a split-gate structure with field plate and gate electrodes embedded in gate trenches, where the field plate electrodes have two ends connected to the source interconnection, reducing the gate-trench length and intersecting gate fingers in orthogonal directions to minimize resistance and prevent shoot-through.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If field plate and gate electrodes are embedded in gate trenches with conventional configuration, then the device structure is formed, but resistance in these electrodes causes shoot-through and increased switching loss
Solution Approach 1:
The gate electrode is divided into multiple segments with different widths along its length. The gate electrode width is reduced in specific regions to lower resistance and prevent shoot-through, while maintaining adequate width in other regions to ensure proper electrical field control and device functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the gate electrode have different widths to optimize local electrical characteristics. The gate electrode width is locally reduced where resistance needs to be minimized, while maintaining standard width where field control is critical, achieving optimal balance between resistance reduction and device performance.
2Loss of energy
If gate electrode width is reduced to minimize resistance, then switching loss decreases, but electrical field control and device functionality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The gate electrode is segmented into regions of different widths. Narrower segments reduce resistance and switching loss, while wider segments maintain adequate electrical field control. This segmentation allows simultaneous optimization of both resistance and field control characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The gate electrode width is locally optimized for different functions: reduced width in regions where resistance minimization is critical, and maintained width in regions where electrical field control is paramount, achieving local optimization of both competing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
This semiconductor device includes a plurality of sets of gate trenches, a plurality of gate electrodes, a plurality of field plate electrodes, a gate wiring, and a source wiring. The plurality of field plate electrodes each include two terminals connected to the source wiring. An outer peripheral gate wiring part of the gate wiring includes a gate finger that extends along a first direction in a plan view, and an inner gate wiring part includes a gate finger that extends along a second direction in a plan view. A first set of gate trenches extend along the first direction in a plan view and cross the gate finger, and a second set of gate trenches extend in the second direction in a plan view and cross the gate finger.