Semiconductor Component with Charge Carrier Zone for Low Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor components with anti-serially connected diodes face challenges in achieving low equivalent series resistance while maintaining high power handling and cost-effectiveness, as they often rely on ohmic contacts that increase resistance and require significant chip area.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor component eliminates surface ohmic contacts by using a charge carrier zone as the common countercontact, providing a control contact on the second semiconductor layer to control the charge carrier zone, which forms a continuous electrical connection without contributing to the equivalent series resistance, allowing for a more compact design and reduced parasitic capacitance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If ohmic contacts are used to form anti-serially connected diodes, then the component can be manufactured with standard processes, but the equivalent series resistance increases and chip area is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the ohmic contacts from the device structure. Instead of using traditional ohmic contacts to form the anti-serially connected diodes, the invention extracts this element and replaces it with a charge carrier zone that forms the common countercontact, thereby eliminating the source of contact resistance while maintaining the anti-serial connection functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a charge carrier zone as an intermediary element between the surface electrodes and the substrate. This charge carrier zone serves as the common countercontact for both diodes, replacing the need for ohmic contacts and providing a low-resistance path that does not contribute to the equivalent series resistance
2Device complexity
If ohmic contacts are used to form anti-serially connected diodes, then the component structure is simplified, but the chip area required increases due to contact space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of the common countercontact and the diode formation into a single charge carrier zone. By combining these elements, the invention eliminates the need for separate ohmic contacts and their associated spacing, thereby reducing the overall chip area while maintaining the anti-serial connection structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a planar contact structure to a vertically extended charge carrier zone. The charge carrier zone protrudes beyond the surface electrodes in projection, utilizing the vertical dimension to provide the common countercontact function without requiring additional lateral space, thus reducing chip area
3Ease of operation
If a common central contact is used to set capacitance in anti-serially connected diodes, then the capacitance control is simplified, but the contact must be connected with high impedance which influences the signal path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the charge carrier zone as an intermediary that provides the common countercontact function without requiring a high-impedance connection to the signal path. The charge carrier zone can be controlled via a control contact while maintaining low impedance in the signal path, thereby eliminating the interference problem
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration significantly reduces equivalent series resistance, enabling high power handling with lower production costs and a larger usable frequency range due to the elimination of lossy ohmic resistances and reduced chip area requirements.
Implementation Method 1
the charge carrier zone is embodied at least in the operating state such that, by means of the charge carrier zone, there exists a continuous electrical connection from the counterelectrode to at least one control contact
Implementation Method 2
the charge carrier zone is embodied in a manner protruding beyond the surface electrodes in a projection onto a rear side of the semiconductor component
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor component, in particular for a varactor, having at least one first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer. At least two identical surface electrodes are arranged directly or indirectly on the second semiconductor layer facing away from the first semiconductor layer in order to form two anti-serially connected diodes. The surface electrodes are arranged in an interacting manner such that a load carrier zone which forms the common counter electrode for the surface electrodes is arranged in the first semiconductor layer at least in the operating state, and at least one control contact for controlling the potential of the load carrier zone is provided in a region of the load carrier zone on the second semiconductor layer face facing away from the first semiconductor layer. The load carrier zone produces a continuous electric connection from the counter electrode to the at least one control contact at least in the operating state, and the load carrier zone protrudes beyond the surface electrodes in a projection onto the rear face of the semiconductor component.