High-Voltage Semiconductor Layout for Corner Breakdown Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high voltage semiconductor devices face challenges in maintaining breakdown voltage characteristics, especially at high voltages, due to strong electric fields in the on- and off-states, which can lead to interference and device destruction, and require additional processing steps to enhance voltage tolerance.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device addresses this by electrically connecting a first source metal to both the core region and corner regions, maintaining the same internal design and process efficiency as conventional devices, thereby improving breakdown voltage characteristics and allowing for higher voltage and power operation without additional processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If source metals and drain metals are formed only in the core region, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the breakdown voltage characteristics deteriorate at high voltages due to strong electric fields causing interference
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into core regions and corner regions, with source metals selectively formed in both types of regions. This segmentation allows the corner regions to serve as electric field termination structures that reduce interference and improve breakdown voltage characteristics, while maintaining simple manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The corner regions act as intermediary structures between the core region and the substrate edges. By forming source metals in these intermediate corner regions, the patent creates transition zones that reduce electric field concentration and prevent interference effects, thereby improving reliability without complicating manufacturing
2Reliability
If additional processing steps are implemented to enhance voltage tolerance, then breakdown voltage characteristics improve, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The corner regions are prepared in advance during the standard manufacturing process sequence, with source metals formed in these regions before final device assembly. This preliminary structuring of corner regions with source metals provides built-in voltage tolerance enhancement without requiring additional processing steps, thereby improving reliability while maintaining simplicity
3Reliability
If the device size is increased to improve voltage handling capability, then breakdown voltage characteristics improve, but the device area increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing device size, the patent applies source metals locally in the corner regions where they provide maximum electric field termination benefit. This localized enhancement improves breakdown voltage characteristics without requiring a proportional increase in overall device area, thereby improving reliability while maintaining compact dimensions
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 enhances breakdown voltage in both on- and off-states, enabling the device to handle higher voltages up to 190V while maintaining the same size and process efficiency as conventional devices, without the need for additional processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
an electric field at the lower insulation film 960 becomes relatively strong when the device is on, so that interference occurs in electric fields in the drift region and the body region in the substrate 901
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a high voltage semiconductor device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device capable of improving the breakdown voltage characteristics in an off-state and in an on-state by electrically connecting a first source metal to a source in a core region and in corner regions.