Semiconductor Device Leakage Current Isolation Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing semiconductor devices with current sensing functions face challenges in accurately detecting load current due to leakage currents between the main and sense regions, which deteriorate detection accuracy and make it difficult to prevent overcurrent flow effectively.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a separation region electrically isolating the main and sense regions, featuring a highly-impurity-concentrated first conductivity type semiconductor layer and a barrier region with a higher impurity concentration than the drift region, which suppresses the punch-through of parasitic bipolar transistors and reduces leakage currents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separation region is introduced to reduce leakage current, then detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The semiconductor device is divided into distinct functional regions: a main region containing main cells for current handling, a sense region containing sense cells for current detection, and a separation region with barrier regions to electrically isolate them. This segmentation prevents leakage current between regions while maintaining clear functional boundaries, thereby improving detection accuracy without excessive complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
A separation region acting as an intermediary structure is introduced between the main region and sense region. This separation region contains barrier regions with high impurity concentration that block leakage current paths while allowing the main and sense regions to function independently. The intermediary structure resolves the electrical interference problem without requiring complete physical separation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If barrier regions with high impurity concentration are added to suppress parasitic bipolar transistor punch-through, then leakage current reduces, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The impurity concentration parameter is strategically changed in the barrier regions of the separation region. By setting the impurity concentration to be higher than in the drift region (specifically, first conductivity type impurity concentration exceeding 1×10^16 cm^-3), the barrier regions create sufficient potential barriers to suppress parasitic bipolar transistor punch-through and reduce leakage current, while remaining compatible with standard manufacturing capabilities.
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
The proposed configuration significantly reduces leakage currents, enhancing the accuracy of load current detection and preventing overcurrent flow by creating a potential barrier that cuts off current paths near the semiconductor surface, thereby improving the overall performance of current sensing functions.
Implementation Method 1
a barrier region with a higher impurity concentration than the drift region, which suppresses the punch-through of parasitic bipolar transistors and reduces leakage currents
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device including a main region, a sense region, a separation region electrically isolating the main and sense region regions includes a first semiconductor layer positioned on the main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of main cells disposed in the main region, and a plurality of sense cells disposed in the sense region. Source regions of the main cell become conductive with a source electrode and source regions of the sense cell become conductive with a sense electrode. The separation region includes a plurality of second conductivity type separation body regions and a barrier region and is disposed within a first semiconductor layer and is disposed to abut on the surface of the first semiconductor layer.