Silicon Carbide JBS Diode Octagonal Metal Silicide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor devices, specifically Junction Barrier Schottky Diodes (JBS), face challenges in achieving high forward surge resistance and suppressing reverse leakage current due to stress concentration at pattern edges and corners of the metal silicide layer, leading to potential cracks and increased leakage current.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a metal silicide layer with an octagonal shape in contact with the silicon carbide layer, reducing stress concentration and contact resistance, and features a PiN diode region with conductivity modulation to disperse heat generation and enhance forward surge resistance, while the p-type RESURF region improves breakdown voltage and suppresses leakage current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal silicide layer is formed between an electrode and a p-type impurity region to reduce contact resistance, then contact resistance is reduced, but stress concentration at pattern edges and corners leads to cracks and increased reverse leakage current
Solution Approach 1:
The metal silicide layer is designed with a rounded shape instead of sharp edges and corners. This curvature eliminates stress concentration points that would otherwise lead to cracks during thermal cycling. The rounded geometry maintains low contact resistance while preventing the formation of harmful stress points, thereby suppressing reverse leakage current caused by cracking.
2Reliability
If a PiN diode region is provided in the active region to improve forward surge resistance, then forward surge resistance is improved, but heat generation occurs that needs to be dispersed
Solution Approach 1:
The PiN diode region is divided into multiple segmented regions distributed across the active area. This segmentation allows heat generated during forward surge operation to be dispersed across multiple locations rather than concentrated in a single region. The segmented structure maintains high forward surge resistance while improving thermal management through distributed heat generation points.
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 solution effectively stabilizes the semiconductor device characteristics by reducing reverse leakage current and improving forward surge resistance, achieving high reliability with reduced risk of cracks and enhanced breakdown voltage.
Implementation Method 1
a metal silicide layer provided between the first electrode and the second silicon carbide region
Implementation Method 2
it is possible to cause a large forward surge current to flow by utilizing the conductivity modulation of the PiN diode region
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes a silicon carbide layer having a first plane and a second plane; a first silicon carbide region of a first conductivity type in the silicon carbide layer; a second silicon carbide region of a second conductivity type between the first silicon carbide region and the first plane; a third silicon carbide region of the second conductivity type between the first silicon carbide region and the first plane, the third silicon carbide region extending in a first direction parallel to the first plane; a first electrode provided on a side of the first plane; a second electrode provided on a side of the second plane; and a metal silicide layer provided between the first electrode and the second silicon carbide region, the metal silicide layer having a portion being in contact with the first plane, and a shape of the portion being an octagon.