SiC Semiconductor Device with Metal Silicide Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices face a trade-off between breakdown voltage and on-resistance, with silicon-based materials nearing their limits, necessitating the use of wide-band-gap materials like GaN or SiC to improve performance.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device structure incorporating multiple silicon carbide regions and metal silicide electrodes is designed, with specific layer configurations and implantation techniques to reduce contact resistance and enhance breakdown voltage, featuring a silicon carbide layer with varying conductivity types and insulating films to optimize electrode placement and impurity concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If silicon-based materials are used for semiconductor elements, then manufacturing process is simple, but breakdown voltage is limited and on-resistance cannot be sufficiently reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining silicon carbide drift layer with silicon-based source and drain regions. The silicon carbide layer provides high breakdown voltage capability while the silicon regions maintain compatibility with existing silicon manufacturing processes, thus achieving both high reliability and ease of manufacture
2Reliability
If wide-band-gap semiconductor materials like GaN or SiC are used, then breakdown voltage and on-resistance are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using silicon carbide only in the drift layer where high breakdown voltage is critical, while maintaining silicon material for source and drain regions where standard silicon processing suffices. This localized approach achieves high reliability where needed without unnecessarily increasing overall manufacturing complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional semiconductor structures are used, then manufacturing process is simple, but contact resistance is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the drift layer to silicon carbide, which has superior electrical properties including lower resistivity. This material parameter change reduces contact resistance between the drain electrode and the semiconductor structure while maintaining a relatively simple layered manufacturing process
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 structure achieves reduced contact resistance and improved breakdown voltage, enabling more efficient semiconductor performance without the complexity of trench formation, thus simplifying the manufacturing process and enhancing device reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a fourth electrode provided between the first electrode and the fourth silicon carbide region, the fourth electrode being provided laterally adjacent to the third silicon carbide region, the fourth electrode containing a metal silicide
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes first, second, third, and fourth electrodes, a first insulating film, and first, second third, and fourth silicon carbide layers. A first distance between the first electrode and a first interface between the fourth electrode and fourth silicon carbide region is longer than a second distance between the first insulating film and a second interface between the third silicon carbide region and the fourth silicon carbide region. The fourth silicon carbide region is between the third silicon carbide region and the second silicon carbide region in a direction perendicular to the second interface.