Super Junction Semiconductor Wafer Charge Balance Correction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Super junction semiconductor devices face performance degradation due to process tolerances that disrupt the lateral charge balance between n- and p-doped regions, leading to reduced breakdown voltage and suboptimal trade-off between on-state resistance and blocking voltage.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming charge compensation device structures in a semiconductor wafer, measuring electric characteristics, and adjusting proton irradiation and annealing parameters to achieve precise charge balance. This includes proton irradiation and annealing to generate hydrogen-related donors, followed by photon beam irradiation to correct the charge balance across the wafer surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional manufacturing processes are used for super junction semiconductor devices, then production efficiency is maintained, but process tolerances cause deviations in charge balance leading to reduced breakdown voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing proton irradiation and annealing processes before final device fabrication to pre-establish the charge compensation structure. This preliminary charge balance correction ensures that subsequent manufacturing steps operate from an optimized baseline, reducing the impact of process tolerances on final device performance and breakdown voltage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by systematically varying proton irradiation energy, dose, and annealing temperature to precisely control the charge balance in super junction structures. By adjusting these parameters, the invention achieves optimal charge compensation that directly improves breakdown voltage while maintaining manufacturing precision
2Reliability
If proton irradiation and annealing are applied to correct charge balance, then breakdown voltage is improved, but additional process steps increase manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the charge balance correction function into the existing manufacturing process flow by integrating proton irradiation and annealing steps with standard device fabrication sequences. This consolidation approach implements necessary charge compensation without creating entirely separate process lines, thereby improving breakdown voltage while limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform proton irradiation is applied across the wafer, then charge balance is improved, but variations in wafer thickness and composition require position-specific adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing position-specific irradiation parameters across the wafer surface, where proton energy, dose, and annealing conditions are locally adjusted based on measured wafer characteristics at different positions. This localized approach ensures optimal charge balance correction for each region while accounting for variations in wafer thickness and composition
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 approach enhances the trade-off between on-state resistance and breakdown voltage by improving the precision of charge balance, reducing the impact of process tolerances and maintaining device performance.
Implementation Method 1
The semiconductor wafer is irradiated with protons and annealed based on the at least one of the adjusted proton irradiation and annealing parameters
Implementation Method 2
The semiconductor wafer is irradiated with protons and annealed based on the at least one of the adjusted proton irradiation and annealing parameters
Implementation Method 3
Photon beam irradiation parameters are adjusted with respect to different positions on the semiconductor wafer based on the measured electric characteristic
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices in a semiconductor wafer comprises forming charge compensation device structures in the semiconductor wafer. An electric characteristic related to the charge compensation device structures is measured. At least one of proton irradiation and annealing parameters are adjusted based on the measured electric characteristic. The semiconductor wafer is irradiated with protons and annealed based on the at least one of the adjusted proton irradiation and annealing parameters. Laser beam irradiation parameters are adjusted with respect to different positions on the semiconductor wafer based on the measured electric characteristic. The semiconductor wafer is irradiated with a photon beam at the different positions on the wafer based on the photon beam irradiation parameters.