Termination Electrode Layout to Prevent Stress-Induced Shorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor devices face reliability issues due to horizontal stress on termination structures, leading to potential short circuits between electrodes, especially when the resin expands and contracts with heat, causing electrodes to slide and potentially contact electrodes with different potentials.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device design with a field plate electrode having a lower height than the wiring and terminal electrodes, covered by an interlayer insulating film, which prevents contact and sliding, thereby maintaining reliability even under horizontal stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the resin sealing is used to package the semiconductor device, then the device is protected and sealed, but the resin expansion and contraction under heat causes horizontal stress leading to electrode sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The stepped electrode structure is designed in advance to counteract the harmful effects of resin expansion and contraction. By creating the height difference before packaging, the structure preemptively prevents sliding contact that would occur under thermal stress, rather than attempting to address the problem after it arises
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 design effectively prevents short circuits and maintains reliability by ensuring the field plate electrode does not come into contact with other electrodes, even when the termination region is stressed horizontally, thus enhancing the semiconductor device's performance.
Implementation Method 1
The field plate electrode is covered with the second interlayer insulating film
Implementation Method 2
The wiring electrode, the field plate electrode covered with the second interlayer insulating film, and the terminal electrode are covered with a protective film
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes a transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate including an active region where the transistor is formed and a termination region surrounding the active region. The termination region includes a first interlayer insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a second interlayer insulating film thereon, a wiring electrode electrically connected to a gate electrode of the transistor, a terminal electrode provided closer to the edge portion of the semiconductor substrate than the wiring electrode is, and a field plate electrode provided between the wiring electrode and the terminal electrode in plan view. The wiring electrode, the field plate electrode, and the terminal electrode are provided on the first interlayer insulating film. The field plate electrode is covered with the second interlayer insulating film. The field plate electrode has a smaller height than the wiring electrode and the terminal electrode.