Vertical MOS Power Transistor Layout Using Pre-defined Part Pieces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for designing vertical power transistors require significant time and effort to achieve desired on-resistance levels, as each transistor must be newly designed from scratch to alter its electric parameters, making it inefficient and costly to produce transistors with varying power levels.

Innovation Solution

A method that divides the layout of a vertical power transistor into standardized part pieces with known design data, allowing for efficient combination and adjustment of these pieces to achieve transistors with different on-resistances without requiring new design steps, using a combination of pre-determined single transistor cells and edge portions to form complete transistor structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional design methods are used to create vertical power transistors with different on-resistances, then each transistor must be newly designed from scratch, but this results in significant design time and effort being required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveon-resistance specificationVSAvoiddesign time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The transistor layout is divided into standardized part pieces (e.g., cells with specific numbers of single transistor cells, edge portions, terminal contacts) that can be independently selected and combined. This segmentation allows designers to assemble transistors with different on-resistances by simply varying the number and arrangement of these pre-defined parts, rather than redesigning the entire layout from scratch.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized part pieces are designed to be universally applicable across different transistor designs. The same set of part pieces can be used to create transistors with various on-resistances and power levels by changing only the quantity and arrangement of parts, making the design process universal and reusable for multiple device specifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional design methods are used to create vertical power transistors with different on-resistances, then each transistor must be newly designed from scratch, but this results in increased design effort and cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveon-resistance specificationVSAvoiddesign effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Standardized part pieces are pre-designed and pre-characterized with known design data including their individual on-resistance contributions, active areas, and edge structures. This preliminary action allows designers to quickly assemble transistors with target on-resistances by selecting and combining appropriate pre-characterized parts, significantly reducing the design effort and cost compared to creating entirely new layouts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The design process is simplified by changing parameters such as the number of single transistor cells in each part piece and their arrangement, rather than redesigning the entire transistor structure. This allows continuous adjustment of on-resistance and power levels through parameter variation of the standardized parts, making the design process more efficient and cost-effective.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of time

If standardized layout part pieces are used to compose vertical power transistors, then design time is reduced, but the transistor design flexibility may be limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign timeVSAvoiddesign flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The standardized part piece system incorporates dynamic configurability where the number, type, and arrangement of part pieces can be flexibly adjusted to meet different design requirements. The system allows continuous adaptation to various on-resistance and power level specifications by dynamically selecting from the available standardized parts, maintaining design flexibility while reducing design time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Standardized part pieces can be copied and reused multiple times in different configurations to create various transistor designs. This copying mechanism allows rapid prototyping and iteration of different transistor specifications by simply replicating and recombining proven design elements, maintaining versatility while accelerating the design process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS8190415B2Method for the construction of vertical power transistors with differing powers by combination of pre-defined part pieces
Publication Date: 2012.05.29 X FAB SEMICONDUCTORS FOUNDRIES AG
  • US8190415B2 patent drawing
  • US8190415B2 patent drawing
  • US8190415B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for designing a first vertical MOS power transistor having a specified design power level. The method comprises the steps of composing a layout of the vertical MOS power transistor as a combination of at least partly differing layout part pieces, each of the part pieces having known design data, the part pieces including at least one first layout part piece comprising a given number of single transistor cells, and adjusting the specified design power level of the first vertical MOS power transistor by using the known design data of the part pieces and based on the layout combination of the part pieces.