Integrated circuit Zener diode

US4646114A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Raytheon Company · US

Inventors

• Charles Vinn · Milpitas, US
• David J. Harris · Lancaster, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 31, 1984
• Grant date: Feb 24, 1987
• Expiry date: Dec 31, 2004

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D8/25

Abstract

A subsurface Zener diode is provided wherein a semiconductor has formed thereon spaced apart anode and cathode regions of opposite type conductivity, such regions having opposing surface portions, and disposed beneath a surface of such semiconductor a buried region of conductivity type the same as one of such regions, such buried region extending laterally through the spaced apart regions, one of the spaced apart regions having an opposing surface portion thereof formed with a portion which protrudes towards the opposing surface portion of the other one of the spaced apart regions. With such arrangement, an electric field produced between the spaced apart regions becomes concentrated at the protrusion with the result that Zener breakdown occurs repeatedly at the same point in the semiconductor thereby reducing long term drift. Also, a Kelvin buried Zener diode is provided by forming a second laterally spaced anode region with the cathode region disposed between the pair of anode regions. One of the pair of anodes provides the force anode and the other the sense anode. The buried region extends laterally through the pair of anodes and the cathode region. The cathode region is provid…