Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor switch devices having a region with three distinct zones and their manufacture

US6355971B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
7References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 25, 1999
Grant dateMar 12, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 25, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10D10/441

Abstract

In a semiconductor switch device such as an NPN transistor (T) or a power switching diode (D), a multiple-zone first region (1) of one conductivity type forms a switchable p-n junction (12) with a second region (2) of opposite conductivity type. In accordance with the invention, this first region (1) includes three distinct zones, namely a low-doped zone (23), a high-doped zone (25), and an intermediate additional zone (24). The low-doped zone (23) is provided by a semiconductor body portion (11) having a substantially uniform p-type doping concentration (P−) and forms the p-n junction (12) with the second region (2). The distinct additional zone (24) is present between the low-doped zone (23) and the high-doped zone (25). The high-doped zone (25) which may form a contact zone has a doping concentration (P++) which is higher than that of the low-doped zone (23) and which decreases towards the low-doped zone (23). The distinct additional zone (24) has an additional doping concentration (P+) which is lower than the doping concentration (P++) of the high-doped zone (25) and which decreases towards the low-doped zone (23). This triple-zone formation for the first region (1) permi…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.