Patent · US Active

Avalanche diode having an enhanced defect concentration level and method of making the same

US8791547B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

7References

25Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

Jens Schneider · Bielefeld, DE
Kai Esmark · Schwanau, DE
Martin Wendel · Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jan 21, 2008
Grant date	Jul 29, 2014
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 13, 2029

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
WIPO fieldSemiconductors
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to an avalanche diode that can be employed as an ESD protection device. An avalanche ignition region is formed at the p-n junction of the diode and includes an enhanced defect concentration level to provide rapid onset of avalanche current. The avalanche ignition region is preferably formed wider than the diode depletion zone, and is preferably created by placement, preferably by ion implantation, of an atomic specie different from that of the principal device structure. The doping concentration of the placed atomic specie should be sufficiently high to ensure substantially immediate onset of avalanche current when the diode breakdown voltage is exceeded. The new atomic specie preferably comprises argon or nitrogen, but other atomic species can be employed. However, other means of increasing a defect concentration level in the diode depletion zone, such as an altered annealing program, are also contemplated.

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