Oxide bypassed power MOSFET devices

Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

Simulation of superjunction MOSFET devices

Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

LDMOS Power Transistor Design and Evaluation using 2D and 3D Device Simulation

The benefit of the super-junction (SJ) technique and the use of a floating P layer for low voltage (30 V) laterally double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistors are investigated in this thesis using Sentaurus TCAD simulation software. Optimizations to the SJ LDMOS were attempted such as adding a buffer layer to the device, but simulation and theoretical evidence point out that the benefits of the SJ technique are marginal at the 30 V application. A replacement for the SJ technique was sought, the floating P structure proved to be a good solution at the low voltage range due to its simpler cost effective process and performance gains achieved with optimization. A new idea of combining the floating P layer with shallow trench isolation is simulated yielding a low figure of merit (on state resistance x gate charge) of 5.93 mΩ-nC

Design and fabrication of superjunction power MOSFET devices

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Study of Novel Power Semiconductor Devices for Performance and Reliability.

Power Semiconductor Devices are crucial components in present day power electronic systems. The performance and efficiency of the devices have a direct correlation with the power system efficiency. This dissertation will examine some of the components that are commonly used in a power system, with emphasis on their performance characteristics and reliability. In recent times, there has a proliferation of charge balance devices in high voltage discrete power devices. We examine the same charge balance concept in a fast recovery diode and a MOSFET. This is crucial in the extending system performance at compact dimensions. At smaller device and system sizes, the performance trade-off between the ON and OFF states becomes all the more critical. The focus on reducing the switching losses while maintaining system reliability increases. In a conventional planar technology, the technology places a limit on the switching performance owing to the larger die sizes. Using a charge balance structure helps achieve the improved trade-off, while working towards ultimately improving system reliability, size and cost. Chapter 1 introduces the basic power system based on an inductive switching circuit, and the various components that determine its efficiency. Chapter 2 presents a novel Trench Fast Recovery Diode (FRD) structure with injection control is proposed in this dissertation. The proposed structure achieves improved carrier profile without the need for excess lifetime control. This substantially improves the device performance, especially at extreme temperatures (-40oC to 175oC). The device maintains low leakage at high temperatures, and it\u27s Qrr and Irm do not degrade as is the usual case in heavily electron radiated devices. A 1600 diode using this structure has been developed, with a low forward turn-on voltage and good reverse recovery properties. The experimental results show that the structure maintains its performance at high temperatures. In chapter 3, we develop a termination scheme for the previously mentioned diode. A major limitation on the performance of high voltage power semiconductor is the edge termination of the device. It is critical to maintain the breakdown voltage of the device without compromising the reliability of the device by controlling the surface electric field. A good termination structure is critical to the reliability of the power semiconductor device. The proposed termination uses a novel trench MOS with buried guard ring structure to completely eliminate high surface electric field in the silicon region of the termination. The termination scheme was applied towards a 1350 V fast recovery diode, and showed excellent results. It achieved 98% of parallel plane breakdown voltage, with low leakage and no shifts after High Temperature Reverse Bias testing due to mobile ion contamination from packaging mold compound. In chapter 4, we also investigate the device physics behind a superjunction MOSFET structure for improved robustness. The biggest issue with a completely charge balanced MOSFET is decreased robustness in an Unclamped Inductive Switching (UIS) Circuit. The equally charged P and N pillars result in a flat electric field profile, with the peak carrier density closer to the P-N junction at the surface. This results in an almost negligible positive dynamic Rds-on effect in the MOSFET. By changing the charge profile of the P-column, either by increasing it completely or by implementing a graded profile with the heavier P on top, we can change the field profile and shift the carrier density deeper into silicon, increasing the positive dynamic Rds-on effect. Simulation and experimental results are presented to support the theory and understanding. Chapter 5 summarizes all the theories presented and the contributions made by them in the field. It also seeks to highlight future work to be done in these areas

Design and Scaling of Lateral Super-Junction Multi-Gate MOSFET by 3-D TCAD Simulations

A design, optimisation, and scaling of a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor CMOS-compatible lateral super-junction (SJ) multi-gate (MG) MOSFET(SJ-MGFET) based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology is examined as a pre-ferred solution in mitigating the predominance of channel resistance during operation at a low voltage. In order to overcome the preponderance of the channel resistance, the SJ-MGFET uses a non-planar 3-D embedded trench gate and a folded alternat-ing U-shaped n/p– SJ drift region pillar. The trench gate will redistribute electron current crowding near the top surface of the n− pillar reducing the channel resis-tance. The folded U-shaped n/p– pillar uniformly distributes the electric field in the SJ drift region.The variations in the device architecture of a 1 µm gate length lateral super-junction (SJ) multi-gate MOSFET (SJ-MGFET) are explored using the physically based commercial 3-D TCAD device simulations by Silvaco. Investigation and analysis of different carrier transport models are carried out with different doping profiles by calibrating the drift-diffusion simulations to experimental I-V characteristics and breakdown voltage of the SJ-MGFET. The study, then aimed to improve drive current, breakdown voltage (BV ), and specific on-resistance (Ron,sp). The effect of charge imbalance in the SJ pillar unit on the device breakdown voltage is studied with variations in the drift region length. It is observed that the charge imbalance in the SJ unit barely changes due to the fixed ratio between the pillar width and the pillar height.It has been reported that the simulated and optimised SJ-MGFET device achieves 41% increase in the drive current with an on-off ratio of 5×106 at a drain voltage of 10 V and a gate voltage of 20 V , thereby demonstrating a big advantage of the multi-gate device design to reduce the leakage current. The results have shown that the optimised 1 µm gate length SJ-MGFET device offers a specific on-resistance of 0.21 mΩ.cm2 and a breakdown voltage of 65 V with a trench-gate depth of 2.7 µm, a pillar height of 3.6 µm and a drift region length of 3.5 µm. In addition, it achieves 68%, 52% and 15% reduction in the specific on-resistance compared to the reported fabricated SJ-LDMOSFET, fabricated SJ-FinFET and simulated SJ-FinFET at the same BV rating, thereby capable of offering a better performance in terms of a high drive current, a maximum breakdown voltage, a minimum specific on-resistance, and excellent FoM for sub - 100 V rating applications.Furthermore, the potentiality of scaling the device architecture of the optimised SJ-MGFET is examined from the 1 µm gate length to 0.5 µm, and 0.25 µm, respectively. Different scaling approaches is carefully explored in all dimensions of the 3-D device structure in the simulations. The scaling down of the 1.0 µm gate length SJ-MGFET structure laterally (along the y-axis) by scaling the channel length, the gate length, the gate oxide thickness, and the SJ drift unit length by a factor S to shrink the gate length of 1.0 µm to 0.5 µm and 0.25 µm is examined in the simulations in this thesis. In order to prevent a weak electrostatic integrity in the scaled 0.5 µm and 0.25 µm gate lengths (Lgate) SJ-MGFETs, the doping profile is optimised aiming at achieving a maximum drive current, a minimum leakage current, a high switching capability, a low specific on-resistance, and an improve avalanche capabilities of the devices. The scaled and optimised SJ-MGFETs with a gate length of 0.5 µm and 0.25 µm achieve 30% and 63% increase in the drive current in comparison with the 1.0 µm gate length SJ-MGFET at a drain voltage of 0.1 V and a gate voltage of 15 V . Additionally, the scaled SJ-MGFETs offer a transconductance (gm) of 20 mS/mm and 56 mS/mm at a drain voltage of 0.1 V with a gate length of 0.5 µm and 0.25 µm, respectively. The SJ-MGFETs with a gate length of 0.5 µm and 0.25 µm having a pillar of a width of 0.3 µm and a trench depth of 2.7 µm, achieve a low specific on-resistance (Ron,sp) of 7.68 mΩ.mm2 and 2.24 mΩ.mm2 (VGS = 10 V ) and breakdown voltage (BV ) of 48 V and 26 V , respectively.Finally, the lateral scaling and optimisation of the 1 µm gate length SJ-MGFET to gate lengths of 0.5 µm and 0.25 µm using Silvaco Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) simulations has shown that the FoM of the non-planar transistor can be greatly improved in terms of switching speed, drive current, breakdown voltage, specific on-resistance, and physical density for a higher integration in a CMOS architecture

Introducing the hybrid unipolar bipolar field effect transistor : the HUBFET

Modern commercial aircraft are becoming increasingly dependent on electrical power. More and more of the systems traditionally powered by hydraulics or pneumatics are being migrated to run on electricity. One consequence of the move towards electrical power is the increase in the storage capacity of the bat- teries used to supplement the power generation. The increase in battery size increases the maximum stress that a short circuit failure can put on the power distribution system. Although such failures are extremely rare, the fail safe switches in the distribution system must be capable of handling extremely high energy short circuits and turning off the power to protect the electrical systems from damage. Traditionally aircraft have used electromechanical relays in this role. However, they are large, heavy and slow to switch. As the potential power level is increased, the slow switching becomes more of a problem. The solution is a semiconductor switch. An IGBT can handle the high short circuit currents and switches fast enough to prevent short circuits damaging key systems. However, the inherent voltage drop in the forward current path significantly reduces its efficiency during nominal operation. A power MOSFET would be considerably more efficient than an IGBT during nominal operation. However, during high current surges, the ohmic behaviour of the switch leads to extremely high power loss and thermal failure. In this thesis a solution to this problem is presented. A new class of semiconductor device is proposed that has the highly efficient low current performance of the power MOSFET and the high current handling capability of the IGBT. The device has been named the Hybrid Unipolar Bipolar Field Effect Transistor or HUBFET. The HUBFET operates in unipolar mode, like a MOSFET, at low currents and in bipolar mode, like an IGBT, at high currents. The structure of the HUBFET is a merging of the MOSFET and IGBT. It is a vertical device with a traditional MOS gate structure, however the backside consists of alternating regions of both N-type and P-type doping. Through simulation the key on-state characteristics of the HUBFET have been shown. Fabricated test modules have been tested to validate the simulations and to show how the HUBFET can dynamically transistion from unipolar to bipolar mode during a short circuit event. Following the proof of concept the pattern of implants on the backside of the device that give the HUBFET its characteristic were investigated and potential improvements to the design were identified

Optimization of power MOSFET devices suitable for integrated circuits

Táto doktorská práca sa zaoberá návrhom laterálnych výkonových tranzistorov s nízkym špecifickým odporom pri zapnutom stave, vhodných pre integráciu do Integrovaných Obvodov.This doctoral thesis deals with the design of lateral power transistor with lower specific on-resistance for integration into IC.The new model of MOSFET with waffle gate pattern is there described. For first, time the conformal transformation the Schwarz-Christoffel mapping has been used for the description of nonhomogeneous current distribution in the channel area of MOSFET with waffle gate pattern. In addition base on the figure of merit definition Area Increment (AI) the topological theoretical limit of MOSFET with waffle gate pattern has been a first time defined

Reliability Analysis of Power Electronic Devices

The thesis deals with the reliability of Power Electronic Devices to the purpose of evaluating the phenomena which mainly dictate the limiting conditions where a power device can safely operate. Reliability analyses are conducted by means of either simulations and experimental measurements