Superjunction has arguably been the most creative and important concept in the power device field since the introduction of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) in the 1980s. It is the only concept known today that has challenged and ultimately proved wrong the well-known theoretical study on the limit of silicon in high-voltage devices. This paper deals with the history, device and process development, and the future prospects of Superjunction technologies. It covers fundamental physics, technological challenges as well as aspects of design and modeling of unipolar devices, such as CoolMOS. The superjunction concept is compared to other methods of enhancing the conductivity of power devices (from bipolar to employment of wide-bandgap materials) to derive its set of benefits and limitations. This paper closes with the application of the superjunction concept to other structures or materials, such as terminations, superjunction IGBTs, or silicon carbide Field Effect Transistors (FETs).

Superjunction Power Devices, History, Development, and Future Prospects

An RF switch circuit and method for switching RF signals that may be fabricated using common integrated circuit materials such as silicon, particularly using insulating substrate technologies. The RF switch includes switching and shunting transistor groupings to alternatively couple RF input signals to a common RF node, each controlled by a switching control voltage (SW) or its inverse (SW_), which are approximately symmetrical about ground. The transistor groupings each comprise one or more insulating gate FET transistors connected together in a “stacked” series channel configuration, which increases the breakdown voltage across the series connected transistors and improves RF switch compression. A fully integrated RF switch is described including control logic and a negative voltage generator with the RF switch elements. In one embodiment, the fully integrated RF switch includes an oscillator, a charge pump, CMOS logic circuitry, level-shifting and voltage divider circuits, and an RF buffer circuit.

Switch Circuit and Method of Switching Radio Frequency Signals

A method and apparatus for use in improving the linearity characteristics of MOSFET devices using an accumulated charge sink (ACS) are disclosed. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one exemplary embodiment, a circuit having at least one SOI MOSFET is configured to operate in an accumulated charge regime. An accumulated charge sink, operatively coupled to the body of the SOI MOSFET, eliminates, removes or otherwise controls accumulated charge when the FET is operated in the accumulated charge regime, thereby reducing the nonlinearity of the parasitic off-state source-to-drain capacitance of the SOI MOSFET. In RF switch circuits implemented with the improved SOI MOSFET devices, harmonic and intermodulation distortion is reduced by removing or otherwise controlling the accumulated charge when the SOI MOSFET operates in an accumulated charge regime.

Method and apparatus for use in improving linearity of MOSFETs using an accumulated charge sink

A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in improving the gate oxide reliability of semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices using accumulated charge control (ACC) techniques. The method and apparatus are adapted to remove, reduce, or otherwise control accumulated charge in SOI MOSFETs, thereby yielding improvements in FET performance characteristics. In one embodiment, a circuit comprises a MOSFET, operating in an accumulated charge regime, and means for controlling the accumulated charge, operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. A first determination is made of the effects of an uncontrolled accumulated charge on time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. A second determination is made of the effects of a controlled accumulated charge on TDDB of the gate oxide of the SOI MOSFET. The SOI MOSFET is adapted to have a selected average time-to-breakdown, responsive to the first and second determinations, and the circuit is operated using techniques for accumulated charge control operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET. In one embodiment, the accumulated charge control techniques include using an accumulated charge sink operatively coupled to the SOI MOSFET body.

Method and Apparatus Improving Gate Oxide Reliability by Controlling Accumulated Charge

A rigorous mathematical treatment of dynamic self-heating in semiconductor devices is presented. Two formulations for the admittance parameters are given. The thermal behavior of the device is referred to device temperature in the first formulation, and to ambient temperature in the second. Contrary to previous work, nonlinear thermal effects are included. An analytical model for the thermal resistance is derived which confirms the relevance of these effects. Applications of the above results to device modeling and thermal characterization are studied in detail by means of numerical simulations. Possible sources of inaccuracies are evidenced. Finally, it is shown that the differential analysis of thermal feedback provides a general and rigorous means to determine the conditions for the onset of thermally-induced instabilities.

Small-signal operation of semiconductor devices including self-heating, with application to thermal characterization and instability analysis

This paper presents a comprehensive 2-D and 1-D study of the self-heating effect in thin Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) and Partial SOI LDMOS power devices. A simple 1-D self-heating model based on a PSPICE RC thermal circuit which accounts for the temperature rise in on-state, transient and short-circuit conditions is developed. Unlike previous 1-D modelling attempts for SOI devices, our model takes into account the feedback effect of the local device temperature on the thermal conductivity and specific heat through an equivalent electrical RC network consisting of voltage controlled resistors and capacitors. The 1-D model is thoroughly assessed against extensive 2-D thermal simulations performed using the SILVACO-ATLAS device simulator and the results indicate an excellent agreement in all operating conditions. Furthermore, an accurate comparison between the thin SOI and Partial SOI devices is carried out.

Modelling of self-heating effect in thin SOI and Partial SOI LDMOS power devices

Back-side etching of the entire silicon substrate under part of the drift region of a SOI power device was first proposed by Udrea and Amararunga (2004) and experimentally reported by Udrea et al. (2005). This technology concept enables high voltage devices to be embedded in a thin silicon/oxide membrane resulting in very significant improvements in breakdown ability and switching speed. This paper presents new results from advanced membrane high power devices and fully functional power ICs. Furthermore, record switching speeds for the LIGBT are reported. The feasibility of realising superjunction structures (3D Resurf) with breakdown capability in excess of 700V using this technology are also demonstrated

Ultra-fast LIGBTs and superjunction devices in membrane technology

The fabrication of a partial SOI substrate

Silicon-on-insulator power integrated circuits

This paper describes the switching characteristics of Partial SOI LDMOSFET's in high-side configuration based on the results of numerical simulations. The effects of the substrate bias on the on-state and output capacitances of a device on a Partial SOI substrate are discussed and compared to a conventional SOI substrate. It is shown that having the Partial SOI LDMOSFETs operating in source-high conditions will help to achieve a faster turn-off due to reduced parasitic capacitances. In addition, it is shown that the turn-off speed of Partial SOI LDMOSFETs is at least 3 times higher than of conventional SOI LDMOSFETs.

Partial SOI LDMOSFETs for high-side switching

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