Devices with an embedded zener diode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9929141-B2
Application number	US-201615089787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2016
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

In one aspect, a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) includes a Zener diode embedded in the SCR. In another aspect, a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) includes a Zener diode embedded in the LDMOS. In a further aspect, a lateral insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) includes a Zener diode embedded in the IGBT.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) comprising:
a Zener diode;
an n-type region;
a first P+-type region extending into the n-type region;
a first N+-type region extending into the n-type region;
a p-type well extending into the n-type region;
a second N+-type region extending into the p-type well; and
a second P+-type region extending into the p-type well,
wherein the Zener diode is embedded between the first and second N+-type regions and extending through a field oxide layer and into a single doped region, wherein the single doped region is the n-type region.

2. The SCR of claim 1 , wherein the n-type region is an n-type epitaxial layer.

3. The SCR of claim 1 , wherein the n-type region is an n-type well.

4. The SCR of claim 1 , wherein the Zener diode comprises a third N+-type region and a P-type region.

5. The SCR of claim 4 , wherein a first distance corresponding to a length between the P-well and the P-type region of the Zener diode contributes to determining a trigger voltage of the SCR.

6. The SCR of claim 5 , wherein increasing a second distance corresponding to a length of the third N+-type region of the Zener diode to the N-type region contributes to determining the trigger voltage of the SCR.

7. The SCR of claim 6 , wherein increasing a third distance corresponding to a length between the P-type region of the Zener diode and the first N+-type region contributes to determining a holding voltage of the SCR.

8. The SCR of claim 7 , wherein increasing a fourth distance corresponding to a length between the P-type region of the Zener diode and the first P+-type region contributes to determining the holding voltage of the SCR.

9. The SCR of claim 8 , wherein increasing a fifth distance corresponding to a length between a junction of the second N+-type and the p-type well and a junction of the p-type well and the N-type region contributes to determining the holding voltage of the SCR.

10. The SCR of claim 4 , wherein the first P+-type region, the first N+-type region and the third N+-type region are electrically coupled to an anode terminal.

11. The SCR of claim 10 , wherein a resistor is connected between the first N+ region and the third N+ region.

12. The SCR of claim 4 , wherein the second P+ region and the second N+ region are electrically coupled to a cathode terminal.

13. The SCR of claim 1 , wherein the SCR has no snapback.

14. The SCR of claim 1 , wherein a snapback of the SCR is no greater than 10% of the trigger voltage.

15. The SCR of claim 1 , wherein the first N+-type region is between the first P+ region and the Zener diode.

16. A silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) comprising:
a Zener diode;
an p-type region;
a first N+-type region extending into the p-type region;
a first P+-type region extending into the p-type region;
a n-type well extending into the p-type region;
a second P+-type region extending into the n-type well; and
a second N+-type region extending into the n-type well,
wherein the Zener diode is embedded between the first and second P+-type regions and extending through a field oxide region and into a single doped region, wherein the doped region is the p-type region.

17. The SCR of claim 16 , wherein the p-type region is an p-type epitaxial layer.

18. The SCR of claim 16 , wherein the p-type region is an p-type well.

19. The SCR of claim 16 , wherein the Zener diode comprises a third P+-type region and a N-type region.

20. The SCR of claim 19 , wherein a first distance corresponding to a length between the n-well and the N-type region of the Zener diode contributes to determining a trigger voltage of the SCR.

21. The SCR of claim 20 , wherein a second distance corresponding to a length of the third P+-type region of the Zener diode to the P-type region contributes to determining the trigger voltage of the SCR.

22. The SCR of claim 21 , wherein a third distance corresponding to a length between the N-type region of the Zener diode and the first P+-type region contributes to determining a holding voltage of the SCR.

23. The SCR of claim 22 , wherein a fourth distance corresponding to a length between the N-type region of the Zener diode and the first N+-type region contributes to determining the holding voltage of the SCR.

24. The SCR of claim 23 , wherein a fifth distance corresponding to a length between a junction of the second P+-type and the n-type well and a junction of the n-type well and the P-type region contributes to determining the holding voltage of the SCR.

25. The SCR of claim 20 , wherein the first N+-type region, the first P+-type region and the third N+-type region are directly connected to an anode terminal.

26. The SCR of claim 25 , wherein a resistor is connected between the first P+ region and the third N+ region.

27. The SCR of claim 4 , wherein the second N+ region and the second P+ region are directly connected to a cathode terminal.

28. The SCR of claim 16 , wherein the SCR has no snapback.

29. The SCR of claim 16 , wherein a snapback of the SCR is no greater than 10% of the trigger voltage.

30. The SCR of claim 16 , wherein the first P+-type region is between the first N+ region and the Zener diode.

Assignees

• Allegro Microsystems Llc

Inventors

• Kuo Chung C
• Klebanov Maxim

Classifications

• H10D84/161

  IGBT having built-in components · CPC title

• H01L29/866

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L29/7821

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L27/0255

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L29/87

  Electricity · mapped topic