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AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsJozeph Peter Karl Hoefsmit, Einte Holwerda, Gerrit Willem Jan Ter Horst, Nicolaus Antonius Maria Koper, Pieter Weyert Lukey, Klaastinus Hendrikus Sanders, Klaas Van Der Vlist
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The invention relates to a semiconductor device with a diode. The semiconductor body (10) comprises a stack of a first semiconductor region provided with a first connection conductor (5) and a second semiconductor region (2) connected to a second connection conductor (6), wherein a rectifying junction is present between the two semiconductor regions (1, 2) having opposite conductivity types. Such a device is—after a rotation through 90 degrees—suitable for surface mounting. However, in particular at high voltage and/or high power levels, the diode may suffer from breakdown or a high leakage current. In a device according to the invention, a portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1) is electrically insulated from the rest (1B) of the first semiconductor region (1), the semiconductor body (10) is provided with means (3) by which said portion (1A) is connected with electrical conduction to the second semiconductor region (2), and the second connection conductor (6) is situated on said portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1). The resulting device is directly suitable for surface mounting, i.e. without the need of rotation, and is much less prone to breakdown or high leakage currents, even in high-voltage and/or high-power applications. The portions (1A, 1B) may be easily separated by a groove (4). The means (3) may be a conductive channel created in a simple manner by means of a current pulse through the rectifying junction. Manufacture of the device is both simple and inexpensive.
A semiconductor device with a semiconductor diode and comprising a semiconductor body (10) with a stack of, in that order as seen from the upper surface of the semiconductor body (10), a first semiconductor region (1) of a first conductivity type which is provided with a first connection conductor (5), a second semiconductor region (2) of a second conduction type opposed to the first which is connected to a second connection conductor (6), while a rectifying junction is present between the first and the second semiconductor region (1, 2), characterized in that a portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1) is electrically insulated from the rest (1B) of the first semiconductor region (1), the semiconductor body (10) is provided with means (3) by which said portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1) is conductively connected to the second semiconductor region (2), and the second connection conductor (6) is present on said portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1).
A semiconductor device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1) has, the same dimensions and geometry as the remaining portion (1B) of the first semiconductor region (1).
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with a semiconductor diode, whereby a semiconductor body (10) is formed by a stack of, in that order as seen from the upper surface of the semiconductor body (10), a first semiconductor region (1) of a first conductivity type which is provided with a first connection conductor (5), a second semiconductor region (2) of a second conductivity type opposed to the first which is connected to a second connection conductor (6), while a rectifying junction is present between the first and the second semiconductor region (1, 2), characterized in that a portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1) is electrically insulated from the rest (1B) of the first semiconductor region (1), and the semiconductor body (10) is provided with means (3) by which said portion (1A) of the first semiconductor region (1) is conductively connected to the second semiconductor region (2), and the second connection conductor (6) is provided on said portion (11A) of the first semiconductor region (1).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.