Schottky diode with guard ring
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsJames R. Todd, Joe R. Trogolo, Andrew Marshall, Eric G. Soenen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A Schottky diode circuit 20 is formed on a semiconductor layer 24. A conductive contact 36 on the surface of the semiconductor layer 24 forms a Schottky barrier 40 at the junction of the conductive contact 36 and the semiconductor layer 24. A guard ring 26 in the semiconductor layer 24 is adjacent to the Schottky barrier 40 and is separated from the conductive contact 36 by a portion of the semiconductor layer 24. No direct electrical path exists between the guard ring 26 and the conductive contact 36.
Claims6
A Schottky diode circuit on a semiconductor layer comprising:
- a first conductive contact on a surface of the semiconductor layer forming a Schottky barrier at the junction of the first conductive contact and the semiconductor layer;
- a guard region in the semiconductor layer, the guard region being adjacent the Schottky barrier and separated from the first conductive contact by a portion of the semiconductor layer;
- a field insulator in the semiconductor layer, the guard region being aligned to a first edge of the field insulator;
- an insulator layer on a surface of the semiconductor layer and adjacent the field insulator;
- a resistive layer on a portion of the field insulator and on a portion of the insulator layer;
- a patterned insulator positioned over the insulator layer, over the resistive layer, and over the field insulator, and having first and second openings to the resistive layer and a third opening to the guard region;
- a second conductive contact on the patterned insulator connecting the guard region to the resistive layer;
- a third conductive contact on the patterned insulator connecting the resistive layer to the first conductive contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.