Layered dielectric on silicon carbide semiconductor structures
AssigneeCree, Inc.
InventorsLori A. Lipkin, John Williams Palmour
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Abstract
A dielectric structure is disclosed for silicon carbide-based semiconductor devices. In gated devices, the structure includes a layer of silicon carbide, a layer of silicon dioxide on the silicon carbide layer, a layer of another insulating material on the silicon dioxide layer, with the insulating material having a dielectric constant higher than the dielectric constant of silicon dioxide, and a gate contact to the insulating material. In other devices the dielectric structure forms an enhanced passivation layer or field insulator.
Claims20
A dielectric structure for silicon carbide semiconductor devices, said dielectric structure formed on a portion of silicon carbide and comprising:
- a first layer of silicon dioxide on said silicon carbide portion and having a thickness representing between about 0.5 and 33 percent of the thickness of said dielectric structure;
- a layer of silicon nitride on said first silicon dioxide layer;
- and
- a second layer of silicon dioxide on said silicon nitride layer and having a thickness representing between about 0.5 and 33 percent of the thickness of said dielectric structure;
- and
- said layer of silicon nitride making up the remainder of the thickness of said dielectric structure.
A dielectric structure for the passivation portions of silicon carbide power semiconductor devices, said dielectric structure formed on a portion of silicon carbide and comprising:
- a first layer of silicon dioxide on said silicon carbide portion;
- a layer of silicon nitride on said silicon dioxide layer;
- and
- a second layer of silicon dioxide on said silicon nitride layer;
- wherein said passivation portions are edge termination portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.