Patent Abstract:
A super-junction trench MOSFET with Resurf Stepped Oxide and split gate electrodes is disclosed. The inventive structure can apply additional freedom for better optimization of device performance and manufacturing capability by tuning thick oxide thickness to minimize influence of charge imbalance, trapped charges, etc. Furthermore, the fabrication method can be implemented more reliably with lower cost.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/654,637 of the same inventor, filed on Dec. 28, 2009 entitled “super-junction trenched MOSFET with Resurf Step Oxide and the method to make the same”. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to the cell structure, device configuration and fabrication process of power semiconductor devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel and improved cell structure, device configuration and improved fabrication process of a super-junction MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Compared to the conventional trench MOSFETs, super-junction trench MOSFETs are more attractive due to higher breakdown voltage and lower specific Rds (drain-source resistance). As is known to all, a super-junction trench MOSFET is implemented by a p type column structure and an n type column structure arranged in parallel and connecting to each other onto a heavily doped substrate, however, the manufacturing yield is not stable because it is very sensitive to the fabrication processes and conditions such as: the p type column structure and the n type column structure dopant re-diffusion issue induced by subsequent thermal processes; trapped charges within the column structure, etc. . . . . All that will cause a hazardous condition of charges imbalance to the super-junction trench MOSFET. More specifically, these undesired influences become more pronounced with a narrower column structure width for a lower bias voltage ranging under 200V. 
         [0004]    Prior art (paper “Industrialization of Resurf Stepped Oxide Technology for Power Transistor”, by M. A. Gajda, etc., and paper “Tunable Oxide-Bypassed Trench Gate MOSFET Breaking the Ideal Super-junction MOSFET Performance Line at Equal Column Width”, by Xin Yang, etc.) disclosed device structure in order to resolve the limitation caused by the conventional super-junction trench MOSFET discussed above, as shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B . Except some different terminologies (the device structure in  FIG. 1A  named with RSO: Resurf Stepped Oxide and the device structure in  FIG. 1B  named with TOB: Tuable Oxide-Bypassed), both the device structures in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  are basically the same which can achieve a lower specific Rds and a higher breakdown voltage than a conventional super-junction trench MOSFET because each the epitaxial layer formed in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  has a higher doping concentration than the conventional super-junction trench MOSFET. 
         [0005]    Refer to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  again, both the device structures have a deep trench with a thick oxide layer along trench sidewalk and bottom into a drift region. Only difference is that, the device structure in  FIG. 1A  has a single epitaxial layer (N Epi, as illustrated in  FIG. 1A ) while the device structure in  FIG. 1B  has double epitaxial layers (Epi 1  and Epi 2 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , the Epi 1  supported on a heavily doped substrate has a lower doping concentration than the Epi 2  near a channel region). Due to the p type column structure and the n type column structure interdiffusion, both the device structures in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  do not have charges imbalance issue, resolving the technical limitation caused by the conventional super-junction trench MOSFET, however, the benefit of both the device structures in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  over the conventional super-junction trench MOSFET only pronounces at the bias voltage ranging under 200V, which means that, the conventional super-junction trench MOSFET has a lower Rds when the bias voltage is beyond 200V. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,601,597 disclosed a method to avoid the aforementioned p type column structure and the n type structure dopant re-diffusion issue, for example in an N-channel trench MOSFET as shown in  FIG. 1C , by setting up the p type column formation process at a last step after all diffusion processes such as: sacrificial oxidation after trench etch, gate oxidation, P body region formation and n+ source region formation, etc. . . . have been finished. 
         [0007]    However, the disclosed method of this prior art is not effective because that, firstly, the p type column structure is formed by growing an additional p type epitaxial layer in deep trenches etched in an n type epitaxial layer; secondly, an additional CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) is required for surface planarization after the p type epitaxial layer is grown; thirdly, double trench etches are necessary (one for shallow trenches for trenched gates formation and another for the deep trenches for the p type column structure formation), all the increased cost is not conductive to mass production. Moreover, other factors such as: the charges imbalance caused by the trapped charges within the column structure is still not resolved. 
         [0008]    Therefore, there is still a need in the art of the semiconductor power device, particularly for super-junction trench MOSFET design and fabrication, to provide a novel cell structure, device configuration that would resolve these difficulties and design limitations. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides a super-junction trench MOSFET with resurf stepped oxides (RSO) having additional freedom for better performance optimization and manufacturing capability by tuning a thick oxide thickness to minimize influence of the charges imbalance, trapped charges, etc. Therefore, the present invention only requires one kind gate trenches and a single epitaxial layer to achieve a better cost effective than the prior arts. Moreover, the present invention also provides split gate electrodes in a super-junction trench MOSFET. 
         [0010]    In one aspect, the present invention features a super-junction trench MOSFET comprising: a substrate of a first conductivity type; an epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type onto the substrate, wherein the epitaxial layer has a lower doping concentration than the substrate; a plurality of gate trenches starting from a top surface of the epitaxial layer and extending downward into the epitaxial layer, each of the gate trenches being padded by a first insulation layer along lower portions of trench sidewalls and padded by a second insulation layer along upper portions of the trench sidewalls, wherein the first insulation layer has a greater thickness than the second insulation layer; a source electrode is formed within each of the gate trenched and surrounded by the first insulation layer in the lower portion of each of the gate trenches; the second insulation layer is formed at least along upper sidewalls of the source electrode; a pair of split gate electrodes are disposed in the upper portion of each of the gate trenches, wherein each of the split gate electrodes is formed between the source electrode and adjacent trench sidewall of the gate trenches and surrounded with the second insulation layer; a plurality of mesas between two adjacent gate trenches; a plurality of first doped column regions of a second conductivity type formed in the mesas; a plurality of second doped column regions of the first conductivity type formed in the mesas and adjacent to sidewalls of the gate trenches, located in parallel and surrounding the first doped column regions; the split gate electrodes having bottoms interfaced with the first insulation layer and having sidewalls interfaced with the second insulation layer; the source electrode is disposed between the split gate electrodes and extending deeper than the split gate electrodes in each of the gate trenches, the source electrode having a lower portion which is underneath the split gate electrodes and interfaced with the first insulation layer, and having an upper portion adjacent to the split gate electrodes and interfaced with the second insulation layer; a plurality of body regions of the second conductivity type formed in the mesas and adjacent to the split gate electrodes, covering a top surface of the first doped column regions and the second doped column regions between two adjacent gate trenches; a plurality of source regions of the first conductivity type formed in the mesas in an active area and having a higher doping concentration than the epitaxial layer, the source regions located formed on top surface of the body regions and adjacent to the split gate electrodes in an active area; and a plurality of trenched source-body contacts each filled with a contact metal plug, penetrating through the source regions and extending into the body regions. 
         [0011]    Preferred embodiments include one or more of the following features: the gate trenches each having a trench bottom above the substrate, and underneath a bottom surface of each of the first doped column regions and the second doped column regions; the gate trenches each having a trench bottom further extending into the substrate, and the first doped column regions and the second doped column regions each having a bottom surface reaching the substrate; the source electrode in each of the gate trenches being connected to a source metal through a trenched source electrode contact filled with the contact metal plug; the gate trenches further extending to a gate contact trench which has a same filling-in structure as the gate trenches in the active area comprising the source electrodes and the split gate electrodes padded with the first and second insulation layers, wherein the split gate electrodes in the gate contact trench are connected to a gate metal through a trenched gate contact filled with the contact metal plug; the contact metal plug is a tungsten metal layer padded by a barrier metal layer of Ti/TiN or Co/TiN or Ta/TiN; the contact metal plug is Al alloys or Cu padded by a barrier metal layer of Ti/TiN or Co/TiN or Ta/TiN, wherein the contact metal plug is also extended onto a contact interlayer to respectively formed as a source metal or a gate metal; the present invention further comprising a plurality of body contact doped regions of the second conductivity type within the body regions and surrounding at least bottoms of the trenched source-body contacts underneath the source regions, wherein the body contact doped regions have a higher doping concentration than the body regions; the present invention further comprising a termination area which comprises a guard ring connected to the source regions and multiple floating guard rings having floating voltage, wherein the guard ring and the multiple floating guard rings have junction depths greater than the body regions; the present invention further comprising a termination area which comprises multiple floating trenched gates having floating voltage and being spaced apart by mesas comprising the body regions and the first and second doped column regions same as in the active area, wherein the floating trenched gates each having a filling-in electrode structure the same as in the gate trenches in the active area; the present invention further comprising a termination area which comprises multiple floating trenched gates having floating voltage and being spaced apart by mesas without comprising the body regions but having the first and second doped column regions, wherein the floating trenched gates each having a filling-in electrode structure the same as in the gate trenches; the source regions have a uniform doping concentration and junction depth between sidewalls of the trenched source-body contacts to adjacent channel regions near the gate trenches; the source regions have a higher doping concentration and a greater junction depth along sidewalls of the trenched source-body contacts than along adjacent channel regions near the gate trenches, and the source regions have a Gaussian-distribution doping profile from the sidewalls of the trenched source-body contacts to the adjacent channel regions; the first conductivity type is N type and the second conductivity type is P type; the first conductivity type is P type and the second conductivity type is N type. 
         [0012]    The invention also features a method for manufacturing a super-junction trench MOSFET comprising the steps of: (a) growing an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type upon a substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein the epitaxial layer has a lower doping concentration than the substrate; (b) forming a block layer onto a top surface of the epitaxial layer; (c) applying a trench mask on the block layer; (d) forming a plurality of gate trenches, and mesas between adjacent gate trenches in the epitaxial layer by etching through open regions in the block layer; (e) keeping the block layer substantially covering the mesas after formation of the trenches to block sequential angle ion implantation into top surfaces of the mesas; (f) carrying out an angle Ion Implantation of a second conductivity type dopant into the mesas through the open regions in the block layer to form a plurality of first doped column regions in the mesas and adjacent to sidewalls of the gate trenches; (g) carrying out an angle Ion Implantation of the first conductivity type dopant into the mesas through the open regions in the block layer to form a plurality of second doped column regions adjacent to the sidewalls of the gate trenches and in parallel with the first doped column regions; (h) diffusing both the first conductivity type dopant and the second conductivity type dopant into the mesas simultaneously to respectively form the first doped column regions between two adjacent gate trenches, and the second doped column regions adjacent to the sidewalls of the gate trenches an in parallel surrounding the first doped column regions; (i) forming a thick oxide layer along inner surfaces of the gate trenches by thermal oxide growth or oxide deposition; (j) depositing a first doped poly-silicon layer filling the gate trenches to serve as source electrodes; (k) etching back the source electrodes from the top surface of the epitaxial layer (l) etching back the thick oxide layer from an upper portion of the gate trenches; (m) forming a thin oxide layer covering a top surface of the thick oxide layer, along upper inner surfaces of the gate trenches and along upper sidewalls of the source electrodes above the top surface of the thick oxide layer; (n) depositing a second doped poly-silicon layer filling the upper portion of the gate trenches surrounded with the thin oxide layer to serve as split gate electrodes; (o) etching back the split gate electrodes by CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) or plasma etch; (p) carrying out a body implantation of the second conductivity type dopant and a step of body diffusion to form body regions; (q) applying a source mask onto the top surface of the epitaxial layer; and (r) carrying out a source implantation of the first conductivity type dopant and a source diffusion to form source regions. 
         [0013]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various drawing figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1A  is a cross-sectional view of a trench MOSFET of a prior art. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view of a trench MOSFET of another prior art. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1C  is a cross-sectional view of a super-junction trench MOSFET of another prior art. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2B  is another cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5A  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5C  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIGS. 7A-7H  are a serial of side cross-sectional views for showing the processing steps for fabricating the super-junction trench MOSFET as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    In the following Detailed Description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which forms a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the Figure(s) being described. Because components of embodiments can be positioned in a number of different orientations, the directional terminology is used for purpose of illustration and is in no way limiting. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be make without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. It is to be understood that the features of the various exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined with each other, unless specifically noted otherwise. 
         [0028]    Please refer to  FIG. 2A  for a preferred embodiment of this invention where an N-channel super-junction trench MOSFET  200  is formed in an N− epitaxial layer  201  onto an N+ substrate  202  coated with a back metal of Ti/Ni/Ag on a rear side as a drain metal  220 . A plurality of gate trenches  203  are formed starting from a top surface of the N− epitaxial layer  201  and extending downward into the N− epitaxial layer  201 , wherein trench bottoms of the gate trenches  203  are above a common interface between the N+ substrate  202  and the N− epitaxial layer  201 . Each of the gate trenches  203  is lined by a first insulation layer  204  along a lower inner surface and lined by a second insulation layer  205  along an upper inner surface, wherein the first insulation layer  204  has a greater thickness than the second insulation layer  205 . Split gate electrodes  206  (G, as illustrated) are formed along the upper inner surface of each of the gate trenches  203 , having sidewalls surrounded by the second insulation layer  205  and having a bottom interfaced with the first insulation layer  204 . A source electrode  207  (S, as illustrated) is formed between the split gate electrodes  206  within each of the gate trenches  203 , the source electrode  207  has a lower portion underneath the split gate electrodes  206  surrounded by the first insulation layer  204 , the source electrode  207  has an upper portion adjacent to the split gate electrodes  206  and surrounded by the second insulation layer  205 , wherein the split gate electrodes  206  each is formed in the middle between the source electrode  207  and the upper inner surface of each of the gate trenches  203 . Both the split gate electrode  206  and the source electrode  207  can be implemented by using doped poly-silicon layer. A plurality of mesas is located between two adjacent gate trenches  203 . A P type first doped column region  208  is formed in each of the mesas and a pair of N type second doped column regions  209  are formed adjacent to sidewalls of the gate trenches  203  and surround in parallel the P type second doped column region  208 . Onto a top surface of the N type second doped column regions  209  and the P type first doped column regions  208  in the mesas, p body regions  210  are formed covered by n+ source regions  211  in an active area and adjacent to the split gate electrodes  206 . A plurality of trenched source-body contacts  212  each filled with a contact metal plug  213  are penetrating through a contact interlayer  214 , the n+ source regions  211  in the active area and extending into the p body region  210 , wherein the contact metal plug  213  is Al alloys or Cu padded by a barrier metal layer of Ti/TiN or Co/TiN or Ta/TiN, the contact metal plug  213  is also extended onto the contact interlayer  214  to be formed as a source metal  215  which is connected to the n+ source regions  211  and the p body region  210 . The n+ source regions  211  have a uniform doping concentration and junction depth between sidewalls of the trenched source-body contacts  212  to adjacent channel regions near the gate trenches  203 . A p+ body contact doped region  216  is formed surrounding at least bottom of each of the trenched source-body contacts  212  to reduce the contact resistance between the p body regions  210  and the contact metal plug  213 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2B  shows a cross-sectional view of another trench MOSFET  200 ′ according to the present invention. The trench MOSFET  200 ′ has a similar structure as the trench MOSFET  200  in the active area, except that, the source electrode  207 ′ in each of the gate trenches  203 ′ is connected to the source metal  215 ′ through a trenched source electrode contact ( 222 - 1  or  222 - 2 ) filled with the contact metal plug ( 223 - 1  or  223 - 2 , which is the same as the contact metal plug  213  in  FIG. 2A ). Moreover, the gate trenches  203 ′ further extend to a gate contact trench  203 ″ which has a same filling-in electrode structure as in the gate trenches  203 ′. The split gate electrode  206 ′ within the gate contact trench  203 ″ are connected to a gate metal  219  via a trenched gate contact ( 220 - 1  or  220 - 2 ) filled with the contact metal plug ( 221 - 1  or  221 - 2 , which is the same as the contact metal plug  213 ) for gate connection. In this embodiment, the contact metal plugs  223 - 1  and  223 - 2  are extending over the contact interlayer  214 ′ to be formed as the source metal  215 ′, the contact metal plugs  221 - 1  and  221 - 2  are extending over the contact interlayer  214 ′ to be formed as the gate metal  219 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. N-channel trench MOSFET  300  in  FIG. 3  is similar to the trench MOSFET  200 ′ in  FIG. 2B  except that, in  FIG. 3 , the gate trenches  303  and the gate contact trench  303 ′ are starting from the top surface of the epitaxial layer and further extending into the N+ substrate  302 . Besides, bottoms of the N type second doped column regions  309  and the P type first doped column regions  308  are reaching the common interface between the epitaxial layer and the N+ substrate  302 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention. N-channel trench MOSFET  400  in  FIG. 4  is similar to the trench MOSFET  300  in  FIG. 3  except that, in  FIG. 4 , the contact metal plugs ( 423 - 1  and  423 - 2 ) filled in the trenched source electrode contacts ( 422 - 1  and  422 - 2 ), the contact metal plug  413  filled in the trenched source-body contact  412 , and the contact metal plugs ( 421 - 1  and  421 - 2 ) filled in the trenched gate contacts ( 420 - 1  and  420 - 2 ) are a tungsten metal layer padded by a barrier metal layer of Ti/TiN or Co/TiN or Ta/TiN. Moreover, the source metal  415  and the gate metal  419  extending over the contact interlayer  414  are padded by a resistance-reduction layer Ti or Ti/TiN (not shown) underneath to reduce the contact resistance between the source metal  415  and the contact metal plugs ( 413 ,  423 - 1  and  423 - 2 ), between the gate metal  419  and the contact metal plugs ( 421 - 1  and  421 - 2 ). 
         [0032]      FIG. 5A  shows a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention which has a similar structure in the active area with the trench MOSFET  300  in  FIG. 3 , N-channel trench MOSFET  500  in  FIG. 5A  further comprises multiple floating trenched gates  521  being spaced apart by a plurality of mesas without having body regions between them in a termination area  520 , wherein the multiple floating trenched gates  521  having a floating voltage have a same filling-in electrode structure as in the gate trenches  503  in the active area. 
         [0033]      FIG. 5B  shows a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention which has a similar structure in the active area with the trench MOSFET  300  in  FIG. 3 , N-channel trench MOSFET  500 ′ in  FIG. 5B  further comprises multiple floating trenched gates  531  being spaced apart by a plurality of mesas having the p body regions  510  in a termination area  530 , wherein the trenched floating gates  531  having a floating voltage have a same filling-in electrode structure as in the gate trenches  513  in the active area. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5C  shows a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention which has a similar structure in the active area as the trench MOSFET  300  in  FIG. 3 , N-channel trench MOSFET  500 ″ in  FIG. 5C  further comprises a guard ring  539  (GR, as illustrated in  FIG. 5C ) connected with the n+ source regions  511 , and multiple floating guard rings  549  having floating voltage in a termination area  540 , wherein the guard ring  539  and the multiple floating guard rings  549  have junction depths greater than the p body regions  550 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of another preferred embodiment according to the present invention which has a similar structure to the trench MOSFET  400  in  FIG. 4  except that, in N-channel trench MOSFET  600  of  FIG. 6 , the n+ source regions  611  have a higher doping concentration and a greater junction depth along sidewalls of the trenched source-body contacts  612  than along adjacent channel regions near the gate trenches  603 , and the n+ source regions  611  have a Gaussian-distribution doping profile from the sidewalls of the trenched source-body contacts  612  to the adjacent channel regions near the gate trenches  603 . 
         [0036]      FIGS. 7A˜7H  are a serial of exemplary steps that are performed to form the inventive super-junction trench MOSFET  417  in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 7A , an N epitaxial layer  401  is formed onto an N+ substrate  402 , wherein the N+ substrate  402  has a higher doping concentration than the N epitaxial layer  401 , and share a common interface with the N epitaxial layer  401 . Next, a block layer  430 , which can be implemented by using an oxide layer, is formed covering a top surface of the N epitaxial layer  401 . Then, after a trench mask (not shown) is applied onto the block layer  430 , a plurality of gate trenches  403  and at least a gate contact trench  403 ′ are etched through open regions  438  of the block layer  430  formed by dry etch, the N epitaxial layer  401 , the interface and further extending into the N+ substrate  402  by successively dry silicon etch. Meanwhile, a plurality of mesas are formed between two adjacent gate trenches  403  and the gate contact trench  403 ′. 
         [0037]    In  FIG. 7B , a sacrificial oxide (not shown) is first grown and then removed to eliminate the plasma damage introduced during opening the gate trenches  403  and the gate contact trench  403 ′. The block layer  430  is still substantially remained on the mesas after the sacrificial oxide removed to block sequential angle ion implantations into top surfaces of the mesas. After that, a screen oxide  440  is grown along inner surfaces of the gate trenches  403  and the gate contact trench  403 ′. Then, an angle Ion Implantation of Boron dopant through the open regions  438  is carried out to form a plurality of P type first doped column regions  408  with column shape in the mesas and adjacent to sidewalls of the gate trenches  403  and the gate contact trench  403 ′. 
         [0038]    In  FIG. 7C , another angle Ion Implantation of Arsenic or Phosphorus dopant is carried out to form a plurality of N type second doped column regions  409  with column shape adjacent to the sidewalls of the gate trenches and the gate contact trench, formed in parallel and surrounding the P type first doped column regions  408 . 
         [0039]    In  FIG. 7D , a diffusion step for both the P type first doped column regions  408  and the N type second doped column regions  409  is carried out, therefore, the P type first doped column regions  408  and N type second doped column  409  are formed simultaneously. The P type first doped column regions  408  are diffused to be in parallel surrounded with the N type second doped column regions  409 . In another preferred embodiment, an additional diffusion is carried out prior to carrying out the angle ion implantation of Arsenic and Phosphorus dopant. 
         [0040]    In  FIG. 7E , the block layer and the screen oxide are removed away. A thick oxide layer  404 ′ is formed lining the inner surfaces of the gate trenches and the gate contact trench by thermal oxide growth or thick oxide deposition. Then, a first doped poly-silicon layer is deposited onto the thick oxide layer  404 ′ to fill the gate trenches and the gate contact trench and is then etched back from the top surface of the N epitaxial layer  401  to serve as a source electrode  410 . Next, the thick oxide layer  404 ′ is etched away from an upper portion of the gate trenches and the gate contact trench. 
         [0041]    In  FIG. 7F , a thin oxide layer as a gate oxide  405  is grown or deposited along upper inner surfaces of the gate trenches  403  and the gate contact trench  403 ′, and along upper sidewalls of the source electrode  410  above the top surface of the thick oxide layer. Then, a second doped poly-silicon layer is deposited filling in between the source electrodes  410  and the adjacent sidewalls of the gate trenches and the gate contact trench, and then is etched back by CMP or plasma etch to serve as split gate electrodes  411 . Therefore, the split gate electrodes  411  have trench bottoms interfaced with the first insulation layer  404  and have sidewalls interfaced with the second insulation layer  405 . Then, a step of Ion Implantation with P type dopant is carried out to form p body regions  420  between two adjacent of the gate trenches and the gate contact trench, and covering the N type second doped column regions  409  and the P type first doped column regions  408 . Then, after applying a source mask (not shown), a step of Ion Implantation with N type dopant is carried out to form n+ source regions  414  near a top surface of the P body regions  420  in an active area. 
         [0042]    In  FIG. 7G , another insulation layer is deposited onto the whole top surface of the device structure to serve as a contact interlayer  418 . Then, after applying a contact mask (not shown) onto the contact interlayer  418 , a plurality of contact holes are formed by successively dry oxide etch and dry silicon etch. After penetrating through the contact interlayer  418 , the contact holes  415  are further penetrating through the n+ source region  414  and extending into the p body region  420  in the active area, the contact holes  415 ′ are extending into the source electrodes  410 , and the contact holes  415 ″ are extending into the split gate electrodes  408  in the gate contact trench. Next, a BF2 Ion Implantation is performed to form a plurality of p+ body contact doped regions  417  within the p body regions  713  and surrounding at least bottoms of the contact holes  415 . 
         [0043]    In  FIG. 7H , a barrier metal layer Ti/TiN or Co/TiN or Ta/TiN is deposited on sidewalls and bottoms of all the contact holes followed by a step of RTA process for silicide formation. Then, a tungsten material layer is deposited onto the barrier metal layer, wherein the tungsten material layer and the barrier metal layer are then etched back to form: contact metal plugs ( 423 - 1  and  423 - 2 ) for trenched source electrode contacts ( 422 - 1  and  422 - 2 ); contact metal plugs  413  for trenched source-body contacts  412 ; and contact metal plugs ( 421 - 1  and  421 - 2 ) for trenched gate contacts ( 420 - 1  and  420 - 2 ). Then, a metal layer of Al alloys or Cu padded by a resistance-reduction layer Ti or Ti/TiN underneath is deposited onto the contact inter-layer  418  and followed by a metal etching process by employing a metal mask (not shown) to form a source metal  415  and a gate metal  419 . 
         [0044]    Although the present invention has been described in terms of the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alternations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art reading the above disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alternations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7