Patent Description:
An insulated gate bipolar field-effect transistor (insulated gate bipolar transistor, IGBT) is a composite full-control voltage-driven power semiconductor device that includes a bipolar junction transistor (bipolar junction transistor, BJT) and a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, MOSFET). The BJT has a low saturation voltage drop and a high current carrying capacity, but has a large drive current. The MOSFET has quite low drive power and a high switching speed, but has a high on-state voltage drop and a low current carrying capacity. The IGBT integrates advantages of the MOSFET and the BJT, and has advantages such as high input impedance, a high switching speed, good thermal stability, a simple drive circuit, a small drive current, a low saturation voltage drop, high voltage resistance, and a high current carrying capacity. Therefore, the IGBT is applicable to a converter system with a <NUM> V or higher direct current voltage, for example, fields such as an alternating current motor, a frequency converter, a switching power supply, a lighting circuit, and traction and transmission.

In comparison with a non-punch-through IGBT (namely, an NPT-IGBT), an N-type field stop layer (which is also referred to as an N-type buffer layer) is added to a back surface of an IGBT (namely, an FS-IGBT) having a field stop layer, and a doping density of the N-type field stop layer is slightly greater than a doping density of a substrate of the FS-IGBT. In this case, strength of an electric field may be quickly reduced, so that the overall electric field is trapezoidal, to stop the electric field and greatly reduce a required thickness of an N-type drift region. In addition, the N-type field stop layer may be further used to adjust transmit efficiency of an emitter, to improve a tailing current and a loss that exist when the IGBT is turned off.

In the conventional technology, a width of the field stop layer can be increased by forming the field stop layer through proton (H+) injection or the like. However, a corresponding IGBT generates a peak voltage with a high frequency, a very high amplitude, and a very narrow width in a circuit with a large parasitic inductance, and it is likely to cause the IGBT itself or other components in the circuit to be broken down and damaged due to overvoltage.

<CIT> discusses a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device.

<CIT> discusses a semiconductor device, such as a diode or an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), which operates at a high speed and has low loss and soft recovery characteristics, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

<CIT> disclose a semiconductor device, and a related module, circuit, and preparation method. <CIT> discloses an IGBT provided with a first hydrogen concentration peak and a second hydrogen concentration peak disposed within a drift layer. The IGBT is also provided with a buffer region comprising phosphorous.

Embodiments of this application provide a semiconductor device, a related chip, and a preparation method, so as to alleviate a situation in which a semiconductor device in which a field stop layer is formed through proton (H+) injection generates an excessively high peak voltage in a circuit with a large parasitic inductance.

The present invention is defined by the features disclosed in the appended claims. In the following, parts of the description and drawings referring to embodiments that are not covered by the claims are not presented as embodiments of the invention, but as examples useful for understanding the invention.

In the semiconductor device according to this disclosure, the field stop layer is formed by doping the first impurity particle and the second impurity particle. Because the first impurity particle has a small size, low injection energy is required, and a field stop layer with a larger thickness is easily formed. Because the second impurity particle has a large radius, a relatively shallow injection depth is required, and a high annealing temperature is not required. Therefore, damage to a MOSFET structure on a front surface of an N-type substrate due to high temperature annealing can be avoided. In addition, the injection density of the first impurity particle in the region adjacent to a surface of the N-type drift layer is the highest, so that the peak voltage that exists when the device is turned off can be effectively reduced and IGBT performance can be greatly improved.

It is noted that embodiments of <FIG> are not part of the invention, but are illustrative examples helpful for understanding the invention.

As a switching device, an IGBT is a composite full-control voltage-driven power semiconductor device that includes a BJT and a MOSFET. The IGBT can be used in fields such as energy conversion and transmission circuits, for example, frequency conversion, voltage transformation, phase change, rectification, inversion, and switching on a voltage/current. The BJT has a low saturation voltage drop and a high current carrying capacity, but has a relatively large drive current. The MOSFET has quite low drive power and a high switching speed, but has a high on-state voltage drop and a low current carrying capacity. The IGBT integrates advantages of the MOSFET and the BJT, and has advantages such as high input impedance, a high switching speed, good thermal stability, a simple drive circuit, a small drive current, a low saturation voltage drop, high voltage resistance, and a high current carrying capacity.

Therefore, the IGBT may be applied to a power conversion circuit, for example, an inverter circuit (inverter circuit), a rectifier circuit (rectifier), and a converter circuit, that implements functions such as frequency conversion, voltage transformation, phase change, rectification, inversion, and switching on a voltage/current. The following separately describes each circuit and an application scenario thereof.

The boost converter is a direct current-direct current converter that can step up a voltage, and an output (a load) voltage of the boost converter is greater than an input (a power supply) voltage. The boost converter mainly includes at least one diode, at least one transistor, and at least one energy storage element (an inductor). The IGBT device provided in this application may be used as a transistor.

The buck conversion circuit is also referred to as a buck converter, and is a direct current-direct current converter that can step down a voltage. An output (a load) voltage of the buck converter is less than an input (a power supply) voltage, but an output current of the buck converter is greater than an input current. The buck converter mainly includes at least one diode, at least one transistor, and at least one energy storage element (a capacitor and/or an inductor). Optionally, a capacitor-based filter may be further added to an output end and an input end to reduce voltage ripples. The IGBT device provided in this application may be used as a transistor.

The semiconductor device provided in this application may be used as a switching device and may be alternatively applied to another circuit, such as a direct current boost circuit and a direct current buck circuit, that requires a power semiconductor device. This is not specifically limited.

A structure of an IGBT is described in detail below. <FIG> is a schematic sectional view of an IGBT according to an example useful for understanding the present invention. As shown in <FIG>, the IGBT is a trench-type IGBT, and sequentially includes, from top to bottom, some or all of layer structures, such as an emitter <NUM>, a dielectric layer <NUM>, N+ type emitter layers <NUM>, a P+ type base region <NUM>, an oxide layer <NUM>, a gate <NUM>, a P-type base layer <NUM>, an N- type drift layer <NUM>, a field stop layer <NUM>, a P+ type collector layer <NUM>, and a collector <NUM>.

Before the layer structures of the IGBT are described, an N-type semiconductor and a P-type semiconductor are first described.

In this example useful for understanding the present invention, the P+ type base region <NUM>, the P-type base layer <NUM>, the P+ type collector layer <NUM>, and the like are all P-type semiconductors.

The N- type drift layer <NUM> and the field stop layer <NUM> both belong to the N-type substrate. The field stop layer <NUM> is formed by injecting an impurity particle on a back surface (a surface adjacent to a collector <NUM>) of the N-type substrate, and has a higher doping density than the N- type drift layer <NUM>. Therefore, the field stop layer <NUM> is also referred to as an N+ field stop layer.

The N- type drift layer <NUM>, which is a part of the N-type substrate, has a first surface and a second surface that are disposed opposite to each other. The P-type base layer <NUM> is disposed on the first surface of the N-type drift layer <NUM>. The first surface of the N- type drift layer <NUM> may be a first surface or a front surface of the N-type substrate, and the P-type base layer <NUM> may be an epitaxial layer of the N-type substrate. Alternatively, the front surface of the N-type substrate may be a surface that is of the P-type base layer <NUM> and that faces away from the N-type drift layer <NUM>. In this case, the P-type base layer <NUM> is formed by injecting impurities from the front surface of the N-type substrate. Herein, the surface that is of the N-type substrate and that is adjacent to the collector <NUM> is referred to as the second surface or the back surface of the N-type substrate. The first surface and the second surface of the N-type substrate are two surfaces that are disposed opposite to each other on the N-type substrate.

The N+ type emitter layers <NUM> are disposed on a surface that is of the P-type base layer <NUM> and that faces away from the N- type drift layer <NUM>, and may be formed by injecting impurities. The N+ type emitter layers <NUM> are spaced apart at the P-type base layer <NUM>. Optionally, at the P-type base layer <NUM>, a P+ type base region <NUM> may be further included between two N+ type emitter layers <NUM> of the IGBT. In this case, the P-type base layer <NUM> may also be referred to as a P- type base layer.

The oxide layer <NUM> covers the P-type base layer <NUM>, and the gate <NUM> is connected to the P-type base layer <NUM> through the oxide layer <NUM>. In this way, when a voltage VGS applied between the gate <NUM> and the emitter <NUM> is greater than a critical value VGES, a position that is at the P-type base layer <NUM> and that is adjacent to the oxide layer <NUM> may form a channel through which the N+ type emitter layers <NUM> and the N- type drift layer <NUM> are conducted.

The P+ type collector layer <NUM> is disposed on a surface that is of the field stop layer <NUM> and that faces away from the N- type drift layer <NUM>. The collector <NUM> is disposed on a surface that is of the P+ type collector layer <NUM> and that faces away from the field stop layer <NUM>.

In the foregoing IGBT, the N+ type emitter layers <NUM> on the front surface form a source region, an electrode attached thereto is the emitter <NUM>, and an electrode led out from the P+ type collector layer <NUM> that is on the back surface is the collector <NUM>. A control region of the IGBT device is the gate <NUM>, and the channel is formed close to a gate region boundary. The N+ type emitter layers <NUM> are on one side of the channel, and the N- type drift layer <NUM> is on the other side of the channel. When the IGBT works normally, a conductive channel is formed on the surface of the P-type base layer <NUM>. Electrons flow from the emitter layer to the collector layer through the N- type drift layer, while holes are continuously injected from the collector layer to the N- type drift layer. In this case, there is a load current on the IGBT from a perspective of outside expression, and the IGBT is in the on state. Due to a relatively large width of the N- type drift layer <NUM>, some of the holes have conductivity modulation with electrons herein, thereby reducing an on-state voltage drop of the device, and the remaining holes diffuse to a PN junction formed by the P-type base layer <NUM> and the N- type drift layer <NUM>, and are finally collected by the emitter layers <NUM>.

In the foregoing IGBT, the doping density of the field stop layer <NUM> is slightly higher than the doping density of the N-type substrate. Therefore, introduction of the field stop layer <NUM> can rapidly reduce electric field strength and enable the entire electric field to be gradient, thereby stopping the electric field and greatly reducing a required thickness of the N- type drift layer <NUM>. In addition, the field stop layer <NUM> can further adjust transmit efficiency of the P+ type base region <NUM>, to change a tailing current and a loss that exist during turn-off. Within a specific range, if the field stop layer is thicker, voltage stress existing in a process of turning off the IGBT can be alleviated, to improve voltage resistance of the device.

Conventional process methods for forming the field stop layer <NUM> mainly include the following several methods: One method is that the field stop layer is formed by directly using an epitaxial substrate. However, this method requires an epitaxial process, and the substrate is relatively costly. Another method is that the field stop layer is formed by injecting a phosphorus ion from the back surface of the N-type substrate and then performing annealing. In this solution, because the phosphorus ion is injected from the back surface of the N-type substrate, an injection depth of the phosphorus ion is affected by injection energy, and it is difficult to inject the phosphorus ion quite deeply. In addition, when the injection energy increases, fragments easily occur, and the process is rather difficult. Another method is that the field stop layer is formed through proton (H+) injection. Through the proton (H+) injection, a hole/hydrogen-related complex is formed and is presented as a donor in the field stop region, where a quantity of donors per unit of volume determines a doping density. A disadvantage of this technology lies in that when an IGBT product is under a high temperature, a corresponding leakage current of the IGBT product is very large. In a case of a large leakage current under a high temperature, a leakage loss of the device in a standby mode is directly affected, and even the device is burnt out. In addition, when thermal resistance of the device is consistent with an ambient temperature of the device, corresponding power consumption and a corresponding junction temperature of the device are higher. Furthermore, the IGBT product made by using the foregoing processes generates a quite large peak single voltage in a turn-off process. This may cause the IGBT product itself or other components in a circuit to be broken down and damaged due to overvoltage.

Although fast turn-on and turn-off of the IGBT help shorten switching time and reduce a switching loss, excessively fast turn-on and turn-off of the IGBT are harmful in a circuit with a large parasitic inductance. This is because if there is no parasitic inductor, when the IGBT is turned off from turn-on, there is a current loop formed by freewheeling of a freewheeling diode, and a voltage on the IGBT rises slowly until the voltage reaches a value that is a diode voltage drop value higher than a bus voltage. If there is a parasitic inductor, the load circuit is prevented from switching to the freewheeling diode, voltages that prevent an increase of a bus current are generated at both ends of the inductor, and the voltages are superimposed with a power voltage in a form of a peak voltage at both ends of the IGBT. This leads to a sharp rise in the peak voltage and an overshooting phenomenon. In this case, the IGBT withstands a higher impact, and it is likely to cause the IGBT itself or other components in the circuit to be broken down and damaged due to overvoltage. Therefore, the IGBT performance can be greatly improved by improving the production process of the IGBT and alleviating the peak voltage that exists when the device is turned off.

Based on the foregoing descriptions, an example of this application useful for understanding the present invention provides a new field stop region structure, as shown in <FIG> is a schematic sectional view of another IGBT according to an example useful for understanding the present invention. The IGBT is still a trench-type IGBT, and sequentially includes, from top to bottom, some or all of layer structures, such as an emitter <NUM>, a dielectric layer <NUM>, N+ type emitter layers <NUM>, a P+ type base layer <NUM>, an oxide layer <NUM>, a gate <NUM>, a P-type base layer <NUM>, an N- type drift layer <NUM>, a field stop layer <NUM>, a P+ type collector layer <NUM>, and a collector <NUM>. It may be understood that the foregoing layers have similar structures and functions as the layers in the example useful for understanding the present invention shown in <FIG>.

The field stop layer <NUM> is formed by doping two kinds of impurity particles, including a first impurity particle and a second impurity particle. The first impurity particle has a different radius from the second impurity particle. The first impurity particle with a smaller radius can be injected into a deeper region at the field stop layer <NUM> by using less injection energy, and the second impurity particle with a larger radius has a relatively shallow injection depth and provides a lower annealing temperature, to prevent an IGBT structure from being damaged during high temperature annealing. It may be understood that a density of free electrons at the field stop layer <NUM> is higher than a density of free electrons at the N- type drift layer <NUM>, and both the first impurity particle and the second impurity particle enter the field stop region <NUM> in a manner of being injected from a back surface of the N-type substrate.

The first impurity particle has a relatively small particle radius, the second impurity particle has a relatively large particle radius, and the first impurity particle has a small size. Therefore, less injection energy is required for a same injection depth, and a field stop layer with a large thickness can be implemented. The field stop region having the first impurity particle and the second impurity particle increases a thickness of an N-type electron layer, while electric leakage between a collector and an emitter of the IGBT may be reduced.

For example, the first impurity particle is a hydrogen ion (H+) or a helium ion (He+), and an impurity in a second doped region is a <NUM>-valence or higher-valence atom, such as a phosphorus atom and an arsenic atom. In an example useful for understanding the present invention, the hydrogen ion (H+) or the helium ion (He+) needs to be injected deep into an N-type substrate <NUM> because energy required for an injection depth thereof is far less than energy required for an injection depth of the phosphorus atom and the arsenic atom. The thickness of the field stop layer can be greatly increased by injecting a large quantity of hydrogen ions (H+) or helium ions (He+). It may be understood that if the field stop layer is thicker, a tailing current and a loss that exist when the IGBT is turned off are smaller and IGBT performance is higher.

When the first impurity particle is injected, it is necessary to ensure that an injection density of the first impurity particle in a region adjacent to a surface of the N- type drift layer <NUM> is higher than an injection density of the first impurity particle in any other region. In this way, an electric field change rate reaches a maximum in the region adjacent to the surface of the N- type drift layer <NUM>, and electric field strength may rapidly decrease in a short time, so that a peak voltage that exists when the device is turned off can be effectively reduced and the IGBT performance can be greatly improved. An injection depth refers to a distance between the impurity particle and the back surface of the N-type substrate.

The following describes a region adjacent to an N-type drift layer. As shown in <FIG>, the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer is marked in <FIG>, that is, a part of a region close to the surface of the N- type drift layer <NUM>. It may be understood that an injection manner of the first impurity particle is that the first impurity particle is injected into different depths in steps by using different injection energy, and the first impurity particle is injected from the back surface of the N-type substrate. Therefore, the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer corresponds to a largest injection depth. After being injected into the N-type substrate, the first impurity particle performs a diffusion movement, but always diffuses around the injection depth. Therefore, the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer is determined based on the largest injection depth. A specific region size may be determined based on the actual situation, but is not specifically determined.

It should be noted that, it is not absolute that the injection density of the first impurity particle in the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer is higher than the injection density of the first impurity particle in any other region. The diffusion movement of the particle is an irregular movement. In the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer, densities of the first impurity particle at different positions are not completely the same. Therefore, the injection density of the first impurity particle still corresponds to the largest injection depth. In other words, when the first impurity particle is injected, a position with the largest injection density is injected with the maximum dosage of the first impurity particle. After the particle performs the diffusion movement, under a condition of a same region size, an average density of the first impurity particle in the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer is higher than an average density of the first impurity particle in another region. In this way, a peak voltage that exists when the device is turned off can be effectively reduced.

In an optional implementation, in the field stop region, the injection density of the first impurity particle increases sequentially along a direction from the field stop layer to the N-type drift layer. A higher injection density of the impurity particle at the field stop layer indicates a higher change rate of the electric field. Therefore, if the impurity particle is injected in the foregoing gradient way, when the IGBT is turned off, the change rate of the electric field at the field stop layer first reaches the maximum and then gradually decreases, where the change rate of the electric field is the maximum in the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer, and the electric field decreases rapidly in a short time. In this way, the peak voltage that exists when the device is turned off can be effectively reduced, and the IGBT performance can be greatly improved.

For example, in the field stop layer <NUM>, the injection density of the first impurity particle increases sequentially with an increase of the injection depth. In other words, the injection density of the first impurity particle increases sequentially along the direction from the field stop layer <NUM> to the N- type drift layer <NUM>, and the injection density reaches the maximum in the region adjacent to the N- type drift layer <NUM>.

For example, in the field stop layer <NUM>, the injection density of the first impurity particle decreases and then increases with an increase of the injection depth, to ensure that the injection density reaches the maximum in the region adjacent to the N- type drift layer <NUM>. In other words, the injection density of the first impurity particle decreases and then increases along the direction from the field stop layer <NUM> to the N- type drift layer <NUM>, and the injection density of the first impurity particle reaches the maximum in the region adjacent to the field stop layer <NUM>.

For example, in the field stop layer <NUM>, the injection density of the first impurity particle is random and then increases with an increase of the injection depth, to ensure that the injection density reaches the maximum in the region adjacent to the N- type drift layer <NUM>. In other words, along the direction from the field stop layer <NUM> to the N- type drift layer <NUM>, the injection density of the first impurity particle is not limited, and the injection density may be randomly distributed, provided that the injection density of the first impurity particle reaches the maximum in the region adjacent to the N- type drift layer <NUM>.

In the foregoing three cases, when the IGBT is turned off, the electric field change rate of the electric field at the field stop layer <NUM> may reach the maximum in the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer, so that the electric field may rapidly decrease in a short time. In this way, the peak voltage that exists when the device is turned off can be effectively reduced, and the IGBT performance can be greatly improved.

The following briefly describes doping of the second impurity particle.

<FIG> is a schematic sectional view of another IGBT according to an example useful for understanding the present invention. The IGBT is still a trench-type IGBT, and sequentially includes, from top to bottom, some or all of layer structures, such as an emitter <NUM>, a dielectric layer <NUM>, N+ type emitter layers <NUM>, a P+ type base region <NUM>, an oxide layer <NUM>, a gate <NUM>, a P-type base layer <NUM>, an N- type drift layer <NUM>, a field stop layer <NUM>, a P+ type collector layer <NUM>, and a collector <NUM>. It may be understood that the foregoing layers have similar structures and functions as the layers in the example shown in <FIG>. The field stop layer <NUM> is formed by doping two kinds of impurity particles, and injection depths of the two kinds of impurity particles are different. Therefore, the field stop layer <NUM> includes a first doped region <NUM> and a second doped region <NUM> that are sequentially laminated on a second surface of the N- type drift layer <NUM>.

A radius of an impurity particle (a first impurity particle) in the first doped region <NUM> is smaller than a radius of an impurity particle (a second impurity particle) in the second doped region <NUM>, and both a doping density in the first doped region <NUM> and a doping density in the second doped region <NUM> are higher than a doping density at the N- type drift layer <NUM>. The first doped region <NUM> is formed in a manner of injecting the first impurity particle from a back surface of the N-type substrate, and an impurity in the second doped region <NUM> is formed in a manner of injecting the second impurity particle from the back surface of the N-type substrate.

The first impurity particle has a relatively small radius, and a relatively large injection depth may be achieved by using relatively few injection energy. Therefore, a thickness of the first doped region <NUM> is greater than a thickness of the second doped region <NUM>. For example, the first doped region <NUM> has a thickness of <NUM>-<NUM> micrometers, and the second doped region <NUM> has a thickness of <NUM>-<NUM> micrometers. A larger thickness of the first doped region <NUM> indicates a larger thickness of the field stop layer. This may reduce a tailing current and a loss that exist when the IGBT is turned off.

As shown in <FIG>, a thickness refers to a length of the field stop layer <NUM>, that is, a distance between two surfaces of the field stop layer <NUM>, in a direction from the field stop layer <NUM> to the N- type drift layer <NUM>. In an actual IGBT transistor, both the first doped region <NUM> and the second doped region <NUM> may have uneven thicknesses due to irregular diffusion of particles. Therefore, it is not absolute that the thickness of the first doped region <NUM> is greater than the thickness of the second doped region <NUM>, and it is allowed that a thickness in a part of the first doped region <NUM> is smaller than a thickness in a part of the second doped region <NUM>, provided that an average thickness of the first doped region <NUM> is greater than an average thickness of the second doped region <NUM>.

For the injection density of the first impurity particle in the first doped region <NUM>, refer to the injection density of the first impurity particle in the example useful for understanding the present invention shown in <FIG>, provided that the injection density of the first impurity particle is the maximum in the region close to the surface of the N- type drift layer <NUM>. In the second doped region <NUM>, the injection density of the second impurity particle decreases or substantially decreases along a direction away from the P+ type collector layer <NUM>. In other words, in the direction from the field stop layer <NUM> to the N- type drift layer <NUM>, the injection density of the second impurity particle decreases or substantially decreases with an increase of the injection depth.

It should be understood that if a doping density of the impurity particle is larger, there are more free electrons at the field stop layer <NUM>, and there is much more recombination of the electrons with holes at the collector <NUM> in a unit time when the IGBT is turned off. In this case, the current changes faster, resulting in greater voltage stress. Large voltage stress may cause poor voltage resistance of the device. When gradient doping is used, doping densities successively decrease in a direction from the P+ type collector layer <NUM> to the field stop layer <NUM>, so that the current can first change quickly and then change slowly. This reduces, without affecting a turn-off speed, the voltage stress existing when the IGBT is turned off, to improve the voltage resistance of the device.

In the foregoing IGBT, a problem of a large leakage current of the semiconductor device can be effectively improved by injecting a plurality of kinds of impurity particles to form a field stop layer. In addition, it is specified that the injection density of the first impurity particle at the field stop layer should reach the maximum at an intersection between the field stop layer and the N- type drift layer. In this way, a situation in which the semiconductor device generates an excessively high peak voltage in a circuit with a large parasitic inductance can be alleviated, and working performance of the semiconductor device can be greatly improved.

The following describes in detail a method for preparing an IGBT. <FIG> is a schematic flowchart of an IGBT preparation method according to an example useful for understanding the present invention. The method is used to prepare the IGBT shown in <FIG>. The method may include but is not limited to the following steps.

Provide an N-type substrate, where the N-type substrate includes a first surface and a second surface that are disposed opposite to each other.

The N-type substrate is a semiconductor with electron conduction. Specifically, an N-type semiconductor may be obtained by doping a donor impurity into an intrinsic semiconductor. For example, an extra free electron exists after a small amount of <NUM>-valence element (phosphorus, arsenic, or the like) is doped into pure silicon and the phosphorus is covalently combined with a surrounding <NUM>-valence silicon atom. For a specific structure, refer to <FIG>.

Form an N-channel MOSFET structure on the first surface of the N-type substrate.

As shown in <FIG>, when the N-channel MOSFET structure is formed on the first surface of the N-type substrate, a P-type base layer <NUM> needs to be established on the first surface, an N region, to be specific, N+ type emitter layers <NUM>, is formed at the P-type base layer <NUM>, an oxide layer <NUM> is determined by using a thermal oxidation process, and finally, a gate <NUM>, an emitter <NUM>, and the like are separately led out. In <FIG>, a dielectric layer <NUM> and the emitter layers <NUM> are not mandatory layer structures of the N-channel MOSFET structure. In some examples useful for understanding the present invention, the semiconductor device may not include the dielectric layer <NUM> or the emitter layers <NUM>.

In this example useful for understanding the present invention, the prepared semiconductor device is a trench-type IGBT. <FIG> is a schematic flowchart of forming an N-channel MOSFET structure on a first surface of an N-type substrate according to an example useful for understanding the present invention. The flowchart includes the following steps.

Form a P-type base layer <NUM> on the first surface of the N-type substrate.

There may be a plurality of preparation manners of the P-type base layer <NUM>. For example, the P-type base layer <NUM> may be formed in an epitaxial growth manner on the first surface of the N-type substrate, or a P-well is formed by injecting impurities on the first surface of the N-type substrate, where the P-well is the P-type base layer <NUM>. A specific form is not limited.

Inject impurities from a part of a surface that is of the P-type base layer <NUM> and that faces away from the N-type substrate, to form the spaced N+ type emitter layers <NUM>. The N+ type emitter layers <NUM> constitute a source region of the IGBT.

Form a groove that penetrates through the P-type base layer <NUM>.

Form an oxide layer <NUM> on an inner wall of the groove, and fill a conductive material in the groove including the oxide layer <NUM> to form a gate <NUM>. In this case, the gate <NUM> is connected to the P-type base layer <NUM> through the oxide layer <NUM>. In this way, when a voltage VGS applied between the gate <NUM> and the N+ type emitter layers <NUM> is greater than a critical value VGES, a position that is at the P-type base layer <NUM> and that is adjacent to the oxide layer <NUM> may form a channel through which the N+ type emitter layers <NUM> and the N-type drift layer are conducted.

Form a dielectric layer <NUM> and an emitter <NUM> on a surface of the gate <NUM>, where the dielectric layer <NUM> is used to isolate the gate <NUM> and the emitter <NUM>, and the emitter <NUM> is connected to the N+ type emitter layers <NUM>.

Optionally, a P+ type base layer <NUM> may be further formed on the surface that is of the P-type base layer <NUM> and that faces away from the N-type substrate, and the P+ type base layer <NUM> may be located between two adjacent N+ type emitter layers <NUM>.

It should be noted that the foregoing layer structures may be prepared by using a photolithography technology and a thin film preparation technology. This is not limited herein.

It should be further noted that the semiconductor device is not limited to the foregoing content shown in <FIG>, but may further include another structure and another preparation method. This is not limited in this example useful for understanding the present invention.

Inject a first impurity particle from the second surface of the N-type substrate by using first injection energy.

Inject a second impurity particle from the second surface of the N-type substrate by using second injection energy.

A purpose of step <NUM> and step <NUM> is to establish the field stop layer of the IGBT. To be specific, the field stop layer <NUM> with a plurality of doped regions is formed by injecting a plurality of kinds of impurity particles, to effectively alleviate a problem of a large leakage current of the semiconductor device. In addition, a doping density of the first impurity particle needs to be specified, to alleviate the situation in which the semiconductor device generates an excessively high peak voltage in a circuit with a large parasitic inductance, and to improve IGBT performance.

As shown in <FIG>, injection of two kinds of impurity particles may form the first doped region <NUM> and the second doped region <NUM> at the field stop layer <NUM>, and the N-type substrate between the P-type base layer <NUM> and the field stop layer <NUM> may be referred to as the N- type drift layer <NUM>. Compared with the N+ emitter layer <NUM>, the N- type drift layer <NUM> has a lower doping density of the impurity particle.

A particle radius of the first impurity particle is smaller than a particle radius of the second impurity particle, and an injection depth of the first impurity particle is greater than an injection depth of the second impurity particle. A depth of the formed first doped region is greater than a depth of the second doped region, where the depth is a distance of the impurity particle relative to the second surface from the field stop layer <NUM> to the N- type drift layer <NUM>.

The first impurity particle is a hydrogen ion (H+) or a helium ion (He+), and the second impurity particle is a phosphorus atom, an arsenic atom, both of the two, or the like. After the hydrogen ion (H+) is injected into a semiconductor material, a hole/hydrogen-related complex is formed after an annealing step, and the hydrogen-related complex exists as a donor.

The first injection energy and the second injection energy enable the injection depth of the first impurity particle to be greater than the injection depth of the second impurity particle. The first injection energy and/or the second injection energy may be an energy value, or may be an energy range. Optionally, the first injection energy is between <NUM> KeV and <NUM> MeV, and the second injection energy is between <NUM> KeV and <NUM> MeV.

The following describes in detail an injection process of the first impurity particle and the second impurity particle. It may be understood that the first impurity particle or the second impurity particle may form the doped region in a single-step injection manner, or may form the doped region in a multi-step injection manner. This is not limited herein. In addition, there may be no execution sequence between step <NUM> and step <NUM>, and step <NUM> and step <NUM> may be alternatively performed simultaneously.

A phosphorus atom (a second impurity particle) and a hydrogen ion (a first impurity particle) are used as examples. When the non claimed single-step injection manner is used for both the phosphorus atom and the hydrogen ion, a doping density of the phosphorus atom needs to decrease with a depth, and a doping density of the hydrogen ion increases with a depth, to ensure that the density of the hydrogen ion in a region adjacent to the N- type drift layer <NUM> is the maximum.

According to the invention, the multi-step injection manner is used for both the phosphorus atom and the hydrogen ion, and the phosphorus atom and the hydrogen ion each correspond to a plurality of injection depths, where the injection density of the phosphorus atom needs to decrease with the depth; to be specific, when the phosphorus atom is injected, an injection dosage is large at a position with a smaller depth, and an injection dosage is small at a position with a larger depth. However, for the injection density of the hydrogen ion, it only needs to ensure that the injection density of the first impurity particle in the region adjacent to the N-type drift layer is higher than the injection density of the first impurity particle in any other region.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram showing distribution of a doping density of an impurity particle at a field stop layer with a depth according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in <FIG>, the multi-step injection manner is used for both a phosphorus atom and a hydrogen ion, where the hydrogen ion is injected in four steps, and the phosphorus atom is injected in two steps. A depth corresponding to each peak in a curve is an injection depth. It can be seen from the figure that injection depths of the phosphorus atom and the hydrogen ion are different, and an injection density at each injection depth also varies. At each injection depth, there is an injection peak for the injection density of the phosphorus atom. The density corresponding to the injection peak decreases with an increase of the depth. An injection density of the hydrogen ion also varies with a change of the depth. Specifically, depths corresponding to four peaks are four injection depths, and the four peaks increase with an increase of the injection depths. At a fourth injection depth, the injection density of the hydrogen ion reaches the maximum.

In the hydrogen ion injection process shown in <FIG>, it only needs to ensure that the injection density corresponding to the peak close to the N- type drift region is the maximum, and the injection densities corresponding to the remaining peaks are less than the maximum peak. Densities corresponding to the four peaks are respectively marked as ①, ②, ③, and ④, provided that the peak value of ④ is the maximum. For example, the densities corresponding to the four peaks may be ①>②>③, ①=②>③, ①=③>②, ①=②=③, ①<②<③, ②>①>③, ③>①>②, and the like, which are not limited herein, provided that ①, ②, and ③ are all smaller than ④.

Based on the foregoing description, <FIG> is a schematic diagram showing another distribution of a doping density of an impurity particle at a field stop layer with a depth according to an embodiment of this application. In <FIG>, the multi-step injection manner is still used for both a phosphorus atom and a hydrogen ion, where the phosphorus atom is injected in two steps, and the hydrogen ion is injected in four steps. However, an injection density of the hydrogen ion decreases and then increases with an increase of the depth. At a fourth injection depth, the injection density of the hydrogen ion reaches the maximum. In this way, the electric field strength can also be rapidly reduced, and the peak voltage that exists when the IGBT transistor is turned off can be reduced.

Similarly, <FIG> is a schematic diagram showing another distribution of a doping density of an impurity particle at a field stop layer with a depth according to an embodiment of this application. In <FIG>, the multi-step injection manner is still used for both a phosphorus atom and a hydrogen ion, where the phosphorus atom is injected in two steps, and the hydrogen ion is injected in four steps. However, with an increase of the injection depth, an injection density of the hydrogen ion is random at the beginning and the injection density reaches the maximum during injection at the fourth step. In this way, the electric field strength can also be rapidly reduced, and the peak voltage that exists when the IGBT transistor is turned off can be reduced.

Optionally, the injection depth d1 of the first impurity particle is <NUM> micrometers to <NUM> micrometers, and the injection depth d2 of the second impurity particle is <NUM> micrometers to <NUM> micrometers. It should be understood that for a specific impurity particle, larger injection energy indicates a larger injection depth into the N-type substrate, and longer injection duration or a larger injection dosage indicates a larger doping density of the impurity. In this case, the injection depth of the impurity may be controlled by controlling the injection energy, and the doping density may be controlled by controlling the injection duration or the injection dosage.

Optionally, an injection dosage of the first impurity particle ranges from 5E11 to 1E16, and an injection dosage of the second impurity particle ranges from 5E11 to 1E16. A dosage is a total quantity of impurity particles that are injected per unit of area, and is an integral of the doping density of the impurity particle with respect to a depth.

It should be further understood that different impurity particles have different injection depths in case of same injection energy. A larger particle radius of the impurity particle indicates a smaller injection depth. On the contrary, a smaller particle radius of the impurity particle indicates a larger injection depth. Therefore, if the impurity particle has a smaller particle radius, it is easier to inject the impurity particle into a depth of the N-type substrate. In other words, when particles need to be injected into a same depth, more energy is required for injecting the helium ion (He+) than the hydrogen ion (H+).

It should be understood that in case of a same width of a field stop layer, compared with a manner of forming a field stop layer by injecting P, in a manner of forming a field stop layer by injecting the hydrogen ion (H+) or the helium ion (He+), a large injection depth may be obtained without large injection energy, and a field stop layer with a large width is more easily obtained.

Optionally, the first injection energy and the injection duration (or the injection dosage) of the first impurity particle may be controlled, so that more first injection energy leads to a lower doping density of the first impurity particle. According to this method, the doping density of the first impurity particle substantially increases in a direction away from the second surface, to implement gradient doping or roughly gradient doping of the first impurity particle. The gradient doping can reduce voltage stress that exists when the IGBT transistor is turned off and improve voltage resistance. In addition, stress caused by the doping on the N-type substrate can be reduced, and performance and yield of the IGBT can be improved.

Optionally, the second injection energy and the injection duration (or the injection dosage) of the second impurity particle may be controlled, so that more second injection energy leads to a lower doping density of the second impurity particle. According to this method, the doping density of the second impurity particle substantially decreases in the direction away from the second surface, to implement gradient doping or roughly gradient doping of the second impurity particle. In this way, stress caused by the doping on the N-type substrate is reduced, and the performance and the yield of the IGBT are improved.

Compared with a manner of forming the second doped region through epitaxial growth, in the foregoing manner of injecting the second impurity particle, preparation costs can be reduced, and preparation efficiency can be improved. In addition, because the first impurity particle and the second impurity particle are separately injected, the injection depth of the second impurity particle is reduced, and a wafer scrap risk can be reduced.

Form a P+ type collector layer <NUM> on the second surface.

As shown in <FIG>, the P+ type collector layer <NUM> may be formed through epitaxial growth on the second surface, or the P+ type collector layer <NUM> may be formed by injecting impurities from the second surface.

Form a collector <NUM> on a surface of the P+ type collector layer <NUM>.

In some embodiments, annealing processing may be performed after step <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>. It should be understood that annealing processing may be annealing the N-type substrate into which the first impurity particle and the second impurity particle are injected.

In this embodiment of this application, annealing processing may be used to restore a lattice structure and reduce a disadvantage, and may also change an interstitial impurity atom to a substitute impurity atom. Therefore, annealing processing is a necessary process.

Optionally, the maximum temperature for annealing is <NUM> to <NUM>. A reason is as follows: After H+ is injected into silicon (Si), H+ can be immediately combined with an impurity, a disadvantage, and a dangling bond in Si to form a plurality of hydrogen-related complexes (H-related complex). The hole and the hydrogen-related complex form the donor in the field stop region. A doping density depends on a quantity of donors per unit of volume. The distribution of the hole and the hydrogen-related complex is almost unchanged when annealing is performed at approximately <NUM>.

It may be understood that, when the P atom is deeply injected into the field stop layer, a high annealing temperature is usually required. However, for an IGBT whose field stop layer is formed by injecting P, the high annealing temperature destroys the MOSFET structure on the front surface of the N-type substrate. According to the IGBT whose field stop layer is formed by injecting both H and P and that is provided in this embodiment of this application, an injection depth of P is shallow, and a very high annealing temperature is not required. Therefore, the MOSFET structure on the front surface of the N-type substrate can be prevented from being damaged. In addition, a decrease of a large quantity of beneficial disadvantages introduced by injecting H+ can be avoided, and the collector-emitter leakage current of the IGBT can be reduced.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of an electric field of an IGBT according to an embodiment of this application. It can be seen from <FIG> that a slope of an electric field curve corresponding to a field stop region gradually decreases, so that voltage intensity rapidly decreases at the field stop region. In this way, an excessively high peak voltage is not generated. This avoids the excessively high peak voltage and prevents the IGBT itself or other components in a circuit from being broken down and damaged due to overvoltage.

<FIG> is a voltage change diagram corresponding to an IGBT according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in the figure, curve <NUM> is a voltage curve that appears when another IGBT transistor is turned off, and curve <NUM> is a voltage curve that appears when the IGBT transistor in this embodiment of this application is turned off, where voltage values corresponding to peaks on curves <NUM> and <NUM> are peak voltage values. It can be seen from <FIG> that a peak voltage that is generated when the IGBT transistor in this embodiment of this application is turned off obviously decreases, and performance of the IGBT transistor is effectively improved.

Finally, in an application process, the IGBT device may be packaged into a power module, such as an IGBT discrete device, an IGBT module, and an intelligent power module (intelligent power module, IPM). The IGBT discrete device may be a single-tube IGBT, or may be a device including a single-tube IGBT and an anti-parallel diode. The IGBT module is obtained by assembling a plurality of IGBT chips and diode chips into a DBC substrate through insulation and then performing encapsulation. The IPM is a "composite" device that integrates a power device such as an IGBT with a peripheral circuit such as a drive circuit, an overvoltage and overcurrent protection circuit, and a temperature monitoring and overtemperature protection circuit.

Claim 1:
A semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor device comprises:
an N-type drift layer (<NUM>);
an N-type field stop layer (<NUM>), adjacent to the N-type drift layer (<NUM>), wherein a density of free electrons at the N-type field stop layer (<NUM>) is higher than a density of free electrons at the N-type drift layer (<NUM>);
a P-type collector layer (<NUM>), disposed on a surface that is of the field stop layer (<NUM>) and that faces away from the N-type drift layer (<NUM>);
a P-type base layer (<NUM>), disposed on a surface that is of the N-type drift layer (<NUM>) and that faces away from the field stop layer (<NUM>);
an N-type emitter layer (<NUM>), disposed on a surface that is of the P-type base layer (<NUM>) and that faces away from the N-type drift layer (<NUM>);
a gate (<NUM>), connected to the P-type base layer (<NUM>) through an oxide layer (<NUM>);
the N-type field stop layer (<NUM>) comprises first impurity particles and second impurity particles, and a radius of the second impurity particles is greater than a radius of the first impurity particles; and
the N-type field stop layer (<NUM>) comprises multiple doping density peaks of the first impurity particles and multiple doping density peaks of the second impurity particles, wherein the multiple doping density peaks of the second impurity particles are located along a depth direction defined from the field stop layer (<NUM>) to the N-type drift layer (<NUM>) and the multiple doping density peaks of the second impurity particles are extending away from the P-type collector layer (<NUM>), each doping density peak of the second impurity particles having a height that decreases along the depth direction, and the multiple doping density peaks of the first impurity particles are located along the depth direction and extending away from the multiple doping density peaks of the second impurity particles; and wherein one doping density peak of the first impurity particles that is adjacent to the N-type drift layer (<NUM>) along the depth direction is higher than any other doping density peak of the first impurity particles;
wherein the first impurity particles are hydrogen ions or helium ions, and the second impurity particles are phosphorus atoms or arsenic atoms.