Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    (1) Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a power semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof, and more particularly relates to a power semiconductor device with trench bottom heavily-doped polysilicon structures and a fabrication method thereof. 
         [0003]    (2) Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    In contrast with traditional planar power semiconductor device which features horizontal conductive current flowing along the surface layer of the base, the trenched power semiconductor device has the gate electrode embedded in a gate trench to change the direction of gate channel so as to generate a vertical conductive current flow. Therefore, size of the unit cell of the power semiconductor devices can be reduced to enhance cell integration. The power semiconductor devices commonly used in power industry include metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), and etc. 
         [0005]    Energy loss of power semiconductor devices can be sorted as conducting loss due to conductive resistance and switching loss resulted from gate charge. It is well known that switching loss can be improved by reducing input capacitance (Ciss) and reverse transfer capacitance (Crss) of the power semiconductor device. However, in order to reduce input capacitance (Ciss) and reverse transfer capacitance (Crss), the fabrication process usually becomes quite complicated and the fabrication cost is thus increased. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, it is an important issue in the art to figure out a simpler method, which may reduce input capacitance (Ciss) and reverse transfer capacitance (Crss) of the power semiconductor devices and can be applied to the present power semiconductor fabrication process easily. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is a main object of the present invention to reduce input capacitance and reverse transfer capacitance for improving switching loss under high frequency applications. 
         [0008]    A power semiconductor device is provided in the present invention. The power semiconductor device has a base, a trench, a heavily doped polysilicon structure, a conductive structure, a gate dielectric layer, and a body. The trench is formed in the base. The heavily doped polysilicon structure is located in a lower portion of the trench and has at least a side surface connecting the base. The conductive structure is located in an upper portion of the trench. The gate dielectric layer is interposed between the conductive structure and the heavily doped polysilicon structure. The body is located in the base. The dopants in the heavily doped polysilicon structure are driven through at least the side surface thereof to form a heavily doped region in the base. 
         [0009]    A fabrication method of a power semiconductor device is also provided in the present invention. The fabrication method comprises the steps of (a) providing a base; (b) forming a trench in the base; (c) forming a heavily doped polysilicon structure in a lower portion of the trench, and the heavily doped polysilicon structure having at least a side surface connecting the exposed base; (d) forming a gate dielectric layer covering at least an upper surface of the heavily doped polysilicon structure; (e) forming a conductive structure in an upper portion of the trench; and (f) applying a thermal drive-in step to diffuse dopants in the heavily doped polysilicon structure to form a heavily doped region encircling at least the side surface of the heavily doped polysilicon structure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention will now be specified with reference to its preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIGS. 1A to 1G  are schematic views showing a fabrication method of a trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a fabrication method of a trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic views showing a fabrication method of a trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 4A to 4C  are schematic views showing a fabrication method of a trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0015]      FIGS. 5A to 5C  are schematic views showing a fabrication method of a trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1A to 1G  are schematic views showing a fabrication method of a trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1A , firstly, an N-type substrate  100  is provided, and then an N-type epitaxial layer  110  is formed on the substrate  100  to form a base. Afterward, a trench  120  is formed in the epitaxial layer  110 . 
         [0017]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 1B , a heavily doped polysilicon layer is deposited over the whole exposed surfaces as shown by the dashed line. Then, the unwanted portion is removed by etching to leave the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  in the lower portion of the trench  120 . Basically, the epitaxial layer  110 , which is composed of single crystal material, has an etching speed lower than the polysilicon layer in the same etching environment. With doping concentration being properly adjusted, the etching speed of polysilicon material may reach 10 times the etching speed of epitaxial material. Thus, the polysilicon layer can be selectively etched even through the epitaxial layer  110  is exposed in the etching environment. 
         [0018]    Afterward, as shown in  FIG. 1C , a bottom dielectric layer  132  is formed on the upper surface of the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 1D , a sidewall dielectric layer  134  is formed on the exposed sidewall of the trench  120 . The above mentioned bottom dielectric layer  132  and the sidewall dielectric layer  134  compose the gate dielectric layer of the trenched power semiconductor structure. Thereafter, a conductive structure, such as a polysilicon gate  144 , is formed in an upper portion of the trench  120 . As shown, the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  and the polysilicon gate  144  are separated by the bottom dielectric layer  132 . 
         [0019]    The fabrication process of the gate dielectric layer in accordance with the present embodiment is divided into two steps. Firstly, the thicker bottom dielectric layer  132  is formed on the upper surface of the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142 . Then, the thinner dielectric layer  134  is formed on the sidewall of the trench  120 . The thicker bottom dielectric layer  132  has the effect of reducing capacitance between gate and drain (Cgd). 
         [0020]    Next, as shown in  FIG. 1E , an ion implantation step is carried out to implant P-type dopants into the epitaxial layer  110 , and then a thermal drive-in step is used to diffuse the implanted P-type dopants so as to form the P-type body  150  between two neighboring trenches  120 . The dopants in the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  are also driven in the present thermal drive-in step and a heavily doped region  160  surrounding the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  is resulted. In the present embodiment, the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  is of N-type conductivity, and the N-type heavily doped region  160  is formed surrounding the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142 . The N-type heavily doped region  160  is capable of preventing the bottom of the trench  120  from being shielded by the P-type body  150 . Next, as shown in  FIG. 1F , a photo-resist pattern  175  is formed on the P-type body  150  to define the location of source regions by using a source mask (not shown), and then a source ion implantation step is carried out to implant N-type dopants into the P-type body  150  so as to form N-type source regions  170  beside the trench  120 . Thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 1G , an interlayer dielectric layer  180 , such as a BPSG layer or a PSG layer, is formed on the polysilicon gate  144 . Afterward, a contact window  182  is defined in the interlayer dielectric layer  180  to expose the P-type body  150 . The bottom of the contact window  182  is then implanted with P-type dopants to form a P-type heavily doped region  185 . Finally, a source metal layer  190  is deposited on the interlayer dielectric layer  180  and fills the contact window  182  to electrically connect the source regions  170 . 
         [0021]    As mentioned above, the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  is able to adjust the bottom profile of the P-type body  150  to prevent the lower surface of the trench  120  from being shielded by the P-type body  150 . Therefore, a shallower gate trench  120  or a deeper body implantation step can be applied in the present invention. The usage of shallow trenches  120  is helpful for reducing input capacitance Ciss and the thick bottom dielectric layer  132  is helpful for reducing reverse transfer capacitance Crss. Thus, the present embodiment has the advantages of high switching speed and low switching loss. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a fabrication method of the trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the hard mask  125  is utilized for forming the trenches  120 , and the following polysilicon deposition and etching steps are carried out with the hard mask  125  remained on the epitaxial layer  110 . The hard mask  125  protects the epitaxial layer  110  therebelow from being etched in the polysilicon etching step. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic views showing a fabrication method of a trenched power semiconductor device in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. In contrast with the first embodiment of the present invention, which features a heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  with a lower surface thereof touching the epitaxial layer  110  as shown in  FIG. 1G , the present embodiment has a first dielectric layer  236  formed at the bottom of the trench  120  prior to the formation of the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  as shown in  FIG. 3A  such that the bottom of the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  is covered by the first dielectric layer  236 . The following fabrication steps of the present embodiment are similar to that of the first embodiment and thus are not repeated here. Although the heavily doped region  260  of the final structure of the present embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3B  merely surrounds the side surface of the heavily doped polysilicon structure  142  and leaves the bottom of the trench  120  unshielded, the effect of preventing the P-type body  150  from covering the bottom of the trench  120  can be still achieved. 
         [0024]    The above mentioned embodiments describe the technology provided in the present invention being applied to a typical trenched field effect transistor device. But the present invention is not so restricted. As shown in  FIGS. 4A to 4C , the fourth embodiment of the present invention describes the technology of the present invention being applied to a high voltage trenched power semiconductor device with the so-called super junction structure. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 4A , firstly, a deep trench  320  is formed in the N-type epitaxial layer  310 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 4B , a first dielectric layer  3411 , a first heavily doped polysilicon layer  3421 , a second dielectric layer  3412 , a second heavily doped polysilicon layer  3422 , and etc., are formed in the deep trench  320  in a serial so as to form a stacked structure with a plurality of dielectric layers  3411 , 3412 , . . .  3416  sandwiched between a plurality of heavily doped polysilicon layers  3421 , 3422 , . . .  3426 . The stacked structure with six heavily doped polysilicon layers is shown in the present embodiment as an example. The number of layers is not for restricting the scope of the present invention. 
         [0026]    Afterward, as shown in  FIG. 4B , a gate dielectric layer  330  is formed on the upper surface of the uppermost heavily doped polysilicon layer  3426 . The gate dielectric layer  330  also lines the exposed sidewall of the deep trench  320 . Thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 4C , a T-shaped polysilicon gate  344  is formed in the deep trench  320 . The T-shaped polysilicon gate  344  has a vertical portion filled into the upper portion of the deep trench  320  and a horizontal portion extended on the epitaxial layer  310 . 
         [0027]    Next, the T-shaped polysilicon gate  344  is utilized as a mask for implanting P-type dopants into the epitaxial layer  310 , and then a thermal drive-in step is carried out to diffuse the implanted P-type dopants so as to form the P-type body  350  between two neighboring polysilicon gates  344 . The present thermal drive-in step also drive the dopants in the heavily doped polysilicon layers  3421 , 3422 , . . .  3426  toward the neighboring epitaxial layer. Thus, a plurality of heavily doped sub-regions  3601 , 3602 , . . .  3606  is formed surrounding the respected heavily doped polysilicon layers  3421 , 3422 , . . .  3426 , and these heavily doped sub-regions  3601 , 3602 , . . .  3606  are connected with each other. The following fabrication steps for forming the source doped regions and the contact window are similar to that of the above mentioned embodiment and thus are not repeated here. 
         [0028]    In the present embodiment, the heavily doped polysilicon layers  3421 ,  3422 , . . .  3426  are doped with P-type impurities so as to form the P-type heavily doped sub-regions  3601 , 3602 , . . .  3606 . In addition, the P-type heavily doped sub-regions  3601 , 3602 , . . .  3606  are integrated to form a complete P-type heavily doped region  360  (or P well). However, the present invention is not so restricted. These P-type heavily doped region  360  may be composed of discrete heavily doped sub-regions  3601 , 3602 , . . .  3606  as long as the potential of the polysilicon gate  344  can be transferred along the P-type heavily doped sub-regions  3601 , 3602 , . . .  3606 . Thereby, as the power semiconductor device is operated, the depletion region is formed between the P-type heavily doped region  360  and the P-type body  350 , which are kept away with a predetermined distance, so as to enhance the withstanding voltage of the transistor. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 5A to 5C  are schematic views showing a fabrication method of a power semiconductor device in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention, and a high voltage power semiconductor device is described as an example. The fabrication step of  FIG. 5A  follows the step of  FIG. 4B  of the above mentioned embodiment. As shown, after the formation of the gate dielectric layer  330 , the polysilicon gate  445  is formed on the upper surface of the epitaxial layer  310 . The polysilicon gate  445  may be fabricated by using the typical polysilicon lithographic and etching technology. Thereafter, the polysilicon gate  445  is utilized as a mask for implanting P-type dopants into the epitaxial layer  310  so as to form the P-type body  450  surrounding the upper portion of the trench  320 . Then, another ion implantation step is carried out with the polysilicon gate  445  as an implantation mask for implanting N-type dopants into the epitaxial layer  310  to form N-type source doped regions  470  in the P-type body  450 . 
         [0030]    Thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 5B , an interlayer dielectric layer  480  is formed on the polysilicon gate  445  to define a contact window  482  over the P-type body  450 . As shown, the contact window  482  is substantially aligned to the trench  320  and has a width greater than that of the trench  320 . Afterward, a polysilicon structure  444  is filled into the upper portion of the trench  320 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 5C , the epitaxial layer  310  is etched through the contact window  482  to expose the P-type body  450  below the N-type source doped region  470 . Thereafter, an ion implantation step is carried out to implant P-type dopants through the contact window  482  so as to form a P-type heavily doped region  485  at the bottom of the contact window  482 . Finally, a source metal layer is deposited on the interlayer dielectric layer  480 . The source metal layer electrically connects the source doped region  470  and the polysilicon structure  444  through the contact windows  482 . 
         [0031]    In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the polysilicon gate  344  is located in the trench  320  and aligned to the heavily doped polysilicon structure composed of a plurality of heavily doped polysilicon layers  3421 ,  3422 , . . .  3426 . In contrast, the polysilicon gate  445  of the present embodiment is formed on the upper surface of the epitaxial layer  310 , and the heavily doped polysilicon structure is aligned to the P-type body  450 . The P well  460  encircling the heavily doped polysilicon structure is connected to the P-type body  450  such that the depletion region formed between the two neighboring P wells  460  can be utilized for enhancing withstanding voltage of the transistor. 
         [0032]    While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Category: 5