A new trench electrode IGBT having superior electrical characteristics forpower IC systems

A new small-size Lateral Trench Electrode Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (LTEIGBT) is proposed to improve the characteristics of other devices. The entire electrode of the LTEIGBT is replaced with a trench-type electrode. The LTEIGBT is designed so that it has a width of 19 mum. While the latch-u p current densities of an LIGBT, LTIGBT and LTEIGBT are 120, 540 and 1230 A cm(-2), respectively, that of the proposed LTEIGBT is 10 and two times bet ter than that of the conventional LIGBT and LTIGBT, respectively. The enhan ced latch-up capability of the LTEIGBT is obtained due to the fact that the hole current in the device reaches the cathode directly via the p(+) catho de layer underneath the n(+) cathode layer. The forward blocking voltage of the LTEIGBT is 130 V, while those of the conventional LIGBT and TIGBT of t he same size are 60 and 100 V, respectively. Since the electrodes of the pr oposed device are of a trench type, the electric field accumulates in the t rench oxide of the device. Thus, the punch-through breakdown of LTEIGBT occ urs. While the conventional LIGBT and LTIGBT both have a turn-off time of 4 mus, that of the LTEIGBT is 0.2 mus. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.