US 12,471,348 B2
Semiconductor device
Hyeongnam Kim, Chandler, AZ (US); Mohamed Imam, Chandler, AZ (US); Eric G. Persson, Minnetonka, MN (US); and Alain Charles, Redondo Beach, CA (US)
Assigned to Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Villach (AT)
Filed by Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Villach (AT)
Filed on Aug. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/895,122.
Claims priority of application No. 21193311 (EP), filed on Aug. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0068822 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 29/417 (2006.01); H10D 62/85 (2025.01); H10D 64/00 (2025.01); H10D 64/23 (2025.01); H10D 64/27 (2025.01); H10D 89/60 (2025.01)
CPC H10D 64/258 (2025.01) [H10D 62/8503 (2025.01); H10D 64/112 (2025.01); H10D 64/513 (2025.01); H10D 89/611 (2025.01); H10D 89/921 (2025.01); H10D 89/931 (2025.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A Group III nitride transistor cell, comprising:
a Group III nitride-based body;
a source finger, a gate finger and a drain finger extending substantially parallel to one another and positioned on the Group III nitride-based body, the gate finger being arranged laterally between the source finger and the drain finger and comprising a p-type Group III nitride finger arranged on the Group III nitride body and a gate metal finger arranged on the p-type Group III nitride finger; and
a protection diode integrated into the Group III nitride transistor cell and operable to conduct current in a reverse direction when the Group III nitride transistor cell is switched off,
wherein the protection diode is electrically coupled between the source finger and the drain finger and is positioned on the Group III nitride body laterally between and spaced apart from the gate finger and the drain finger,
wherein the protection diode comprises a Group III nitride island that is positioned laterally between and spaced apart from the gate finger and the drain finger and a metal island that is arranged on the Group III nitride island,
wherein the metal island is electrically coupled to the source finger by a source metal layer that extends from the source finger over the gate finger to the metal island,
wherein the source metal layer is electrically insulated from the gate finger,
wherein the source metal layer and/or the metal island further comprises a first extension positioned at a distance from the Group III nitride island and the Group III nitride body-based body and extending towards the drain finger, the first extension forming a field plate.