High-voltage devices (>600 V) produced with a low-voltage (<150 V) smart-power IC-technology

In this work, we describe a new concept for the integration of high voltage devices (V/sub br/>600 V) within an existing industrial smart power process of only low blocking capabilities (V/sub br/<150 V). The task is twofold: first, for the supply of the high voltage in the vertical direction, the silicon-carrier wafer has to be replaced by an insulator. Two different methods are proposed and have been applied for the experimental verification of the device concept. Second, for the support of the high voltage in the lateral direction, the required low net doping of the drift region has been achieved by pure layout optimization using the method of alternating doping compensation regions (superjunction design). Possible high voltage device structures, which can be realized with the proposed concept, are given and discussed. For the experimental verification of our concept, we produced basic high voltage pn-diodes. With these we achieved breakdown voltages in excess of 1500 V based on wafer material, whereas conventional device concepts allows a maximum breakdown voltage of about 600 V.