{"title":"4H-SiC semi-superjunction IGBT with split-gate and back-side trench heterojunction for low loss and low EMI noise","authors":"Dong Wu , Xiang Guo , Zhao Ding , Wenhan Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106671","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106671","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, a 4H-SiC semi-superjunction insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) featuring a split-gate and back-side trench heterojunction (SGTH-IGBT) is proposed to minimize turn-off loss (<em>E</em><sub>off</sub>) and suppress electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise. The SGTH-IGBT features a self-adaptive hole path (SHP) between the split-gate, enabling controlled hole storage during the on-state and rapid release during the turn-off transient. Additionally, the trench heterojunction establishes an electron extraction path to accelerate carrier removal. Compared to TFS-IGBT, the <em>E</em><sub>off</sub> of the SGTH-IGBT is reduced by 62.5 % under the same on-state voltage (<em>V</em><sub>on</sub>), while achieving a 29.7 % lower <em>V</em><sub>on</sub> than the GS-IGBT at the same <em>E</em><sub>off</sub>. Furthermore, the SGTH-IGBT reduces the Miller charge (<em>Q</em><sub>gc</sub>) by 58.2 % compared to the TFS-IGBT. At the turn-on process, SGTH-IGBT can extract a portion of the holes accumulated at the trench gate bottom. This extraction reduces the reverse displacement current (<em>I</em><sub>G_dis</sub>), thereby reducing EMI noise. In comparison to GS-IGBT and TFS-IGBT, the SGTH-IGBT demonstrates significantly better control of <em>dV/dt</em> through <em>R</em><sub>g</sub>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106671"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143759026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stress analysis and optimization of QFN solder joints under bending-torsion coupled conditions based on the SSA","authors":"Jisheng Wei, Chunyue Huang, Chao Gao, Gui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106661","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106661","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A 3D finite element model of QFN (Quad Flat No-Lead Package) solder joints was established for stress–strain analysis under bending-torsion coupled loading. The accuracy of the finite element simulation was validated through bending-torsion coupled strain measurement experiments. The effects of pad length, pad width, solder joint standoff height, and PCB (Printed Circuit Board) thickness on bending-torsion coupled stress–strain behavior were analyzed using univariate and correlation analysis. To minimize stress, these parameters were optimized using the response surface-Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA). Results show a weakly positive correlation for pad length, strong negative correlations for pad width and standoff height, and a strong positive correlation for PCB thickness. The optimal parameters – pad length 0.66 mm, pad width 0.25 mm, solder joint standoff height 0.09 mm, and PCB thickness 1.2 mm – reduced maximum stress by 10.8 MPa. The research findings provide theoretical guidance for reducing the bending-torsion coupled stress of QFN solder joints.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106661"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143746551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A 59-dB SFDR CFOA with adaptive transimpedance and driver-transistor-negative feedback for line driver in B-PLC applications","authors":"Mingdong Li , Zhao Dong , Shalin Huang , Fang Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a highly linear current-feedback operational amplifier (CFOA), featuring wide bandwidth and large amplitude for line driver in broadband power line communication (B-PLC) systems. The proposed CFOA employs an adaptive transimpedance (ATI) architecture to enhance linearity across the entire amplitude range, and a driver-transistor-negative feedback (DTNF) technique to minimize crossover distortion introduced by the output stage. The prototype of the line driver chip is fabricated in a silicon-on-insulator complementary bipolar junction transistor (SOI-CBJT) process. The measured circuit bandwidth is 120 MHz, with a DC power consumption of 276 mW under a typical supply voltage of 12 V. Measurement results show that the spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) is 59 dB for a 16-<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> output at 1-MHz input, and 48 dB for an 8-V<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> output at 12-MHz input, driving a 100-<span><math><mi>Ω</mi></math></span> load. Over the typical amplitude and frequency range of B-PLC applications, the attenuation rates are 2.43 dB/<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> and 2.45 dB/MHz, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106657"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143759033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A single-inductor multiple-output buck/boost DC–DC converter with both suppressed self-regulation and cross-regulation via an energy storage channel","authors":"Hui Tong, Meigui Wang, Zhijian Chen, Yanqi Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A single-inductor multiple-output buck/boost DC–DC converter that utilizes an energy storage channel to effectively improve the performance in both self-regulation (SR) and cross-regulation (CR) is presented in this article. With the extra channel, the energy storage and distribution method (ESDM) suppresses CR by extending charge control and SR through parallel power delivery. Additionally, the converter facilitates a seamless transition between continuous conduction mode (CCM) and low power mode (LPM) based on load conditions, thereby enhancing load capacity and overall efficiency. The converter is implemented in a standard 0.18-<span><math><mi>μ</mi></math></span>m 1.8 V/3.3 V CMOS process. Simulation results indicate that the SR of the proposed design is less than 0.056 mV/mA, achieving a 15.9<span><math><mo>×</mo></math></span> reduction compared to the conventional charge control method, while CR is less than 0.027 mV/mA, with a 10.7<span><math><mo>×</mo></math></span> reduction. The converter achieves a peak efficiency of 92.3% and maintains an efficiency of 88.2% at a light load of 1 mW.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106655"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Negative capacitance double-gate MOSFET for advanced low-power electronic applications","authors":"Amit Kumar , Saurabh Chaturvedi , Satyendra Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106656","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The negative capacitance metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (NC-MOSFET) has gained significant attention for its potential in low-power applications. This paper introduces a novel triple-material double-gate negative capacitance MOSFET (TM-DG-NC-MOSFET) architecture, analyzed through technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations to assess its DC, analog, linearity, and distortion performance characteristics. For comparison, a triple-material double-gate MOSFET (TM-DG-MOSFET) without the negative capacitance effect is also designed and simulated. Key device parameters are optimized for both architectures. TCAD simulation results at <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>D</mi><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> = 0.1 V reveal that the TM-DG-NC-MOSFET achieves a subthreshold swing of 25 mV/decade, an on-state current of <span><math><mrow><mn>3</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>19</mn><mo>×</mo><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> A/<span><math><mrow><mi>μ</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></math></span>, and a switching ratio of <span><math><mrow><mn>5</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>13</mn><mo>×</mo><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>7</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span>, outperforming the baseline TM-DG-MOSFET, which exhibits a subthreshold swing of 77 mV/decade, an on-state current of <span><math><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>83</mn><mo>×</mo><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> A/<span><math><mrow><mi>μ</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></math></span>, and a switching ratio of <span><math><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>34</mn><mo>×</mo><mn>1</mn><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>7</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span>. Comparative analysis shows that the TM-DG-NC-MOSFET offers enhanced DC, analog, and linearity performance with reduced distortion, indicating its suitability as a promising candidate for low-power circuit applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106656"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An investigation of how circuit parameters affect the short-circuit type 2 ruggedness in FS-IGBT","authors":"Jingping Zhang , Houcai Luo , Huan Wu , Bofeng Zheng , Xianping Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Field-stop insulated gate bipolar transistors (FS-IGBTs) are extensively utilized in various power applications because of their lower conduction and switching losses. However, as application conditions become more demanding, there is an increasing need for improved reliability and ruggedness of the FS-IGBT. Short circuits are one of the most common failures of FS-IGBTs. Under these circumstances, the device may conduct unexpectedly or operate with minimal bus parasitic inductance, leading to a significant increase in the device's junction temperature. Failure to turn off the FS-IGBT promptly may result in thermal runaway and device burnout. Short-circuit type 2 (SC2) is more frequently observed in practical FS-IGBT applications than short-circuit type 1 (SC1). Nevertheless, the majority of current research primarily concentrates on SC1, with relatively limited studies on SC2 of FS-IGBTs. This study aims to investigate the circuit parameters of SC2 and comprehensively analyze the impact of each parameter on SC2. The experimental results indicate that the bus voltage <em>V</em><sub><em>DC</em></sub>, gate voltage <em>V</em><sub><em>G</em></sub>, and temperature <em>T</em><sub><em>C</em></sub> significantly affect the SC2 performance of the FS-IGBT. Therefore, a moderate decrease in <em>V</em><sub><em>DC</em></sub>, <em>V</em><sub><em>G</em></sub>, and <em>T</em><sub><em>C</em></sub> can effectively enhance the ruggedness of SC2 and the short-circuit withstand time <em>t</em><sub><em>SC</em></sub> of the device.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106665"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An NMOS LDO with input pre-regulation technique for Sigma-Delta DAC with wide supply range","authors":"Xingyuan Tong, Yinbo Li, Xin Xin","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106666","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106666","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>An NMOS low-dropout regulator (LDO) is presented for a digital-to-analog converter with wide supply range. To widen the input voltage range of the NMOS LDO, a voltage pre-regulator and a charge pump are combined. Under high-voltage supply conditions, the input pre-regulator is employed to circumvent high-voltage transistors (HVT) and to avoid standard-voltage transistors (SVT) breakdowns. When the input voltage is low, the charge pump boosts the supply voltage of the driving circuit for ensuring enough overdrive voltage of the NMOS power transistors. Besides, a suppression circuit using negative feedback technique is also proposed to reduce the effect of the output voltage fluctuations of the charge pump and reference circuits on the accuracy of the LDO. The proposed LDO is designed with 0.18 μm BCD process and occupies an active area of 1.14 mm<sup>2</sup>. It can operate with an input voltage range of 3.3–24 V with highly SVTs and provide a load current of up to 1 A while the quiescent current is only 0.81 mA. The load and line regulation of the LDO are 0.57 μV/mA and 0.78 mV/V, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106666"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143739764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A class-AB rail-to-rail operational amplifier with wide supply voltage and high gain","authors":"Sikai Chen, Peng Zhang, Lumiao Zhang, Zhang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106643","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106643","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a high-gain rail-to-rail operational amplifier architecture, characterized by its low voltage and high gain. The design incorporates a complementary PMOS and NMOS folded cascode, using a transconductance linear loop to bias the Class-AB stage for push–pull output. Furthermore, the circuit supports a wide input power supply voltage range, operating efficiently over an input voltage span of 1.8 V to 5 V. The op-amp was fabricated using a 90 nm BCD technology, with a core chip size of approximately <span><math><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>455</mn><mspace></mspace><mo>×</mo><mspace></mspace><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>374</mn><mspace></mspace><msup><mrow><mtext>mm</mtext></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span>. Post-simulation results reveal a DC gain of 123 dB, a gain bandwidth of 0.86 MHz, and a noise level of <span><math><mrow><mn>24</mn><mspace></mspace><mtext>nV</mtext><mo>/</mo><msqrt><mrow><mtext>Hz</mtext></mrow></msqrt><mspace></mspace><mi>@</mi><mspace></mspace><mn>10</mn><mspace></mspace><mtext>kHz</mtext></mrow></math></span> with a 1.8 V supply voltage. Measurement outcomes demonstrate a slew rate of <span><math><mrow><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>157</mn><mspace></mspace><mtext>V</mtext><mo>/</mo><mi>μ</mi><mtext>s</mtext></mrow></math></span> under loading conditions of 20pF and <span><math><mrow><mn>10</mn><mspace></mspace><mtext>k</mtext><mi>Ω</mi></mrow></math></span>, with an output current of 1 mA and power consumption of <span><math><mrow><mn>21</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>77</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>μ</mi><mtext>A</mtext></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><mn>25</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>26</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>μ</mi><mtext>A</mtext></mrow></math></span> at 1.8 V and 5 V conditions, respectively.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106643"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143714739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sheng Gao , Yanjun Wu , Xingyu Luo , Shengqi Yu , Qi Wang
{"title":"Single-step electron beam evaporation for integrated dual-metal gate and gate field-plate in GaN-on-Si MIS-HEMTs","authors":"Sheng Gao , Yanjun Wu , Xingyu Luo , Shengqi Yu , Qi Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work reports the demonstration high performance GaN-on-Si metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) featuring dual-metal gate (DMG) and gate field-plate (GFP) structures. The DMG-GFP structures can be realized in a single step by adjusting the angle of electron beam evaporation, eliminating the requirement for multiple process steps. Higher carrier transfer efficiency and more uniform electric field distribution of the DMG-GFP-HEMTs (gate to drain distance <em>L</em><sub>GD</sub> of 18 μm) result in a pronounced enhancement of drain current (<em>I</em><sub>D</sub>) and transconductance (<em>G</em><sub>m</sub>) by 15 %, a remarkable breakdown voltage (<em>V</em><sub>br</sub>) increases of 44.9 %, and a significantly reduced current collapse over the single metal gate (SMG) control devices. Besides, the <em>V</em><sub>br</sub> of DMG-GFP-HEMTs exhibits a noteworthy 16.8 % improvement compared to SMG-GFP-HEMTs, further validating the advantageous impact of the DMG structure on <em>V</em><sub>br</sub> performance. Weibull analysis at 25 °C extrapolated a 10-year maximum operating gate voltage of 6.4 V for DMG-GFP HEMTs, a 16.3 % improvement over SMG-GFP HEMTs. The mechanism of DMG-GFP structures for suppressing current collapse has also been investigated, where the DMG structure helps to weaken the electron capture effect on the AlGaN/SiNx interface and the GFP structure enables the timely release of trapped electrons.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106663"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeroen van Zoeren , Gaurav Gupta , Boni Boksteen , Lis K. Nanver , Raymond J.E. Hueting
{"title":"Impact of the collector structure on the performance of the insulated gate bipolar transistor","authors":"Jeroen van Zoeren , Gaurav Gupta , Boni Boksteen , Lis K. Nanver , Raymond J.E. Hueting","doi":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mejo.2025.106651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Various types of collectors have been reported for insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). Despite their importance however, a thorough study on the influence of the collector structure on the performance of the IGBT is lacking in literature. In this work, the impact of the collector structure on mainly the DC performance of the IGBT has been studied through extensive TCAD simulations. This is done via the Gummel number of the collector, which is used for three types of collector structures (<em>i.e.</em> silicon, silicon-germanium, and pure boron). These structures are interesting because they can extend the Gummel numbers to respectively smaller and higher values, and potentially also reduce the process complexity. Finally, an analytical expression between the saturation voltage and stored charge, i.e. the trade-off curve, has been derived, where the stored charge is a good measure for the switching losses. Therefore, this analytical expression can be employed to estimate the switching losses directly from device properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49818,"journal":{"name":"Microelectronics Journal","volume":"159 ","pages":"Article 106651"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143705553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}