{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9853140","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9853140","title":"Adaptive charge balanced MOSFET techniques","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2012-12-31T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["H01L"],"num_claims":14,"abstract":"An adaptive charge balanced MOSFET device includes a field plate stacks, a gate structure, a source region, a drift region and a body region. The gate structure includes a gate region surrounded by a gate insulator region. The field plate stack includes a plurality of field plate insulator regions, a plurality of field plate regions, and a field ring region. The plurality of field plates are separated from each other by respective field plate insulators. The body region is disposed between the gate structure, the source region, the drift region and the field ring region. Each of two or more field plates are coupled to the field ring."},"analysis":{"summary":"The Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques patent, US-9853140, introduces a breakthrough in power semiconductor design, specifically targeting the inherent limitations of high-voltage MOSFETs. At its core, this innovation describes an adaptive charge balanced MOSFET device engineered to overcome the traditional trade-off between breakdown voltage (BV) and on-state resistance (Rds(on)).\n\nThe fundamental problem this patent solves is the difficulty in designing MOSFETs that can simultaneously withstand high operating voltages and exhibit low power loss during conduction. Conventional approaches often lead to increased device size, higher heat generation, and reduced overall system efficiency. This invention addresses this by optimizing the electric field distribution within the device's drift region.\n\nThe key technical approach involves a sophisticated architecture comprising a field plate stack, a gate structure, a source region, a drift region, and a body region. The innovative aspect lies in the field plate stack, which includes multiple field plate insulator regions, field plate regions, and a field ring region. Crucially, two or more of these field plates are electrically coupled to the field ring. This unique coupling mechanism enables an 'adaptive charge balanced' operation, allowing for a more uniform and effective distribution of the electric field, thereby preventing premature breakdown and reducing Rds(on).\n\nFrom a business value perspective, this technology offers significant advantages across various sectors. By enabling the creation of more efficient, smaller, and more reliable high-voltage MOSFETs, it can lead to reduced energy consumption, lower manufacturing costs (due to smaller cooling requirements), and enhanced product performance. Applications span electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, industrial power supplies, and consumer electronics, all of which demand robust and efficient power management.\n\nThe market opportunity for this innovation is substantial, as it addresses a pervasive need for improved power conversion efficiency globally. Companies leveraging this technology can gain a competitive edge by offering superior power semiconductor components that meet the increasing demands for compact, high-performance, and sustainable electronic solutions. This patent lays the groundwork for next-generation power electronics, promising a new era of energy efficiency.","layman_explanation":"### What Problem Does This Solve?\n\nImagine you're building a high-rise skyscraper. You need strong support beams to handle the immense weight (think high voltage), but you also want to keep the building light and efficient (think low energy loss). In the world of electronics, specifically with components called MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) that act as super-fast switches, engineers face a similar dilemma. To handle very high electrical voltages, these switches traditionally need to be built in a way that makes them less efficient, meaning they waste more energy as heat. This trade-off leads to bigger, hotter devices that consume more power, impacting everything from the range of an electric car to the energy bill of a data center. Existing solutions often involve bulky cooling systems or complex circuit designs, adding cost and size.\n\n### How Does It Work?\n\nThe **Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques** patent introduces a clever architectural solution to this problem. Think of the inside of our electronic switch as having different 'lanes' for electricity. In older designs, when high voltage came through, the electricity would crowd into certain lanes, causing bottlenecks and overheating. This innovation is like designing a multi-lane highway with smart traffic management. It uses a sophisticated internal structure called a 'field plate stack' which includes several layers of special plates and insulators, all connected to a 'field ring'. Conceptually, these plates and the ring work together to evenly distribute the electrical 'traffic' (charge) across all the lanes. This 'charge balancing' ensures that no single part of the switch gets overwhelmed by the high voltage. It's not about making the switch physically bigger, but making it *smarter* about how it manages the electrical stress, allowing it to handle more voltage without getting hot and wasting energy.\n\n### Why Does This Matter?\n\nThis technology matters because it allows for the creation of MOSFETs that are simultaneously robust enough for high-voltage applications *and* highly efficient. For businesses, this translates directly into several critical advantages:\n\n*   **Cost Savings & Energy Efficiency**: Products using this technology will waste less energy, leading to lower operating costs for consumers and businesses alike. Think longer battery life for EVs or reduced electricity bills for industrial machinery.\n*   **Smaller & Lighter Products**: Less wasted heat means less need for bulky cooling components (like large heatsinks or fans), enabling more compact and lighter electronic devices. This is a huge win for portable electronics, electric vehicles, and space-constrained applications.\n*   **Enhanced Reliability**: By evenly distributing electrical stress, the components are less prone to failure, leading to more durable products and reduced warranty claims. This builds trust and reduces long-term maintenance costs.\n*   **Competitive Edge**: Companies that adopt this patented technology can offer superior products to their competitors, gaining market share in critical sectors like automotive, renewable energy, and industrial power management. It's a differentiator in a crowded market.\n\n### What's Next?\n\nThe Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques innovation is poised to become a foundational technology for next-generation power electronics. We can expect to see its principles integrated into a wide array of products, from more efficient power converters in data centers to advanced charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. Its market adoption timeline will likely accelerate as manufacturers seek to meet increasingly stringent energy efficiency standards and consumer demand for higher performance in smaller packages. For investors, this represents an opportunity in the underlying components driving the electrification of our world, offering potential for significant returns as the technology permeates key industries and enables new product categories.","technical_analysis":"The patent US-9853140, titled \"Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques,\" presents a significant advancement in power MOSFET design, specifically addressing the critical trade-off between breakdown voltage (BV) and on-state resistance (Rds(on)) in high-voltage applications. This technical analysis will delve into the architectural innovations and potential performance implications of this invention.\n\n**Technical Architecture:**\nAt the heart of this innovation is an adaptive charge balanced MOSFET device. The structure consists of several key regions: a source region, a drift region, a body region, and a gate structure. The gate structure is defined by a gate region surrounded by a gate insulator region, typical for MOSFETs. The distinguishing feature is the integrated field plate stack. This stack is not merely a single field plate, but a plurality of field plate insulator regions, a plurality of field plate regions, and a field ring region. The field plates are meticulously separated by their respective insulator regions, forming a layered structure above or within the drift region.\n\n**Implementation Details and Algorithm Specifics:**\nWhile the abstract does not detail specific algorithms, the term 'adaptive charge balanced' implies a mechanism for optimizing the electric field distribution. The critical detail provided is that \"each of two or more field plates are coupled to the field ring.\" This suggests that the field plates, rather than being statically biased or floating, are actively connected to a field ring, which itself plays a role in termination or active field shaping. This coupling allows for a more dynamic or optimized distribution of charge carriers and electric field lines within the drift region. In essence, by connecting multiple field plates to a common field ring, the device can effectively spread the high electric field away from critical junctions, such as the gate-drain junction, over a larger area within the drift region. This field shaping prevents localized high electric field peaks that lead to premature breakdown.\n\n**Performance Characteristics:**\nThis approach directly impacts the fundamental performance metrics of the MOSFET:\n1.  **Breakdown Voltage (BV) Enhancement:** By achieving a more uniform electric field distribution, the device can withstand higher reverse bias voltages before avalanche breakdown occurs. This means a higher BV for a given drift region length and doping concentration, or conversely, a shorter drift region for a target BV.\n2.  **On-State Resistance (Rds(on)) Reduction:** If a higher BV can be achieved with a shorter drift region or higher doping, the resistance to current flow in the 'on' state is inherently reduced. This leads to lower conduction losses and improved power conversion efficiency.\n3.  **Improved Reliability:** Spreading the electric field reduces stress on localized areas, potentially mitigating hot carrier effects and improving the device's long-term robustness and reliability under high-voltage operation.\n\n**Integration Patterns and Code-Level Implications:**\nFrom an integration standpoint, this technology would replace conventional high-voltage MOSFETs in power converter designs. The improved Rds(on) and BV characteristics would allow for smaller, more efficient power stages, potentially reducing the need for extensive heatsinks and enabling higher switching frequencies. For system designers, this translates to smaller form factors, lighter weight, and reduced bill-of-materials. While there are no direct code-level implications as this is a hardware patent, the performance gains would influence firmware and software for power management units, allowing for more aggressive operating parameters or simplified control algorithms due to the device's inherent robustness.\n\nThe precise positioning of the body region between the gate structure, source region, drift region, and the field ring region further optimizes carrier injection and collection, contributing to overall device performance. This patent represents a sophisticated evolution in field plate technology, moving beyond simple static field plates to a more interconnected, potentially dynamically controlled, system that actively 'balances' charge to optimize performance. This innovation could simplify the manufacturing of high-performance power devices compared to complex superjunction structures, while delivering comparable or superior electrical characteristics.","business_analysis":"The Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques patent (US-9853140) introduces a compelling innovation in power semiconductor technology with significant implications for various industries. This invention directly addresses the critical need for more efficient, reliable, and compact power conversion solutions, positioning itself for substantial market impact.\n\n**Market Opportunity Size:**\nThe global power semiconductor market, which includes MOSFETs, is projected to reach tens of billions of dollars annually, driven by megatrends such as electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy (solar, wind), data centers, 5G infrastructure, and industrial automation. High-voltage MOSFETs are crucial components in these sectors. This innovation, by improving fundamental device performance, stands to capture a significant share of this expanding market, particularly in segments demanding high efficiency and power density. The ability to reduce Rds(on) while maintaining or increasing breakdown voltage (BV) unlocks new design possibilities and performance benchmarks across these high-growth applications.\n\n**Competitive Advantages:**\nThis technology offers several key competitive advantages:\n1.  **Superior Performance-to-Cost Ratio:** By achieving higher BV and lower Rds(on) simultaneously, the invention enables devices with better overall performance. This translates to lower energy losses, reduced heat generation, and potentially smaller cooling requirements, leading to lower total cost of ownership for end-users.\n2.  **Miniaturization and Power Density:** Improved efficiency means less heat, allowing for smaller packages and higher power density. This is crucial for space-constrained applications like EVs, portable electronics, and compact power supplies.\n3.  **Enhanced Reliability:** Better electric field management reduces stress on the device, leading to increased operational lifespan and robustness, a critical factor in industrial and automotive applications where failure can be costly.\n4.  **Differentiation in a Crowded Market:** In a highly competitive semiconductor market, this patent provides a unique selling proposition, allowing licensees or manufacturers to offer differentiated products with superior specifications compared to conventional MOSFETs or even some superjunction devices.\n\n**Revenue Potential and Business Models:**\nCompanies can leverage this patent through various business models:\n1.  **Licensing:** Semiconductor IP firms or existing power semiconductor manufacturers could license this technology to integrate it into their product lines, generating significant royalty revenues.\n2.  **Product Development:** A company could develop and manufacture MOSFETs based on the Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques, selling them as discrete components or integrated modules to system designers.\n3.  **System Integration:** Businesses focused on power converters (e.g., EV inverters, solar inverters) could integrate these advanced MOSFETs into their proprietary systems, gaining a performance edge in their end products.\n\nThe revenue potential is high, given the widespread application of power MOSFETs and the clear value proposition of improved efficiency and reliability.\n\n**Strategic Positioning:**\nThis innovation allows companies to strategically position themselves as leaders in high-performance power electronics. It can enable a 'green' product image due to enhanced energy efficiency, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers and regulations. Furthermore, it supports the trend towards electrification and digitalization by providing the foundational components necessary for next-generation power management systems.\n\n**ROI Projections:**\nInvestment in developing or licensing this technology is likely to yield strong returns. The reduction in energy losses alone can justify a premium price point for the components, leading to higher profit margins. For end-product manufacturers, the ability to build more efficient and compact systems can lead to increased market share, customer satisfaction, and reduced warranty costs due to enhanced reliability. The long-term ROI is bolstered by the increasing global demand for energy-efficient solutions and the sustained growth in markets dependent on advanced power semiconductors.","faqs":[{"answer":"Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques refers to a patented innovation (US-9853140) in the field of power semiconductor devices. Specifically, it describes a novel architecture for a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) designed to enhance its performance. The core idea behind this invention is to achieve a superior balance between the device's ability to withstand high voltages (breakdown voltage) and its efficiency in conducting current (on-state resistance).\n\nTraditional high-voltage MOSFETs often face a trade-off: increasing voltage handling capability typically leads to higher power loss. This patent introduces a sophisticated internal structure that intelligently manages the electric field within the device. By doing so, it allows for both high voltage blocking and low power dissipation simultaneously, a critical advancement for modern electronics.\n\nEssentially, the Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques is a blueprint for a more robust and energy-efficient power switch, crucial for a wide array of electronic applications.","question":"What is Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques?"},{"answer":"The Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques works by employing a unique internal design that optimizes the distribution of the electric field within the MOSFET. The device includes a gate structure, a source region, a drift region, a body region, and a specialized component called a 'field plate stack.'\n\nThis field plate stack is not just a single plate but consists of multiple layers of field plate insulator regions and field plate regions. The key innovation is that two or more of these field plate regions are electrically coupled to a 'field ring' within the device. This coupling mechanism allows for an 'adaptive charge balanced' operation.\n\nBy intelligently connecting these field plates to the field ring, the electric field is spread more uniformly across the device's drift region during high-voltage operation. This prevents the electric field from concentrating in specific areas, which typically leads to premature breakdown and increased resistance. The result is a MOSFET that can handle higher voltages with significantly reduced power loss and improved reliability.","question":"How does Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques work?"},{"answer":"The Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques primarily solves the long-standing problem of the inherent trade-off in high-voltage MOSFETs between breakdown voltage (BV) and on-state resistance (Rds(on)). In simpler terms, engineers have traditionally struggled to design MOSFETs that can simultaneously withstand very high electrical voltages and operate with very low energy loss (i.e., not get hot and waste power).\n\nConventional designs often required making the device larger or less conductive to handle high voltages, leading to increased power consumption, heat generation, and larger component sizes. This limited the efficiency, power density, and overall performance of electronic systems across various industries.\n\nThis innovation overcomes this limitation by enabling the development of MOSFETs that are both highly robust against high voltages and exceptionally efficient, thereby reducing energy waste, improving thermal management, and allowing for more compact electronic designs.","question":"What problem does Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques solve?"},{"answer":"The provided patent data does not list the inventors for US-9853140, 'Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques.' Patent filings typically include the names of the individual inventors responsible for the intellectual creation of the technology, along with the assignee (the entity to whom the patent rights are often transferred, such as a company).\n\nWithout this specific information, it's not possible to name the individual(s) behind the Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques. However, the innovation itself stems from the collective efforts and research within the power semiconductor industry to continually push the boundaries of device performance and efficiency. Further investigation into the full patent document would reveal the names of the inventors.","question":"Who invented Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques?"},{"answer":"The Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques offers several key benefits that are crucial for modern power electronics:\n\n1.  **Higher Efficiency**: By significantly reducing the on-state resistance (Rds(on)) for a given breakdown voltage (BV), the device wastes less energy as heat during operation. This leads to cooler running devices and substantial energy savings.\n2.  **Enhanced Breakdown Voltage**: The optimized electric field distribution allows the device to withstand higher voltages without premature breakdown, making it suitable for more demanding high-power applications.\n3.  **Improved Reliability and Robustness**: Reduced electric field stress on critical junctions and lower operating temperatures contribute to a longer operational lifespan and greater resilience against electrical transients and thermal cycling.\n4.  **Increased Power Density and Miniaturization**: With lower heat generation, less bulky cooling solutions are required, enabling the design of smaller, more compact, and lighter power electronic modules and systems.\n\nThese benefits collectively lead to more cost-effective, sustainable, and high-performance electronic products across various industries.","question":"What are the key benefits of Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques?"},{"answer":"The Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques differentiates itself from prior art, such as conventional MOSFETs and even superjunction (SJ) devices, primarily through its unique field plate stack and its electrical coupling to a field ring. While traditional field plates exist, they are often static and less adaptive.\n\nUnlike conventional MOSFETs that suffer from significant electric field crowding, this innovation employs multiple field plates strategically connected to a field ring. This allows for a more dynamic and effective distribution of the electric field, leading to a superior breakdown voltage (BV) and on-state resistance (Rds(on)) trade-off. It goes beyond simple field plate structures by creating an 'adaptive charge balanced' system.\n\nCompared to superjunction MOSFETs, which achieve charge balance through complex p- and n-type pillars, the Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques may offer alternative manufacturing advantages or performance characteristics. It provides a novel approach to achieving similar or superior performance benefits in electric field management and device efficiency, setting a new benchmark in power semiconductor design.","question":"How is Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques different from prior art?"},{"answer":"The Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques is poised to significantly impact a wide range of industries that rely on efficient and robust power conversion. Its core benefits of higher efficiency, increased power density, and enhanced reliability are critical for many cutting-edge applications.\n\nKey industries include:\n1.  **Automotive**: Especially electric vehicles (EVs), where it can lead to longer battery ranges, faster charging, and lighter power train components.\n2.  **Renewable Energy**: Solar inverters, wind turbine converters, and energy storage systems will benefit from higher conversion efficiencies.\n3.  **Data Centers**: More efficient power supplies will reduce massive energy consumption and operational costs.\n4.  **Industrial Automation**: Robotics, motor drives, and power supplies for heavy machinery will become more reliable, compact, and energy-efficient.\n5.  **Consumer Electronics**: High-speed chargers, power adapters, and other devices can be made smaller, cooler, and more robust.\n\nThis innovation provides foundational technology for the ongoing global electrification trend, driving sustainability and performance across these vital sectors.","question":"What industries will Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques impact?"},{"answer":"The patent for Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques, identified as US-9853140, has specific dates associated with its lifecycle:\n\n*   **Filing Date**: The initial application for this patent was filed on **2012-12-31**.\n*   **Publication Date**: The patent was subsequently published, indicating it was granted and officially made public, on **2017-12-26**.\n\nThese dates mark the official timeline for the intellectual property protection of the Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques. The filing date establishes the priority date for the invention, while the publication date signifies when the detailed claims and specifications became publicly accessible for review and implementation.","question":"When was Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques filed/granted?"},{"answer":"The commercial applications of Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques are extensive, given its ability to create more efficient, robust, and compact power MOSFETs. This technology can be integrated into virtually any product or system requiring high-voltage power conversion or switching.\n\nSpecific commercial applications include:\n1.  **Electric Vehicle Power Trains**: Inverters, DC-DC converters, and battery charging systems for electric cars, trucks, and buses.\n2.  **Renewable Energy Inverters**: For solar photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, and grid-scale energy storage.\n3.  **Server and Data Center Power Supplies**: High-efficiency power factor correction (PFC) and DC-DC stages for enterprise-grade power management.\n4.  **Industrial Motor Drives**: Variable frequency drives (VFDs) for factory automation, robotics, and heavy machinery.\n5.  **LED Lighting Drivers**: More efficient and compact power solutions for high-power LED applications.\n6.  **Consumer Electronics**: Fast chargers for mobile devices, power adapters for laptops, and power supplies for home appliances.\n\nBy improving the fundamental performance of power switches, Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques enables new levels of performance and cost-effectiveness across these critical commercial sectors.","question":"What are the commercial applications of Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques?"},{"answer":"Future developments for Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques are expected to build upon its foundational innovation in electric field management and charge balancing. As the technology matures, several advancements could emerge:\n\n1.  **Further Miniaturization and Integration**: Continued optimization of the field plate stack and manufacturing processes could lead to even smaller device footprints and higher power density, enabling more compact and integrated power modules.\n2.  **Dynamic Adaptability**: The 'adaptive' aspect in the patent's title suggests potential for dynamic control. Future iterations might incorporate sensing and control mechanisms to actively adjust the field plate potentials, optimizing performance in real-time based on operating conditions like temperature or load.\n3.  **Integration with Wide Bandgap Materials**: Applying the principles of Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques to wide bandgap (WBG) materials like Silicon Carbide (SiC) or Gallium Nitride (GaN) could unlock unprecedented levels of efficiency and power handling at even higher voltages and frequencies.\n4.  **Enhanced Reliability and Robustness**: Ongoing research will likely focus on pushing the limits of device reliability under extreme conditions, further mitigating stress and extending operational lifespans.\n\nThese developments will cement Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques as a cornerstone technology, driving the next generation of highly efficient and robust power electronics for a wide array of emerging applications.","question":"What are the future developments expected for Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques?"}],"topics":["Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques","MOSFET patent","high-voltage MOSFET","power electronics","semiconductor innovation","advancing","field","power"],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques - Patent US-9853140","description":"Discover Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques, a groundbreaking patent for high-voltage MOSFETs. Achieve lower Rds(on) & higher breakdown voltage. Full analysis of US-9853140.","keywords":["Adaptive Charge Balanced Mosfet Techniques","MOSFET patent","high-voltage MOSFET","power electronics","semiconductor innovation","charge balancing","field plate technology","low Rds(on)","breakdown voltage","power management","US-9853140 patent","energy efficiency","device architecture"]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9853140","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9853140","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Adaptive charge balanced MOSFET techniques\" (US-9853140). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9853140","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9853140","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9853140","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T08:01:29.815Z"}