Patents by Inventor Kieran M. Tracy

Kieran M. Tracy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Methods of fabricating gallium nitride microelectronic layers on silicon layers and gallium nitride microelectronic structures formed thereby
    Publication number: 20040029365
    Abstract: A gallium nitride microelectronic layer is fabricated by converting a surface of a (111) silicon layer to 3C-silicon carbide. A layer of 3C-silicon carbide is then epitaxially grown on the converted surface of the (111) silicon layer. A layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is grown on the epitaxially grown layer of 3C-silicon carbide. The layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is laterally grown to produce the gallium nitride microelectronic layer. In one embodiment, the silicon layer is a (111) silicon substrate, the surface of which is converted to 3C-silicon carbide. In another embodiment, the (111) silicon layer is part of a Separation by IMplanted OXygen (SIMOX) silicon substrate which includes a layer of implanted oxygen that defines the (111) layer on the (111) silicon substrate. In yet another embodiment, the (111) silicon layer is a portion of a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrate in which a (111) silicon layer is bonded to a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Kevin J. Linthicum, Thomas Gehrke, Robert F. Davis, Darren B. Thomson, Kieran M. Tracy
  • Methods of fabricating gallium nitride microelectronic layers on silicon layers
    Patent number: 6602764
    Abstract: A gallium nitride microelectronic layer is fabricated by converting a surface of a (111) silicon layer to 3C-silicon carbide. A layer of 3C-silicon carbide is then epitaxially grown on the converted surface of the (111) silicon layer. A layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is grown on the epitaxially grown layer of 3C-silicon carbide. The layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is laterally grown to produce the gallium nitride microelectronic layer. The silicon layer is a (111) silicon substrate, the surface of which is converted to 3C-silicon carbide, or the (111) silicon layer is part of a Separation by IMplanted OXygen (SIMOX) silicon substrate which includes a layer of implanted oxygen that defines the (111) layer on the (111) silicon substrate, or the (111) silicon layer is a portion of a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrate in which a (111) silicon layer is bonded to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Kevin J. Linthicum, Thomas Gehrke, Robert F. Davis, Darren B. Thomson, Kieran M. Tracy
  • Methods of fabricating gallium nitride microelectronic layers on silicon layers and gallium nitride microelectronic structures formed thereby
    Publication number: 20020031851
    Abstract: A gallium nitride microelectronic layer is fabricated by converting a surface of a (111) silicon layer to 3C-silicon carbide. A layer of 3C-silicon carbide is then epitaxially grown on the converted surface of the (111) silicon layer. A layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is grown on the epitaxially grown layer of 3C-silicon carbide. The layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is laterally grown to produce the gallium nitride microelectronic layer. The silicon layer is a (111) silicon substrate, the surface of which is converted to 3C-silicon carbide, or the (111) silicon layer is part of a Separation by IMplanted OXygen (SIMOX) silicon substrate which includes a layer of implanted oxygen that defines the (111) layer on the (111) silicon substrate, or the (111) silicon layer is a portion of a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrate in which a (111) silicon layer is bonded to a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventors: Kevin J. Linthicum, Thomas Gehrke, Robert F. Davis, Darren B. Thomson, Kieran M. Tracy
  • Methods of fabricating gallium nitride microelectronic layers on silicon layers and gallium nitride microelectronic structures formed thereby
    Patent number: 6255198
    Abstract: A gallium nitride microelectronic layer is fabricated by converting a surface of a (111) silicon layer to 3C-silicon carbide. A layer of 3C-silicon carbide is then epitaxially grown on the converted surface of the (111) silicon layer. A layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is grown on the epitaxially grown layer of 3C-silicon carbide. The layer of 2H-gallium nitride then is laterally grown to produce the gallium nitride microelectronic layer. In one embodiment, the silicon layer is a (111) silicon substrate, the surface of which is converted to 3C-silicon carbide. In another embodiment, the (111) silicon layer is part of a Separation by IMplanted OXygen (SIMOX) silicon substrate which includes a layer of implanted oxygen that defines the (111) layer on the (111) silicon substrate. In yet another embodiment, the (111) silicon layer is a portion of a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrate in which a (111) silicon layer is bonded to a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Kevin J. Linthicum, Thomas Gehrke, Robert F. Davis, Darren B. Thomson, Kieran M. Tracy