With Two-dimensional Charge Carrier Gas Channel (e.g., Hemt; With Two-dimensional Charge-carrier Layer Formed At Heterojunction Interface) (epo) Patents (Class 257/E29.246)
  • Patent number: 8866191
    Abstract: A transistor in which the electric field is reduced in critical areas using field plates, permitting the electric field to be more uniformly distributed along the component, is provided, wherein the electric field in the active region is smoothed and field peaks are reduced. The semiconductor component has a substrate with an active layer structure, a source contact and a drain contact located on said active layer structure. The source contact and the drain contact are mutually spaced and at least one part of a gate contact is provided on the active layer structure in the region between the source contact and the drain contact, a gate field plate being electrically connected to the gate contact. In addition, at least two separate field plates are placed directly on the active layer structure or directly on a passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Forschungsverbund Berlin E.V.
    Inventors: Eldat Bahat-Treidel, Victor Sidorov, Joachim Wuerfl
  • Patent number: 8860091
    Abstract: A device and a method of making said wherein the device wherein the device has a group III-nitride buffer deposited on a substrate; and a group III-nitride heterostructure disposed on a surface of the group III-nitride buffer, wherein the group III-nitride heterostructure has a group III-nitride channel and a group III-nitride barrier layer disposed on a surface of the group III-nitride channel, the group III-nitride barrier layer including Al as one of its constituent group III elements, the Al having a mole fraction which varies at least throughout a portion of said group III-nitride barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: David F. Brown, Miroslav Micovic
  • Patent number: 8860087
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a nitride semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof. According to one aspect of the present invention, a nitride semiconductor device including: a nitride semiconductor layer having a 2DEG channel; a source electrode in ohmic contact with the nitride semiconductor layer; a drain electrode in ohmic contact with the nitride semiconductor layer; a plurality of p-type nitride semiconductor segments formed on the nitride semiconductor layer and each formed lengthways from a first sidewall thereof, which is spaced apart from the source electrode, to a drain side; and a gate electrode formed to be close to the source electrode and in contact with the nitride semiconductor layer between the plurality of p-type semiconductor segments and portions of the p-type semiconductor segments extending in the direction of a source-side sidewall of the gate electrode aligned with the first sidewalls of the p-type nitride semiconductor segments is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Hwan Park, Woo Chul Jeon, Ki Yeol Park, Seok Yoon Hong
  • Patent number: 8853744
    Abstract: Some exemplary embodiments of a III-nitride power device including a HEMT with multiple interconnect metal layers and a solderable front metal structure using solder bars for external circuit connections have been disclosed. The solderable front metal structure may comprise a tri-metal such as TiNiAg, and may be configured to expose source and drain contacts of the HEMT as alternating elongated digits or bars. Additionally, a single package may integrate multiple such HEMTs wherein the front metal structures expose alternating interdigitated source and drain contacts, which may be advantageous for DC-DC power conversion circuit designs using III-nitride devices. By using solder bars for external circuit connections, lateral conduction is enabled, thereby advantageously reducing device Rdson.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Chuan Cheah, Michael A. Briere
  • Patent number: 8847280
    Abstract: An improved insulated gate field effect device is obtained by providing a substrate desirably comprising a III-V semiconductor, having a further semiconductor layer on the substrate adapted to contain the channel of the device between spaced apart source-drain electrodes formed on the semiconductor layer. A dielectric layer is formed on the semiconductor layer. A sealing layer is formed on the dielectric layer and exposed to an oxygen plasma. A gate electrode is formed on the dielectric layer between the source-drain electrodes. The dielectric layer preferably comprises gallium-oxide and/or gadolinium-gallium oxide, and the oxygen plasma is preferably an inductively coupled plasma. A further sealing layer of, for example, silicon nitride is desirably provided above the sealing layer. Surface states and gate dielectric traps that otherwise adversely affect leakage and channel sheet resistance are much reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan K. Abrokwah, Ravindranath Droopad, Matthias Passlack
  • Patent number: 8841703
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes a first III-V compound layer. A second III-V compound layer is disposed on the first III-V compound layer and is different from the first III-V compound layer in composition. A carrier channel is located between the first III-V compound layer and the second III-V compound layer. A source feature and a drain feature are disposed on the second III-V compound layer. A gate electrode is disposed over the second III-V compound layer between the source feature and the drain feature. A fluorine region is embedded in the second III-V compound layer under the gate electrode. A gate dielectric layer is disposed over the second III-V compound layer. The gate dielectric layer has a fluorine segment on the fluorine region and under at least a portion of the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: King-Yuen Wong, Chen-Ju Yu, Fu-Wei Yao, Chun-Wei Hsu, Jiun-Lei Jerry Yu, Chih-Wen Hsiung, Fu-Chih Yang
  • Patent number: 8841702
    Abstract: A III-N semiconductor device that includes a substrate and a nitride channel layer including a region partly beneath a gate region, and two channel access regions on opposite sides of the part beneath the gate. The channel access regions may be in a different layer from the region beneath the gate. The device includes an AlXN layer adjacent the channel layer wherein X is gallium, indium or their combination, and a preferably n-doped GaN layer adjacent the AlXN layer in the areas adjacent to the channel access regions. The concentration of Al in the AlXN layer, the AlXN layer thickness and the n-doping concentration in the n-doped GaN layer are selected to induce a 2DEG charge in channel access regions without inducing any substantial 2DEG charge beneath the gate, so that the channel is not conductive in the absence of a switching voltage applied to the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: Umesh Mishra, Robert Coffie, Likun Shen, Ilan Ben-Yaacov, Primit Parikh
  • Patent number: 8841706
    Abstract: An AlN layer (2), a GaN buffer layer (3), a non-doped AlGaN layer (4a), an n-type AlGaN layer (4b), an n-type GaN layer (5), a non-doped AlN layer (6) and an SiN layer (7) are sequentially formed on an SiC substrate (1). At least three openings are formed in the non-doped AlN layer (6) and the SiN layer (7), and a source electrode (8a), a drain electrode (8b) and a gate electrode (19) are evaporated in these openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Toshihide Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 8841704
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a nitride based semiconductor device, including: a substrate; a nitride based semiconductor layer having a lower nitride based semiconductor layer and an upper nitride based semiconductor layer on the substrate; an isolation area including an interface between the lower nitride based semiconductor layer and the upper nitride based semiconductor layer; and drain electrodes, source electrode, and gate electrodes formed on the upper nitride based semiconductor layer. According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, in the nitride based semiconductor device, by using the isolation area including the interface between the lower nitride based semiconductor layer and the upper nitride based semiconductor layer, problems of parasitic capacitance and leakage current are solved, and as a result, a switching speed can be improved through a gate pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Hwan Park, Woo Chul Jeon, Ki Yeol Park, Seok Yoon Hong
  • Patent number: 8835984
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include sensors comprising AlGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), inGaP/GaAs HEMTs. InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs, AlGaAs/InGaAs PHEMTs, InAlAs/InGaAs PHEMTs, Sb based HEMTs, or InAs based HEMTs, the HEMTs having functionalization at a gate surface with target receptors. The target receptors allow sensitivity to targets (or substrates) for detecting breast cancer, prostate cancer, kidney injury, chloride, glucose, metals or pEI where a signal is generated by the HEMI when a solution is contacted with the sensor. The solution can be blood, saliva, urine, breath condensate, or any solution suspected of containing any specific analyte for the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Fan Ren, Stephen John Pearton, Tanmay Lele, Hung-Ta Wang, Byoung-Sam Kang
  • Patent number: 8835983
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nitride semiconductor wafer includes a silicon substrate, a lower strain relaxation layer provided on the silicon substrate, an intermediate layer provided on the lower strain relaxation layer, an upper strain relaxation layer provided on the intermediate layer, and a functional layer provided on the upper strain relaxation layer. The intermediate layer includes a first lower layer, a first doped layer provided on the first lower layer, and a first upper layer provided on the first doped layer. The first doped layer has a lattice constant larger than or equal to that of the first lower layer and contains an impurity of 1×1018 cm?3 or more and less than 1×1021 cm?3. The first upper layer has a lattice constant larger than or equal to that of the first doped layer and larger than that of the first lower layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hung Hung, Tomonari Shioda, Jongil Hwang, Naoharu Sugiyama, Shinya Nunoue
  • Patent number: 8829569
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes a first semiconductor layer formed on a substrate, a second semiconductor layer formed on the first semiconductor layer, a gate recess formed by removing at least a portion of the second semiconductor layer, an insulation film formed on the gate recess and the second semiconductor layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate recess via the insulation film, source and drain electrodes formed on one of the first and the second semiconductor layers, and a fluorine containing region formed in at least one of a part of the first semiconductor layer corresponding to a region in which the gate recess is formed and a part of the second semiconductor layer corresponding to the region in which the gate recess is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ohki, Hiroshi Endo
  • Patent number: 8823061
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer; a two-dimensional carrier gas layer; a source electrode; a drain electrode; a gate electrode; and an auxiliary electrode located above the two-dimensional carrier gas layer between the gate electrode and the drain electrode. Channel resistance of the two-dimensional carrier gas layer between the gate electrode and the auxiliary electrode is set higher than channel resistance of the two-dimensional carrier gas layer between the gate electrode and the source electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Iwabuchi, Hironori Aoki
  • Patent number: 8823057
    Abstract: Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device include forming a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and having a first dopant concentration, and forming a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer has a second dopant concentration that is less than the first dopant concentration. Ions are implanted into the second semiconductor layer to form an implanted region of the first conductivity type extending through the second semiconductor layer to contact the first semiconductor layer. A first electrode is formed on the implanted region of the second semiconductor layer, and a second electrode is formed on a non-implanted region of the second semiconductor layer. Related devices are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott T. Sheppard, Alexander V. Suvorov
  • Patent number: 8823012
    Abstract: Enhancement-mode GaN devices having a gate spacer, a gate metal material and a gate compound that are self-aligned, and a methods of forming the same. The materials are patterned and etched using a single photo mask, which reduces manufacturing costs. An interface of the gate spacer and the gate compound has lower leakage than the interface of a dielectric film and the gate compound, thereby reducing gate leakage. In addition, an ohmic contact metal layer is used as a field plate to relieve the electric field at a doped III-V gate compound corner towards the drain contact, which leads to lower gate leakage current and improved gate reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Efficient Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Alana Nakata, Jianjun Cao, Guang Yuan Zhao, Robert Strittmatter, Fang Chang Liu
  • Patent number: 8816396
    Abstract: According to an example embodiment, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes a substrate, a buffer layer on the substrate, a channel layer on the buffer layer, and a barrier structure on the channel layer. The buffer layer includes a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). A polarization of the barrier structure varies in a region corresponding to a gate electrode. The HEMT further includes and the gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode on the barrier structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-jun Hwang, Jong-seob Kim, Hyuk-soon Choi, Ki-ha Hong, Jai-kwang Shin, Jae-joon Oh
  • Patent number: 8816395
    Abstract: A normally OFF field effect transistor (FET) having a plurality of contiguous nitride semiconductor layers having different composition and heterojunction interfaces, wherein when there is no potential difference between a first gate and a common ground voltage, a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is present at a plurality of heterojunctions in each of a source access region and a drain access region, and substantially no 2DEG is present adjacent any regions of the heterojunctions under the first gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Visic Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Gregory Bunin, Tamara Baksht, David Rozman
  • Patent number: 8815688
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a power device includes forming a first drift region on a substrate. A trench is formed by patterning the first drift region. A second drift region is formed by growing n-gallium nitride (GaN) in the trench, and alternately disposing the first drift region and the second drift region. A source electrode contact layer is formed on the second drift region. A source electrode and a gate electrode are formed on the source electrode contact layer. A drain electrode is formed on one side of the substrate which is an opposite side of the first drift region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Hoon Lee, Ki Se Kim, Jung Hee Lee, Ki Sik Im, Dong Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 8816391
    Abstract: An integrated circuit structure includes a substrate, and a channel over the substrate. The channel includes a first III-V compound semiconductor material formed of group III and group V elements. A gate structure is over the channel. A source/drain region is adjacent the channel and includes a group-IV region formed of a doped group-IV semiconductor material selected from the group consisting essentially of silicon, germanium, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsin Ko, Clement Hsingjen Wann
  • Patent number: 8809136
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a source electrode and a drain electrode formed over a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed over the semiconductor substrate and disposed between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a protection film made of an insulating material and formed between the source electrode and the gate electrode and between the drain electrode and the gate electrode, and a gate side opening formed at least in one of a portion of the protection film-between the source electrode and the gate electrode and a portion of the protection film between the drain electrode and the gate electrode and disposed away from all of the gate electrode, the source electrode and the drain electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Toshihiro Ohki
  • Patent number: 8809907
    Abstract: An improved HEMT formed from a GaN material system is disclosed which has reduced gate leakage current relative to known GaN based HEMTs and eliminates the problem of current constrictions resulting from deposition of the gate metal over the step discontinuities formed over the gate mesa. The HEMT device is formed from a GaN material system. One or more GaN based materials are layered and etched to form a gate mesa with step discontinuities defining source and drain regions. In order to reduce the leakage current, the step discontinuities are back-filled with an insulating material, such as silicon nitride (SiN), forming a flat surface relative to the source and drain regions, to enable to the gate metal to lay flat. By back-filling the source and drain regions with an insulating material, leakage currents between the gate and source and the gate and drain are greatly reduced. In addition, current constrictions resulting from the deposition of the gate metal over a step discontinuity are virtually eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Rajinder Randy Sandhu, Michael Edward Barsky, Michael Wojtowicz
  • Patent number: 8809909
    Abstract: A high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device comprises a support substrate including a first silicon body, an insulator body over the first silicon body, and a second silicon body over the insulator body. The high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device further comprises a III-nitride semiconductor body characterized by a majority charge carrier conductivity type, formed over the second silicon body. The second silicon body has a conductivity type opposite the majority charge carrier conductivity type. In one embodiment, the high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device is a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) comprising a support substrate including a <100> silicon layer, an insulator layer over the <100> silicon layer, and a P type conductivity <111> silicon layer over the insulator layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Briere
  • Patent number: 8803197
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor wafer including a base wafer, a first crystalline layer, a second crystalline layer, and an insulating layer that are positioned in the stated order, the semiconductor wafer further including: a third crystalline layer positioned either between the first crystalline layer and the second crystalline layer or between the base wafer and the first crystalline layer. The second crystalline layer and the third crystalline layer are made of a crystal that either lattice matches or pseudo lattice matches a crystal making the first crystalline layer, and has a wider band gap than the crystal making the first crystalline layer. The third crystalline layer includes a first atom that will be a donor or an acceptor. When the third crystalline layer includes a first atom that will be a donor, the second crystalline layer includes a second atom that will be an acceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventor: Noboru Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 8796117
    Abstract: A structure of high electron mobility transistor growth on Si substrate and the method thereof, in particular used for the semiconductor device manufacturing in the semiconductor industry. The UHVCVD system was used in the related invention to grow a Ge film on Si substrate then grow the high electron mobility transistor on the Ge film for the reduction of buffer layer thickness and cost. The function of the Ge film is preventing the formation of silicon oxide when growing III-V MHEMT structure in MOCVD system on Si substrate. The reason of using MHEMT in the invention is that the metamorphic buffer layer in MHEMT structure could block the penetration of dislocation which is formed because of the very large lattice mismatch (4.2%) between Ge and Si substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Edward Yi Chang, Shih-Hsuan Tang, Yueh-Chin Lin
  • Patent number: 8795511
    Abstract: A configuration is disclosed. In one aspect, the configuration includes a substantially planar electrode layer, in a first plane. The configuration further includes a substantially planar two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layer electrically connected in series with the electrode layer. The 2DEG layer is provided in a second plane substantially parallel with the first plane and located at a predetermined distance, in a direction orthogonal to the first plane, from the first plane. The 2DEG layer and the electrode layer are patterned such that the electrode layer overlays a part of the 2DEG layer, wherein the predetermined distance between the first plane and the second plane is selected to be sufficiently small for allowing electrostatic interaction between the electrode layer and the 2DEG layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Stichting IMEC Nederland
    Inventors: Roman Vitushinsky, Mercedes Crego Calama, Sywert Brongersma
  • Patent number: 8796738
    Abstract: There are disclosed herein various implementations of a semiconductor structure and method. The semiconductor structure comprises a substrate, a transition body over the substrate, and a group III-V intermediate body having a bottom surface over the transition body. The semiconductor structure also includes a group III-V device layer over a top surface of the group III-V intermediate body. The group III-V intermediate body has a continuously reduced impurity concentration wherein a higher impurity concentration at the bottom surface is continuously reduced to a lower impurity concentration at the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Michael A. Briere
  • Patent number: 8796737
    Abstract: High electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) and methods of manufacturing the same. A HEMT may include a channel layer and a channel supply layer, and the channel supply layer may be a multilayer structure. The channel supply layer may include an etch stop layer and an upper layer on the etch stop layer. A recess region may be in the upper layer. The recess region may be a region recessed to an interface between the upper layer and the etch stop layer. A gate electrode may be on the recess region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-jun Hwang, Jai-kwang Shin, Jae-joon Oh, Jong-bong Ha, Hyuk-soon Choi, Ki-ha Hong
  • Patent number: 8791465
    Abstract: A compound semiconductor device includes a compound semiconductor laminated structure, a passivation film formed on the compound semiconductor laminated structure and having a through-hole, and a gate electrode formed on the passivation film so as to plug the through-hole. A grain boundary between different crystalline orientations is formed in the gate electrode, and a starting point of the grain boundary is located apart from the through-hole on a flat surface of the passivation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Naoya Okamoto, Kozo Makiyama, Toshihiro Ohki, Yuichi Minoura, Shirou Ozaki, Toyoo Miyajima
  • Patent number: 8785973
    Abstract: In an ultra high voltage lateral GaN structure having a 2DEG region extending between two terminals, an isolation region is provided between the two terminals to provide for reversible snapback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Vladislav Vashchenko
  • Patent number: 8785944
    Abstract: A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) according to example embodiments includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a reverse diode gate structure on the second semiconductor layer. A source and a drain may be on at least one of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. A gate electrode may be on the reverse diode gate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-jun Hwang, Jae-joon Oh, Jae-won Lee, Hyo-ji Choi, Jong-bong Ha
  • Patent number: 8779470
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate; a plurality of gate finger electrodes which are arranged on the substrate; a plurality of source finger electrodes which are arranged on the substrate, each source finger electrode is close to the gate finger electrode; a plurality of drain finger electrodes which are arranged on the substrate, each drain finger electrode faces the source finger electrode via the gate finger electrode; a shield plate electrode which is arranged via an insulating layer over the drain finger electrode and the first surface of the substrate between the gate finger electrode and the drain finger electrode, is short-circuited to the source finger electrode, and shields electrically the gate finger electrode and the drain finger electrode from each other; and a slot VIA hole which is formed in the substrate under the source finger electrode and is connected to the source finger electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takuji Yamamura
  • Patent number: 8779554
    Abstract: A device includes a semiconductor substrate, and a channel region of a transistor over the semiconductor substrate. The channel region includes a semiconductor material. An air gap is disposed under and aligned to the channel region, with a bottom surface of the channel region exposed to the air gap. Insulation regions are disposed on opposite sides of the air gap, wherein a bottom surface of the channel region is higher than top surfaces of the insulation regions. A gate dielectric of the transistor is disposed on a top surface and sidewalls of the channel region. A gate electrode of the transistor is over the gate dielectric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Georgios Vellianitis, Mark van Dal, Blandine Duriez
  • Patent number: 8779471
    Abstract: Provided is a field-effect transistor including a gate insulating layer, a first semiconductor crystal layer in contact with the gate insulating layer, and a second semiconductor crystal layer lattice-matching or pseudo lattice-matching the first semiconductor crystal layer. Here, the gate insulating layer, the first semiconductor crystal layer, and the second semiconductor crystal layer are arranged in the order of the gate insulating layer, the first semiconductor crystal layer, and the second semiconductor crystal layer, the first semiconductor crystal layer is made of Inx1Ga1-x1Asy1P1-y1 (0<x1?1, 0?y1?1), the second semiconductor crystal layer is made of Inx2Ga1-x2Asy2P1-y2 (0?x2?1, 0?y2?1, y2?y1), and the electron affinity Ea1 of the first semiconductor crystal layer is lower than the electron affinity Ea2 of the second semiconductor crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited, The University of Tokyo, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Masahiko Hata, Hisashi Yamada, Noboru Fukuhara, Shinichi Takagi, Mitsuru Takenaka, Masafumi Yokoyama, Tetsuji Yasuda, Yuji Urabe, Noriyuki Miyata, Taro Itatani, Hiroyuki Ishii
  • Patent number: 8772832
    Abstract: The present invention reduces the dynamic on resistance in the channel layer of a GaN device by etching a void in the nucleation and buffer layers between the gate and the drain. This void and the underside of the device substrate may be plated to form a back gate metal layer. The present invention increases the device breakdown voltage by reducing the electric field strength from the gate to the drain of a HEMT. This electric field strength is reduced by placing a back gate metal layer below the active region of the channel. The back gate metal layer may be in electrical contact with the source or drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventor: Karim S Boutros
  • Patent number: 8772834
    Abstract: According to example embodiments, a HEMT includes a channel layer, a channel supply layer on the channel layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode spaced apart on the channel layer, a depletion-forming layer on the channel supply layer, and a plurality of gate electrodes on the depletion-forming layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode. The channel supply layer is configured to induce a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in the channel layer. The depletion-forming layer is configured to form a depletion region in the 2DEG. The plurality of gate electrodes include a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode spaced apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woo-chul Jeon, Jong-seob Kim, Ki-yeol Park, Young-hwan Park, Jae-joon Oh, Jong-bong Ha, Jai-kwang Shin
  • Patent number: 8772831
    Abstract: A circuit structure includes a substrate and a patterned dielectric layer over the substrate. The patterned dielectric layer includes a plurality of vias; and a number of group-III group-V (III-V) compound semiconductor layer. The III-V compound semiconductor layers include a first layer in the vias, a second layer over the first layer and the dielectric layer, and a bulk layer over the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Ming Chen, Po-Chun Liu, Hung-Ta Lin, Chin-Cheng Chang, Chung-Yi Yu, Chia-Shiung Tsai, Ho-Yung David Hwang
  • Patent number: 8766321
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a GaN HEMT includes growing a first epitaxial layer on a substrate, growing a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, growing a third epitaxial layer on the second epitaxial layer, depositing a first dielectric film on the third epitaxial layer, using dielectric films to form a first sidewall dielectric spacer, forming a sidewall gate adjacent the first sidewall dielectric spacer. The sidewall gate may be made to be less than 50 nm in length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Keisuke Shinohara, Andrea Corrion, Miroslav Micovic, Paul B. Hashimoto, Shawn D. Burnham, Hooman Kazemi, Peter J. Willadsen, Dean C. Regan
  • Patent number: 8759878
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nitride semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor, a second semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer, a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode. The first, second and fourth semiconductor layers include a nitride semiconductor. The second semiconductor layer is provided on the first semiconductor layer, has a band gap not less than that of the first semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer is provided on the second semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer is GaN. The fourth semiconductor layer is provided on the third semiconductor layer to have an interspace on a part of the third semiconductor layer, has a band gap not less than that of the second semiconductor layer. The first electrode is provided on a portion of the third semiconductor layer. The fourth semiconductor layer is not provided on the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yasunobu Saito, Hidetoshi Fujimoto, Tetsuya Ohno, Akira Yoshioka, Wataru Saito
  • Patent number: 8759879
    Abstract: A semiconductor device containing a GaN FET has n-type doping in at least one III-N semiconductor layer of a low-defect layer and an electrical isolation layer below a barrier layer. A sheet charge carrier density of the n-type doping is 1 percent to 200 percent of a sheet charge carrier density of the two-dimensional electron gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Naveen Tipirneni, Sameer Pendharkar, Jungwoo Joh
  • Patent number: 8759876
    Abstract: A heterojunction for use in a transistor structure is provided. The heterojunction includes a barrier layer positioned beneath a gate region of the transistor structure. The barrier layer includes nitride-based semiconductor materials. A channel layer provides electrical conduction An intermediate layer near the barrier layer and including nitride-based semiconductor materials having a wider bandgap than the channel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Bin Lu, Tomás Palacios
  • Patent number: 8759877
    Abstract: This invention teaches stress release metal electrodes for gate, drain and source in a field effect transistor and stress release metal electrodes for emitter, base and collector in a bipolar transistor. Due to the large difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between semiconductor materials and metal electrodes, significant strain and stresses can be induced in the devices during the fabrication and operation. The present invention provides metal electrode with stress release structures to reduce the strain and stresses in these devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Inventors: Ishiang Shih, Cindy Xing Qiu, Chunong Qiu, Yi-Chi Shih
  • Patent number: 8759169
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing silicon semiconductor wafers and components having layer structures of III-V layers for integrating III-V semiconductor components. The method employs SOI silicon semiconductor wafers having varying substrate orientations, and the III-V semiconductor layers are produced in trenches (28, 43, 70) produced by etching within certain regions (38, 39), which are electrically insulated from each other, of the active semiconductor layer (24, 42) by means of a cover layer or cover layers (29) using MOCVD methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: X—FAB Semiconductor Foundries AG
    Inventors: Gabriel Kittler, Ralf Lerner
  • Patent number: 8754496
    Abstract: Embodiments include but are not limited to apparatuses and systems including a field-effect transistor switch. A field-effect transistor switch may include a first field plate coupled with a gate electrode, the first field plate disposed substantially equidistant from a source electrode and a drain electrode. The field-effect transistor switch may also include a second field plate proximately disposed to the first field plate and disposed substantially equidistant from the source electrode and the drain electrode. The first and second field plates may be configured to reduce an electric field between the source electrode and the gate electrode and between the drain electrode and the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua-Quen Tserng, Deep C. Dumka, Martin E. Jones, Charles F. Campbell, Anthony M. Balistreri
  • Patent number: 8748244
    Abstract: The present invention relates to fabrication of enhancement mode and depletion mode High Electron Mobility Field Effect Transistors on the same die separated by as little as 10 nm. The fabrication method uses selective decomposition and selective regrowth of the Barrier layer and the Cap layer to engineer the bandgap of a region on a die to form an enhancement mode region. In these regions zero or more devices may be fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Andrea Corrion, Miroslav Micovic, Keisuke Shinohara, Peter J Willadsen, Shawn D Burnham, Hooman Kazemi, Paul B Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8741706
    Abstract: A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes a substrate, an HEMT stack spaced apart from the substrate, and a pseudo-insulation layer (PIL) disposed between the substrate and the HEMT stack. The PIL layer includes at least two materials having different phases. The PIL layer defines an empty space that is wider at an intermediate portion than at an entrance of the empty space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-youn Kim, Jae-won Lee, Hyo-ji Choi
  • Patent number: 8742458
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an exemplary embodiment comprises a substrate, a middle layer comprising a first semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate and comprising AlxGa1-xN (0?x?1) doped with a first dopant and a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer and comprising undoped gallium nitride (GaN) and a drive unit disposed on the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeongsik Lee
  • Patent number: 8742467
    Abstract: A bidirectional switching device includes a semiconductor multilayer structure made of a nitride semiconductor, a first ohmic electrode and a second ohmic electrode which are formed on the semiconductor multilayer structure, and a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode. The first gate electrode is covered with a first shield electrode having a potential substantially equal to that of the first ohmic electrode. The second gate electrode is covered with the second shield electrode having a potential substantially equal to that of the second ohmic electrode. An end of the first shield electrode is positioned between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, and an end of the second shield electrode is positioned between the second gate electrode and the first gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Morita, Daisuke Ueda, Yasuhiro Uemoto, Tetsuzo Ueda
  • Patent number: 8742459
    Abstract: A III-N device is described has a buffer layer, a first III-N material layer on the buffer layer, a second III-N material layer on the first III-N material layer on an opposite side from the buffer layer and a dispersion blocking layer between the buffer layer and the channel layer. The first III-N material layer is a channel layer and a compositional difference between the first III-N material layer and the second III-N material layer induces a 2DEG channel in the first III-N material layer. A sheet or a distribution of negative charge at an interface of the channel layer and the dispersion blocking layer confines electrons away from the buffer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: Umesh Mishra, Lee McCarthy, Nicholas Fichtenbaum
  • Patent number: 8742460
    Abstract: A transistor device is described that includes a source, a gate, a drain, a semiconductor material which includes a gate region between the source and the drain, a plurality of channel access regions in the semiconductor material on either side of the gate, a channel in the semiconductor material having an effective width in the gate region and in the channel access regions, and an isolation region in the gate region. The isolation region serves to reduce the effective width of the channel in the gate region without substantially reducing the effective width of the channel in the access regions. Alternatively, the isolation region can be configured to collect holes that are generated in the transistor device. The isolation region may simultaneously achieve both of these functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Transphorm Inc.
    Inventors: Umesh Mishra, Srabanti Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 8742450
    Abstract: A III-nitride power semiconductor device that includes a plurality of III-nitride heterojunctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Beach