Abstract: In one implementation, a semiconductor package includes a control conductive carrier having a die side and an opposite input/output (I/O) side connecting the semiconductor package to a mounting surface. The semiconductor package also includes a control FET of a power converter switching stage attached to the die side of the control conductive carrier, and a driver integrated circuit (IC) for driving the control FET. The driver IC is situated above the control FET and is electrically coupled to the control FET by at least one conductive buildup layer formed over the control conductive carrier.

Abstract: According to an exemplary implementation, a power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) package includes a multi-phase inverter situated on a leadframe. The PQFN package further includes drivers situated on the leadframe and configured to drive the multi-phase inverter. The PQFN package also includes bootstrap diodes respectively coupled to the drivers. The bootstrap diodes are in a common integrated circuit (IC) that is situated on the leadframe. The common IC can include the drivers. The drivers can be high side drivers that are coupled to high side power switches of the multi-phase inverter. Also, the bootstrap diodes can be coupled to a supply voltage terminal of the PQFN package. Furthermore, the PQFN package can include wirebonds coupling the common IC to bootstrap supply voltage terminals of the PQFN package.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a III-nitride power semiconductor device that includes growing a transition layer over a substrate using at least two distinct and different growth methods.

Abstract: According to an exemplary implementation, a power component includes a component substrate and a power semiconductor device electrically and mechanically coupled to the component substrate. The power component also includes at least one first peripheral contact and at least one second peripheral contact situated on the component substrate. A power semiconductor device is situated between the at least one first peripheral contact and the at least one second peripheral contact. The at least one first peripheral contact, the at least one second peripheral contact, and a surface electrode of the power semiconductor device are configured for surface mounting. The at least one first peripheral contact can be electrically coupled to the power semiconductor device.

Abstract: A III-nitride trench device has a vertical conduction region with an interrupted conduction channel when the device is not on, providing an enhancement mode device. The trench structure may be used in a vertical conduction or horizontal conduction device. A gate dielectric provides improved performance for the device by being capable of withstanding higher electric field or manipulating the charge in the conduction channel. A passivation of the III-nitride material decouples the dielectric from the device to permit lower dielectric constant materials to be used in high power applications.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a low frequency drive control circuit for use with an inductive load comprises a comparator configured to receive a high frequency signal at a first input and a smoothly varying low frequency signal for modulating the high frequency signal at a second input. The comparator is further configured to produce a pulse width modulated output of the low frequency drive control circuit for use in generating a smoothly varying low frequency load current in the inductive load. In one embodiment, the inductive load can comprise a DC brushed motor. In one embodiment, the low frequency drive control circuit can be implemented as part of an integrated circuit further comprising a switching circuit configured to use the pulse width modulated output of the comparator to generate the smoothly varying low frequency load current, which may be a substantially sinusoidal load current, for example.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device including a voltage controlled termination structure comprises an active area including a base region of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor body of a second conductivity type formed over a first major surface of a substrate of the second conductivity type, a termination region formed in the semiconductor body adjacent the active area and including the voltage controlled termination structure. The voltage controlled termination structure includes an electrode electrically connected to a terminal of the semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the electrode of the voltage controlled termination structure is electrically connected to a gate terminal of the semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the electrode of the voltage controlled termination structure is electrically connected to a source terminal of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: According to an exemplary implementation, a power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) leadframe includes U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase power switches situated on the PQFN leadframe. A drain of the U-phase power switch is connected to a U-phase output strip of the PQFN leadframe. A source of the U-phase power switch is connected to a U-phase current sense terminal. The U-phase output strip can substantially traverse across the PQFN leadframe. Another U-phase power switch is situated on the PQFN leadframe with a source of the another U-phase power switch connected to the U-phase output strip of the PQFN leadframe. The PQFN leadframe can include a leadframe island within the U-phase output strip. At least one wirebond may be connected to the U-phase output strip.

Abstract: The invention provides semiconductor materials including a gallium nitride material layer formed on a silicon substrate and methods to form the semiconductor materials. The semiconductor materials include a transition layer formed between the silicon substrate and the gallium nitride material layer. The transition layer is compositionally-graded to lower stresses in the gallium nitride material layer which can result from differences in thermal expansion rates between the gallium nitride material and the substrate. The lowering of stresses in the gallium nitride material layer reduces the tendency of cracks to form. Thus, the invention enables the production of semiconductor materials including gallium nitride material layers having few or no cracks. The semiconductor materials may be used in a number of microelectronic and optical applications.

Abstract: According to an exemplary implementation, a power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) package includes a driver integrated circuit (IC) situated on a leadframe. The PQFN package further includes low-side U-phase, low-side V-phase, and low-side W-phase power switches situated on the leadframe. A logic ground of the leadframe is coupled to a support logic circuit of the driver IC. A power stage ground of the leadframe is coupled to sources of the low-side U-phase, low-side V-phase, and low-side W-phase power switches. The power stage ground can further be coupled to gate drivers of the driver IC.

Abstract: In an exemplary implementation, a III-nitride semiconductor device includes a III-nitride heterojunction including a first III-nitride body situated over a second III-nitride body to form a two-dimensional electron gas. The III-nitride semiconductor device further includes a gate well formed in a dielectric body, the dielectric body situated over the III-nitride heterojunction. The III-nitride semiconductor device also includes a gate arrangement situated in the gate well and including a gate electrode and a field plate. The field plate includes at least two steps, the at least two steps being defined in the dielectric body.

Abstract: A method that includes implantation of dopants while a III-nitride body is being grown on a substrate, and an apparatus for the practice of the method.

Abstract: A controller operates a power supply in a discontinuous mode. While in the discontinuous mode, a monitor resource in the controller monitors current supplied by an inductor resource in the power supply to produce an output voltage to power a load. An adjustment value generator produces an adjustment value based on a magnitude of the current supplied to the load by the inductor resource. According to one configuration, the adjustment value equals the average inductor current multiplied by the load-line resistance value of the power supply. The controller produces an adjusted trigger threshold value by reducing a trigger threshold value by the adjustment value generated by the adjustment value generator. The adjusted trigger threshold value specifies a reduced threshold voltage at which the power supply controller turns ON a control switch in the power supply to increase an amount of current supplied by the inductor resource to the load.

Abstract: According to example configurations herein, a leadframe includes a first conductive strip, a second conductive strip, and a third conductive strip disposed substantially adjacent and substantially parallel to each other. A semiconductor chip substrate includes a first array of switch circuits disposed adjacent and parallel to a second array of switch circuits. Source nodes in switch circuits of the first array are disposed substantially adjacent and substantially parallel to source nodes in switch circuits of the second array. When the semiconductor chip and the leadframe device are combined to form a circuit package, a connectivity interface between the semiconductor chip and conductive strips in the circuit package couples each of the source nodes in switch circuits of the first array and each of the multiple source nodes in switch circuits of the second array to a common conductive strip in the leadframe device.

Abstract: According to an exemplary implementation, a power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) package includes a U-phase output node situated on a first leadframe island of a leadframe, a V-phase output node situated on a second leadframe island of said leadframe, and a W-phase output node situated on a W-phase die pad of said leadframe. The first leadframe island can be on a first leadframe strip of the leadframe, where the first leadframe strip is connected to a U-phase die pad of the leadframe. The second leadframe island can be on a second leadframe strip of the leadframe, where the second leadframe strip is connected to a V-phase die pad of the leadframe. A first W-phase power switch is situated on the W-phase die pad. Furthermore, at least one wirebond is connected to the W-phase die pad and to a source of a second W-phase power switch. The W-phase die pad can be a W-phase output terminal of the PQFN package.

Abstract: According to one disclosed embodiment, an electrical contact for use on a semiconductor device comprises an electrode stack including a plurality of metal layers and a capping layer formed over the plurality of metal layers. The capping layer comprises a refractory metal nitride. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating an electrical contact for use on a semiconductor device comprises forming an electrode stack including a plurality of metal layers over the semiconductor device, and depositing a refractory metal nitride capping layer of the electrode stack over the plurality of metal layers. The method may further comprise annealing the electrode stack at a temperature of less than approximately 875° C. In some embodiments, the method may additionally include forming one of a Schottky metal layer and a gate insulator layer between the electrode stack and the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A semiconductor package that includes a die with electrodes on opposite surfaces thereof and respective conductive clip electrically and mechanically coupled to the electrode and configured for vertical mounting of the package.

Abstract: A semiconductor package that includes a semiconductor die and a heat spreader thermally coupled to the semiconductor and disposed at least partially within the molded housing of the package.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes a plurality of isolated half-bridges formed in a common semiconductor die.

Abstract: Semiconductor structures comprising a III-nitride (e.g., gallium nitride) material region and methods associated with such structures are provided. In some embodiments, the structures include an electrically conductive material (e.g., gold) separated from certain other region(s) of the structure (e.g., a silicon substrate) by a barrier material in order to limit, or prevent, undesirable reactions between the electrically conductive material and the other component(s) which can impair device performance. In certain embodiments, the electrically conductive material may be formed in a via. For example, the via can extend from a topside of the device to a backside so that the electrically conductive material connects a topside contact to a backside contact. The structures described herein may form the basis of a number of semiconductor devices including transistors (e.g., FET), Schottky diodes, light-emitting diodes and laser diodes, amongst others.