Abstract: An electrolysis transistor for providing high-density electrochemistry and products utilizing the same, and high-efficiency electrolysis and electrochemical processes is disclosed. The electrolysis transistor may comprise an electrolyte, one or more working electrodes for transferring charge to or from said electrolyte, and one or more gate structures for altering electrode over-voltage and modifying the barrier at the electrode-electrolyte interface, reducing the voltage necessary for electrolysis. An electrochemical or photo-electrochemical cell may incorporate one or more of these electrolysis transistors.

Abstract: An N-polar III-N transistor includes a III-N buffer layer, a first III-N barrier layer, and a III-N channel layer, the III-N channel layer having a gate region and a plurality of access regions on opposite sides of the gate region. The compositional difference between the first III-N barrier layer and the III-N channel layer causes a conductive channel to be induced in the access regions of the III-N channel layer. The transistor also includes a source, a gate, a drain, and a second III-N barrier layer between the gate and the III-N channel layer. The second III-N barrier layer has an N-face proximal to the gate and a group-III face opposite the N-face, and has a larger bandgap than the III-N channel layer. The lattice constant of the first III-N barrier layer is within 0.5% of the lattice constant of the buffer layer.

Abstract: A III-N enhancement-mode transistor includes a III-N structure including a conductive channel, source and drain contacts, and a gate electrode between the source and drain contacts. An insulator layer is over the III-N structure, with a recess formed through the insulator layer in a gate region of the transistor, with the gate electrode at least partially in the recess. The transistor further includes a field plate having a portion between the gate electrode and the drain contact, the field plate being electrically connected to the source contact. The gate electrode includes an extending portion that is outside the recess and extends towards the drain contact. The separation between the conductive channel and the extending portion of the gate electrode is greater than the separation between the conductive channel and the portion of the field plate that is between the gate electrode and the drain contact.

Abstract: An electronic component includes a switching device comprising a source, a gate, and a drain, the switching device having a predetermined device switching rate. The electronic component further includes a gate driver electrically connected to the gate and coupled between the source and the gate of the switching device, the gate driver configured to switch a gate voltage of the switching device at a gate driver switching rate. The gate driver is configured such that in operation, an output current of the gate driver cannot exceed a first current level, wherein the first current level is sufficiently small to provide a switching rate of the switching device in operation to be less than the predetermined device switching rate.

Abstract: Planar Schottky diodes for which the semiconductor material includes a heterojunction which induces a 2DEG in at least one of the semiconductor layers. A metal anode contact is on top of the upper semiconductor layer and forms a Schottky contact with that layer. A metal cathode contact is connected to the 2DEG, forming an ohmic contact with the layer containing the 2DEG.

Abstract: An electronic component comprising a half bridge adapted for operation with an electrical load having an operating frequency is described. The half bridge comprises a first switch and a second switch each having a switching frequency, the first switch and the second switch each including a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch and the second terminal of the second switch are both electrically connected to a node. The electronic component further includes a filter having a 3 dB roll-off frequency, the 3 dB roll-off frequency being less than the switching frequency of the switches but greater than the operating frequency of the electrical load. The first terminal of the filter is electrically coupled to the node, and the 3 dB roll-off frequency of the filter is greater than 5 kHz.

Abstract: A III-N device is described with a III-N material layer, an insulator layer on a surface of the III-N material layer, an etch stop layer on an opposite side of the insulator layer from the III-N material layer, and an electrode defining layer on an opposite side of the etch stop layer from the insulator layer. A recess is formed in the electrode defining layer. An electrode is formed in the recess. The insulator can have a precisely controlled thickness, particularly between the electrode and III-N material layer.

Abstract: An electronic component is described which includes a first transistor encased in a first package, the first transistor being mounted over a first conductive portion of the first package, and a second transistor encased in a second package, the second transistor being mounted over a second conductive portion of the second package. The component further includes a substrate comprising an insulating layer between a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The first package is on one side of the substrate with the first conductive portion being electrically connected to the first metal layer, and the second package is on another side of the substrate with the second conductive portion being electrically connected to the second metal layer. The first package is opposite the second package, with at least 50% of a first area of the first conductive portion being opposite a second area of the second conductive portion.

Abstract: A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices with guard rings are described. The semiconductor devices may be, e.g., transistors and diodes designed for high-voltage applications. A guard ring is a floating electrode formed of electrically conducting material above a semiconductor material layer. A portion of an insulating layer is between at least a portion of the guard ring and the semiconductor material layer. A guard ring may be located, for example, on a transistor between a gate and a drain electrode. A semiconductor device may have one or more guard rings.

Abstract: A diode is described with a III-N material structure, an electrically conductive channel in the III-N material structure, two terminals, wherein a first terminal is an anode adjacent to the III-N material structure and a second terminal is a cathode in ohmic contact with the electrically conductive channel, and a dielectric layer over at least a portion of the anode. The anode comprises a first metal layer adjacent to the III-N material structure, a second metal layer, and an intermediary electrically conductive structure between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The intermediary electrically conductive structure reduces a shift in an on-voltage or reduces a shift in reverse bias current of the diode resulting from the inclusion of the dielectric layer. The diode can be a high voltage device and can have low reverse bias currents.

Abstract: A III-N device is described with a III-N layer, an electrode thereon, a passivation layer adjacent the III-N layer and electrode, a thick insulating layer adjacent the passivation layer and electrode, a high thermal conductivity carrier capable of transferring substantial heat away from the III-N device, and a bonding layer between the thick insulating layer and the carrier. The bonding layer attaches the thick insulating layer to the carrier. The thick insulating layer can have a precisely controlled thickness and be thermally conductive.

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.

Abstract: An electronic component includes a high voltage switching transistor encased in a package. The high voltage switching transistor comprises a source electrode, a gate electrode, and a drain electrode all on a first side of the high voltage switching transistor. The source electrode is electrically connected to a conducting structural portion of the package. Assemblies using the abovementioned transistor with another transistor can be formed, where the source of one transistor can be electrically connected to a conducting structural portion of a package containing the transistor and a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to the second conductive structural portion of a package that houses the second transistor. Alternatively, the source of the second transistor is electrically isolated from its conductive structural portion, and the drain of the second transistor is electrically isolated from its conductive structural portion.

Abstract: An electronic component includes a depletion-mode transistor, an enhancement-mode transistor, and a resistor. The depletion-mode transistor has a higher breakdown voltage than the enhancement-mode transistor. A first terminal of the resistor is electrically connected to a source of the enhancement-mode transistor, and a second terminal of the resistor and a source of the depletion-mode transistor are each electrically connected to a drain of the enhancement-mode transistor. A gate of the depletion-mode transistor can be electrically connected to a source of the enhancement-mode transistor.

Abstract: An electronic component includes a switching device comprising a source, a gate, and a drain, the switching device having a predetermined device switching rate. The electronic component further includes a gate driver electrically connected to the gate and coupled between the source and the gate of the switching device, the gate driver configured to switch a gate voltage of the switching device at a gate driver switching rate. The gate driver is configured such that in operation, an output current of the gate driver cannot exceed a first current level, wherein the first current level is sufficiently small to provide a switching rate of the switching device in operation to be less than the predetermined device switching rate.

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.

Abstract: A diode is described with a III-N material structure, an electrically conductive channel in the III-N material structure, two terminals, wherein a first terminal is an anode adjacent to the III-N material structure and a second terminal is a cathode in ohmic contact with the electrically conductive channel, and a dielectric layer over at least a portion of the anode. The anode comprises a first metal layer adjacent to the III-N material structure, a second metal layer, and an intermediary electrically conductive structure between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The intermediary electrically conductive structure reduces a shift in an on-voltage or reduces a shift in reverse bias current of the diode resulting from the inclusion of the dielectric layer. The diode can be a high voltage device and can have low reverse bias currents.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device can include forming a III-N semiconductor layer in a reactor and injecting a hydrocarbon precursor into the reactor, thereby carbon doping the III-N semiconductor layer and causing the III-N semiconductor layer to be insulating or semi-insulating. A semiconductor device can include a substrate and a carbon doped insulating or semi-insulating III-N semiconductor layer on the substrate. The carbon doping density in the III-N semiconductor layer is greater than 5×1018 cm?3 and the dislocation density in the III-N semiconductor layer is less than 2×109 cm?2.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor device can include forming a III-N semiconductor layer in a reactor and injecting a hydrocarbon precursor into the reactor, thereby carbon doping the III-N semiconductor layer and causing the III-N semiconductor layer to be insulating or semi-insulating. A semiconductor device can include a substrate and a carbon doped insulating or semi-insulating III-N semiconductor layer on the substrate. The carbon doping density in the III-N semiconductor layer is greater than 5×1018 cm?3 and the dislocation density in the III-N semiconductor layer is less than 2×109 cm?2.