Abstract: A solution for designing a semiconductor device, in which two or more attributes of a pair of electrodes are determined to, for example, minimize resistance between the electrodes, is provided. Each electrode can include a current feeding contact from which multiple fingers extend, which are interdigitated with the fingers of the other electrode in an alternating pattern. The attributes can include a target depth of each finger, a target effective width of each pair of adjacent fingers, and/or one or more target attributes of the current feeding contacts. Subsequently, the device and/or a circuit including the device can be fabricated.

Abstract: Methods of achieving high breakdown voltages in semiconductor devices by suppressing the surface flashover using high dielectric strength insulating encapsulation material are generally described. In one embodiment of the present invention, surface flashover in AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) is suppressed by using high dielectric strength insulating encapsulation material. Surface flashover in as-fabricated III-Nitride based HFETs limits the operating voltages at levels well below the breakdown voltages of GaN.

Abstract: A semiconductor device with a breakdown preventing layer is provided. The breakdown preventing layer can be located in a high-voltage surface region of the device. The breakdown preventing layer can include an insulating film with conducting elements embedded therein. The conducting elements can be arranged along a lateral length of the insulating film. The conducting elements can be configured to split a high electric field spike otherwise present in the high-voltage surface region during operation of the device into multiple much smaller spikes.

Abstract: A lateral semiconductor device and/or design including a space-charge generating layer and electrode located on an opposite side of a device channel as contacts to the device channel is provided. The space-charge generating layer is configured to form a space-charge region to at least partially deplete the device channel in response to an operating voltage being applied to the contacts to the device channel.

Abstract: A switch includes an input contact and an output contact to a conducting channel. At least one of the input and output contacts is capacitively coupled to the conducting channel. A control contact is located outside of a region between the input and output contacts, and can be used to adjust the switch between on and off operating states. The switch can be implemented as a radio frequency switch in a circuit.

Abstract: A solution for compensating intermodulation distortion of a component is provided. A circuit element includes multiple connected components. At least two of the connected components comprise current-voltage characteristics of opposite signs (e.g., sublinear and superlinear current-voltage characteristics) such that the current-voltage characteristics of the circuit element produces a level of intermodulation distortion for the circuit element lower than a level of intermodulation distortion for each of the connected components.

Abstract: A perforating ohmic contact to a semiconductor layer in a semiconductor structure is provided. The perforating ohmic contact can include a set of perforating elements, which can include a set of metal protrusions laterally penetrating the semiconductor layer(s). The perforating elements can be separated from one another by a characteristic length scale selected based on a sheet resistance of the semiconductor layer and a contact resistance per unit length of a metal of the perforating ohmic contact contacting the semiconductor layer. The structure can be annealed using a set of conditions configured to ensure formation of the set of metal protrusions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a low conducting field-controlling element is provided. The device can include a semiconductor including an active region, and a set of contacts to the active region. The field-controlling element can be coupled to one or more of the contacts in the set of contacts. The field-controlling element can be formed of a low conducting layer having a sheet resistance between approximately 103 Ohms per square and approximately 107 Ohms per square. During direct current and/or low frequency operation, the field-controlling element can behave similar to a metal electrode. However, during high frequency operation, the field-controlling element can behave similar to an insulator.

Abstract: A switch includes an input contact and an output contact to a conducting channel. At least one of the input and output contacts is capacitively coupled to the conducting channel. A control contact is located outside of a region between the input and output contacts, and can be used to adjust the switch between on and off operating states. The switch can be implemented as a radio frequency switch in a circuit.

Abstract: A profiled contact for a device, such as a high power semiconductor device is provided. The contact is profiled in both a direction substantially parallel to a surface of a semiconductor structure of the device and a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the semiconductor structure. The profiling can limit the peak electric field between two electrodes to approximately the same as the average electrical field between the electrodes, as well as limit the electric field perpendicular to the semiconductor structure both within and outside the semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A field effect transistor having a channel, a gate, and a structure for decreasing a gate-to-channel capacitance of the transistor as an operating frequency of the transistor increases. The structure can comprise, for example, a barrier disposed between the gate and the channel, which has a dielectric permittivity and/or a conductivity that varies with an operating frequency of the transistor. In an embodiment, the barrier comprises a layer of conducting material, such as conducting polymer, conducting semiconductor, conducting semi-metal, amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, and/or the like.

Abstract: A composite contact for a semiconductor device is provided. The composite contact includes a DC conducting electrode that is attached to a semiconductor layer in the device, and a capacitive electrode that is partially over the DC conducting electrode and extends beyond the DC conducting electrode. The composite contact provides a combined resistive-capacitive coupling to the semiconductor layer. As a result, a contact impedance is reduced when the corresponding semiconductor device is operated at high frequencies.

Abstract: A set of parameters of an evaluation structure are extracted by applying a radio frequency (RF) signal through a first capacitive contact and a second capacitive contact to the evaluation structure. Measurement data corresponding to an impedance of the evaluation structure is acquired while the RF signal is applied, and the set of parameters are extracted from the measurement data. In an embodiment, multiple pairs of capacitive contacts can be utilized to acquire measurement data. Each pair of capacitive contacts can be separated by a channel having a unique spacing.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a low conducting field-controlling element is provided. The device can include a semiconductor including an active region (e.g., a channel), and a set of contacts to the active region. The field-controlling element can be coupled to one or more of the contacts in the set of contacts. The field-controlling element can be formed of a low conducting layer of material and have a lateral resistance that is both larger than an inverse of a minimal operating frequency of the device and smaller than an inverse of a maximum control frequency of the device.

Abstract: A group III nitride-based transistor capable of achieving terahertz-range cutoff and maximum frequencies of operation at relatively high drain voltages is provided. In an embodiment, two additional independently biased electrodes are used to control the electric field and space-charge close to the gate edges.

Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) including a monolithically integrated gate control circuit element can be included in, for example, a radio frequency switch circuit. For example, the FET can be included as a series and/or shunt FET of a radio frequency coplanar waveguide circuit. The widths of the series and shunt FETs of a switch circuit can be selected to provide a target isolation and/or a target insertion loss for a target operating frequency.

Abstract: Methods of achieving high breakdown voltages in semiconductor devices by suppressing the surface flashover using high dielectric strength insulating encapsulation material are generally described. In one embodiment of the present invention, surface flashover in AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) is suppressed by using high dielectric strength insulating encapsulation material. Surface flashover in as-fabricated III-Nitride based HFETs limits the operating voltages at levels well below the breakdown voltages of GaN.

Abstract: A switch circuit is provided that includes at least one main switching device and at least one shunt switching device. Each main switching device is connected in series with a conductor that carries an RF signal between an input circuit and an output circuit. Each shunt switching device is connected between a controlling terminal of the main switching device and a high frequency ground. The switch circuit can provide substantially improved OFF state isolation over other approaches.

Abstract: A solution for designing a semiconductor device, in which two or more attributes of a pair of electrodes are determined to, for example, minimize resistance between the electrodes, is provided. Each electrode can include a current feeding contact from which multiple fingers extend, which are interdigitated with the fingers of the other electrode in an alternating pattern. The attributes can include a target depth of each finger, a target effective width of each pair of adjacent fingers, and/or one or more target attributes of the current feeding contacts. Subsequently, the device and/or a circuit including the device can be fabricated.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a low conducting field-controlling element is provided. The device can include a semiconductor including an active region, and a set of contacts to the active region. The field-controlling element can be coupled to one or more of the contacts in the set of contacts. The field-controlling element can be formed of a low conducting layer having a sheet resistance between approximately 103 Ohms per square and approximately 107 Ohms per square. During direct current and/or low frequency operation, the field-controlling element can behave similar to a metal electrode. However, during high frequency operation, the field-controlling element can behave similar to an insulator.