Patents by Inventor Jianjun Cao

Jianjun Cao 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).

  • Patent number: 8404508
    Abstract: An enhancement-mode GaN transistor and a method of forming it. The enhancement-mode GaN transistor includes a substrate, transition layers, a buffer layer comprised of a III Nitride material, a barrier layer comprised of a III Nitride material, drain and source contacts, a gate III-V compound containing acceptor type dopant elements, and a gate metal, where the gate III-V compound and the gate metal are formed with a single photo mask process to be self-aligned and the bottom of the gate metal and the top of the gate compound have the same dimension. The enhancement mode GaN transistor may also have a field plate made of Ohmic metal, where a drain Ohmic metal, a source Ohmic metal, and the field plate are formed by a single photo mask process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Efficient Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Alana Nakata, Jianjun Cao, Guang Yuan Zhao
  • Patent number: 8350294
    Abstract: A MISFET, such as a GaN transistor, with low gate leakage. In one embodiment, the gate leakage is reduced with a compensated GaN layer below the gate contact and above the barrier layer. In another embodiment, the gate leakage is reduced by employing a semi-insulating layer below the gate contact and above the barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Efficient Power Conversion Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Jianjun Cao, Alana Nakata, Guang Yuan Zhao
  • Patent number: 8338861
    Abstract: A III-nitride heterojunction power semiconductor device that includes a passivation body with a gate well having a top mouth that is wider than the bottom mouth thereof, and a method of fabrication for the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Michael A. Briere, Paul Bridger, Jianjun Cao
  • Publication number: 20120193688
    Abstract: A self-aligned transistor gate structure that includes an ion-implanted portion of gate material surrounded by non-implanted gate material on each side. The gate structure may be formed, for example, by applying a layer of GaN material over an AlGaN barrier layer and implanting a portion of the GaN layer to create the gate structure that is laterally surrounded by the GaN layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Jianjun Cao, Robert Beach, Robert Strittmatter, Guang Y. Zhao, Alana Nakata
  • Publication number: 20120175631
    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: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Alana Nakata, Jianjun Cao, Guang Yuan Zhao, Robert Strittmatter, Fang Chang Liu
  • Publication number: 20120153300
    Abstract: Circuits, structures and techniques for independently connecting a surrounding material in a part of a semiconductor device to a contact of its respective device. To achieve this, a combination of one or more conductive wells that are electrically isolated in at least one bias polarity are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Jianjun Cao, Robert Beach, Johan Strydom, Alana Nakata, Guang Y. Zhao
  • Patent number: 8174051
    Abstract: A III-nitride power device that includes a Schottky electrode surrounding one of the power electrodes of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Yanping Ma, Robert Beach, Michael A. Briere
  • Publication number: 20110248283
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices, such as GaN HEMT and HFET devices, and methods of forming such devices, with a via that provides an electrical connection between a contact and a corresponding external contact pad. Embodiments include semiconductor devices with a via extending through a dielectric material to connect a gate to a corresponding external contact pad, and semiconductor devices with a via extending through a dielectric material to connect an Ohmic contact and a corresponding external contact pad. Embodiments also include semiconductor devices with a via connecting an external contact pad to a gate that is formed above a dielectric material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Robert Beach, Alexander Lidow, Alana Nakata
  • Publication number: 20110241019
    Abstract: A III-nitride semiconductor device which includes a barrier body between the gate electrode and the gate dielectric thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Beach, Zhi He, Jianjun Cao
  • Publication number: 20110244671
    Abstract: A III-nitride semiconductor device which includes a barrier body between the gate electrode and the gate dielectric thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Beach, Zhi He, Jianjun Cao
  • Patent number: 7973304
    Abstract: A III-nitride semiconductor device which includes a barrier body between the gate electrode and the gate dielectric thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Beach, Zhi He, Jianjun Cao
  • Publication number: 20100258841
    Abstract: An enhancement-mode GaN transistor, the transistor having a substrate, transition layers, a buffer layer comprised of a III Nitride material, a barrier layer comprised of a III Nitride material, drain and source contacts, a gate containing acceptor type dopant elements, and a diffusion barrier comprised of a III Nitride material between the gate and the buffer layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Guang Y. Zhao, Jianjun Cao
  • Publication number: 20100258848
    Abstract: A MISFET, such as a GaN transistor, with low gate leakage. In one embodiment, the gate leakage is reduced with a compensated GaN layer below the gate contact and above the barrier layer. In another embodiment, the gate leakage is reduced by employing a semi-insulating layer below the gate contact and above the barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Jianjun Cao, Alana Nakata, Guang Yuan Zhao
  • Publication number: 20100258842
    Abstract: An enhancement mode GaN transistor having a gate pGaN structure having a thickness which avoids dielectric failure. In one embodiment, this thickness is in the range of 400 ? to 900 ?. In a preferred embodiment, the thickness is 600 ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Alana Nakata, Jianjun Cao, Guang Yuan Zhao
  • Publication number: 20100258844
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a silicon substrate, a compound semiconductor material, an insulating material between the silicon substrate and the compound semiconductor material, and a top surface comprising means of electrical connection, and passivation material, where the passivation material is silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, or a combination of both. The present invention eliminates the need for a thick electrical insulator between a heat sink and the back surface of a surface mounted device by the inclusion of an AlN seed layer to electrically isolate the silicon substrate of the device. The sidewalls of the device are also electrically isolated from the active area of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Alana Nakata, Jianjun Cao
  • Publication number: 20100258843
    Abstract: An enhancement-mode GaN transistor and a method of forming it. The enhancement-mode GaN transistor includes a substrate, transition layers, a buffer layer comprised of a III Nitride material, a barrier layer comprised of a III Nitride material, drain and source contacts, a gate III-V compound containing acceptor type dopant elements, and a gate metal, where the gate III-V compound and the gate metal are formed with a single photo mask process to be self-aligned and the bottom of the gate metal and the top of the gate compound have the same dimension. The enhancement mode GaN transistor may also have a field plate made of Ohmic metal, where a drain Ohmic metal, a source Ohmic metal, and the field plate are formed by a single photo mask process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander Lidow, Robert Beach, Alana Nakata, Jianjun Cao, Guang Yuan Zhao
  • Patent number: 7692316
    Abstract: An audio amplifier assembly that includes a semiconductor package having a semiconductor power die tuned for class D amplifier applications and a conductive clip used for low inductance integration into the amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Jorge Cerezo, Ajit Dubhashi, Qun Zhao
  • Patent number: 7679111
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device having a termination structure that includes a polysilicon field plate, a metallic field plate, and a polysilicon equipotential ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Nazanin Amani, Daniel M. Kinzer
  • Publication number: 20100006895
    Abstract: A III-nitride power switch that includes a III-nitride heterojunction, field dielectric bodies disposed over the heterojunction, and a gate electrode that does not overlap the top surface of the field dielectric bodies and is disposed over a well in the III-nitride heterojunction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Robert Beach, Sadiki Jordan
  • Patent number: 7619280
    Abstract: The active area of a current sense die is surrounded by a transition region which extends to the terminating periphery of the die. Spaced parallel MOSgated trenches extend through and define an active area. The trench positions in the transition region are eliminated or are deactivated, as by shorting to the MOSFET source of the trench, or by removing the source regions in areas of the transition region. By inactivating MOSgate action in the transition region surrounding the source, the device is made less sensitive to current ratio variation due to varying manufacturing tolerances. The gate to source capacitance is increased by surrounding the active area with an enlarged P+ field region which is at least five times the area of the active region, thereby to make the device less sensitive to ESD failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventors: Jianjun Cao, Ying Xiao, Kyle Spring, Daniel M. Kinzer