Abstract: A method and resulting ohmic contact structure between a high work function metal and a wide bandgap semiconductor for which the work function of the metal would ordinarily be insufficient to form an ohmic contact between the metal and the semiconductor. The structure can withstand annealing while retaining ohmic characteristics. The ohmic contact structure comprises a portion of single crystal wide bandgap semiconductor material; a contact formed of a high work function metal on the semiconductor portion; and a layer of doped p-type semiconductor material between the single crystal portion and the metal contact. The doped layer has a sufficient concentration of p-type dopant to provide ohmic behavior between the metal and the semiconductor material.

Abstract: A high power, high frequency, metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor comprises a bulk single crystal silicon carbide substrate, an optional first epitaxial layer of p-type conductivity silicon carbide formed upon the substrate, and a second epitaxial layer of n-type conductivity silicon carbide formed upon the first epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer has two separate well regions therein that are respectively defined by higher carrier concentrations of n-type dopant ions than are present in the remainder of the second epitaxial layer. Ohmic contacts are positioned upon the wells for respectively defining one of the well regions as the source and the other as the drain. A Schottky metal contact is positioned upon a portion of the second epitaxial layer that is between the ohmic contacts and thereby between the source and drain for forming an active channel in the second epitaxial layer when a bias is applied to the Schottky contact.

Abstract: A junction field-effect transistor is disclosed that comprises a bulk single crystal silicon carbide substrate having respective first and second surfaces opposite one another, the substrate having a single polytype and having a concentration of suitable dopant atoms so as to make the substrate a first conductivity type. A first epitaxial layer of silicon carbide is formed on the first surface of the substrate, and having a concentration of suitable dopant atoms that give the first epitaxial layer the first conductivity type. A second epitaxial layer of silicon carbide is formed on the first epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer having a concentration of suitable dopant atoms to give the second epitaxial layer a second conductivity type opposite from the first conductivity type.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method of etching a silicon carbide target. In one embodiment, a reactive ion plasma is formed from a gas which is easily dissociated into its elemental species in the plasma, for which all of the dissociated elemental species are volatile in the plasma, and for which at least one of the elemental species is reactive with silicon carbide. The silicon carbide target to be etched is positioned on one of the electrodes which is formed from a material with a low sputter yield and which material reacts with a dissociated species to thereby prevent contamination of the target with either sputtered materials from the electrode or polymerized species from the plasma.

Abstract: The invention is a method of forming a substantially planar surface on a monocrystalline silicon carbide crystal by exposing the substantially planar surface to an etching plasma until any surface or subsurface damage caused by any mechanical preparation of the surface is substantially removed. The etch is limited, however, to a time period less than that over which the plasma etch will develop new defects in the surface or aggravate existing ones, and while using a plasma gas and electrode system that do not themselves aggravate or cause substantial defects in the surface.

Abstract: The invention comprises a bipolar junction transistor formed in silicon carbide. By utilizing high temperature ion implantation of doping ions, the base and emitter can be formed as wells, resulting in a planar transistor. Mesa-type transistors are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor formed on silicon carbide. By utilizing new techniques for obtaining single crystals and monocrystalline thin films of silicon carbide, and by positioning the ohmic contact and the metal contact on a common side of the silicon carbide semiconductor portion, devices are obtained which are commercially viable and which demonstrate reduced series resistance, lesser leakage current and greater capacitance than have previous devices formed on silicon carbide.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method of etching silicon carbide targets. In one embodiment, a reactive ion plasma is formed from a gas which is easily dissociated into its elemental species in the plasma, for which all of the dissociated elemental species are volatile in the plasma, and for which at least one of the elemental species is reactive with silicon carbide. The silicon carbide target to be etched is positioned on one of the electrodes which is formed from a material with a low sputter yield and which material reacts with a dissociated species to thereby prevent contamination of the target with either sputtered materials from the electrode or polymerized species from the plasma.