Patents by Inventor T. Warren Weeks, Jr.
T. Warren Weeks, Jr. 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).
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Publication number: 20150287792Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2015Publication date: October 8, 2015Inventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20150187880Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2014Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin Lanier Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 9064775Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2014Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin Lanier Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20150108495Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin Lanier Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 8937335Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 8928035Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 8928034Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20140353680Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2014Publication date: December 4, 2014Inventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin Lanier Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20140131659Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20140097446Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20140077222Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: INTERNATIONAL RECTIFIER CORPORATIONInventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 8592862Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2012Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 8344417Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2012Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20120119223Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2012Publication date: May 17, 2012Inventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 8105921Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2008Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: International Rectifier CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin Lanier Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Publication number: 20090104758Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2008Publication date: April 23, 2009Applicant: Nitronex CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, JR., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum
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Patent number: 7485512Abstract: A method of compensating resistivity of a near-surface region of a substrate includes epitaxially growing a buffer layer on the substrate, wherein the buffer is grown as having a dopant concentration as dependent on resistivity and conductivity of the substrate, so as to deplete residual or excess charge within the near-surface region of the substrate. The dopant profile of the buffer layer be smoothly graded, or may consist of sub-layers of different dopant concentration, to also provide a highly resistive upper portion of the buffer layer ideal for subsequent device growth. Also, the buffer layer may be doped with carbon, and aluminum may be used to getter the carbon during epitaxial growth.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2006Date of Patent: February 3, 2009Assignee: Cree, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Harris, Thomas Gehrke, T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Cem Basceri, Elif Berkman
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Patent number: 7364988Abstract: A method of manufacturing a heterojunction device includes forming a first layer of p-type aluminum gallium nitride; forming a second layer of undoped gallium nitride on the first layer; and forming a third layer of aluminum gallium nitride on the second layer, to provide an electron gas between the second and third layers. A heterojunction between the first and second layers injects positive charge into the second layer to compensate and/or neutralize negative charge within the electron gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2005Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Cree, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Harris, Thomas Gehrke, T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Cem Basceri
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Patent number: 7326971Abstract: A heterojunction device includes a first layer of p-type aluminum gallium nitride; a second layer of undoped gallium nitride on the first layer; a third layer of aluminum gallium nitride on the second layer; and an electron gas between the second and third layers. A heterojunction between the first and second layers injects positive charge into the second layer to compensate and/or neutralize negative charge within the electron gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2005Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Cree, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Harris, Thomas Gehrke, T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Cem Basceri
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Patent number: 6649287Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2000Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: Nitronex CorporationInventors: T. Warren Weeks, Jr., Edwin L. Piner, Thomas Gehrke, Kevin J. Linthicum