With Confinement Of Carriers By At Least Two Heterojunctions (e.g., Dhhemt, Quantum Well Hemt, Dhmodfet) (epo) Patents (Class 257/E29.248)
  • Patent number: 7696535
    Abstract: A gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, in which an inner field-plate is disposed between the gate and drain of the high electron mobility transistor, so that an electric field is distributed between gate and drain regions to reduce a peak value and to reduce gate leakage current while maintaining high frequency performance, thus obtaining a high breakdown voltage, reducing the capacitance between the gate and the drain attributable to a shielding effect, and improving linearity and high power and high frequency characteristics through variation in the input voltage of the inner field-plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Kyounghoon Yang, Sungsik Lee, Kiwon Lee, Kwangui Ko
  • Patent number: 7683400
    Abstract: A Si(1-x)MxC material for heterostructures on SiC can be grown by CVD, PVD and MOCVD. SIC doped with a metal such as Al modifies the bandgap and hence the heterostructure. Growth of SiC Si(1-x)MxC heterojunctions using SiC and metal sources permits the fabrication of improved HFMTs (high frequency mobility transistors), HBTs (heterojunction bipolar transistors), and HEMTs (high electron mobility transistors).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Narsingh B. Singh, Brian P. Wagner, David J. Knuteson, Michael E. Aumer, Andre Berghmans, Darren Thomson, David Kahler
  • Patent number: 7663161
    Abstract: A transistor includes: a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer with a first region and a second region, which are sequentially formed above a substrate; a first p-type semiconductor layer formed on a region of the second semiconductor layer other than the first and second regions; and a second p-type semiconductor layer formed on the first p-type semiconductor layer. The first p-type semiconductor layer is separated from a drain electrode by interposing therebetween a first groove having a bottom composed of the first region, and from a source electrode by interposing therebetween a second groove having a bottom composed of the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kaibara, Masahiro Hikita, Tetsuzo Ueda, Yasuhiro Uemoto, Tsuyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7652311
    Abstract: A III-nitride based field effect transistor obtains improved performance characteristics through manipulation of the relationship between the in-plane lattice constant of the interface of material layers. A high mobility two dimensional electron gas generated at the interface of the III-nitride materials permits high current conduction with low ON resistance, and is controllable through the manipulation of spontaneous polarization fields obtained according to the characteristics of the III-nitride material. The field effect transistor produced can be made to be a nominally on device where the in-plane lattice constants of the material forming the interface match. A nominally off device may be produced where one of the material layers has an in-plane lattice constant that is larger than that of the other layer material. The layer materials are preferably InAlGaN/GaN layers that are particularly tailored to the characteristics of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Robert Beach
  • Patent number: 7560752
    Abstract: A field effect transistor (FET) includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer being formed on the first semiconductor layer and having a band gap energy greater than that of the first semiconductor layer. The first and second semiconductor layers are made of a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer, formed on the first semiconductor layer are a gate electrode 36 and a source electrode 35, formed on the second semiconductor layer is a drain electrode 37, and the drain electrode and the gate electrode are formed respectively on opposing planes of a semiconductor structure which contains the first and second semiconductor layers. This arrangement enables a drain's breakdown voltage to be increased in the FET, because the gate electrode 36 and the drain electrode 37 are respectively disposed, in a spatial separation of each other, on different planes instead of the same plane of the semiconductor structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Akamatsu, Yuji Ohmaki
  • Patent number: 7557378
    Abstract: A heterostructure having a heterojunction comprising: a diamond layer; and a boron aluminum nitride (B(x)Al(1?x)N) layer disposed in contact with a surface of the diamond layer, where x is between 0 and 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. LaRoche, William E. Hoke, Steven D. Bernstein, Ralph Korenstein
  • Patent number: 7550784
    Abstract: Contacts for a nitride based transistor and methods of fabricating such contacts provide a recess through a regrowth process. The contacts are formed in the recess. The regrowth process includes fabricating a first cap layer comprising a Group III-nitride semiconductor material. A mask is fabricated and patterned on the first cap layer. The pattern of the mask corresponds to the pattern of the recesses for the contacts. A second cap layer comprising a Group III-nitride semiconductor material is selectively fabricated (e.g. grown) on the first cap layer utilizing the patterned mask. Additional layers may also be formed on the second cap layer. The mask may be removed to provide recess(es) to the first cap layer, and contact(s) may be formed in the recess(es). Alternatively, the mask may comprise a conductive material upon which a contact may be formed, and may not require removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam William Saxler, Richard Peter Smith, Scott T. Sheppard
  • Patent number: 7547910
    Abstract: Affords a semiconductor light-emitting device in which a decrease in external quantum efficiency has been minimized even at high current densities. In a semiconductor light-emitting device (11), a gallium nitride cladding layer (13) has a threading dislocation density of 1×107 cm?2 or less. An active region (17) has a quantum well structure (17a) consisted of a plurality of well layers (19) and a plurality of barrier layers (21), and the quantum well structure (17a) is provided so as to emit light having a peak wavelength within the wavelength range of 420 nm to 490 nm inclusive. The well layers (19) each include an un-doped InXGa1-XN (0<X<0.14, X: strained composition) region. The barrier layers (21) include an un-doped InYGa1-YN (0?Y?0.05, Y: strained composition, Y<X) region. Herein, indium composition X is indicated as strained composition, not as relaxation composition, in the embodiments of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsushi Akita, Yusuke Yoshizumi, Takashi Kyono, Hiroyuki Kitabayashi, Koji Katayama
  • Patent number: 7508014
    Abstract: A field effect transistor including an i-type first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer formed on the first semiconductor layer and having a band gap energy higher in magnitude than that of the first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer and second semiconductor layer are each made of a gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor layer. A gate electrode is formed on the second semiconductor layer and a second electrode is formed on the first semiconductor layer. Thus, the field effect transistor is constructed in such a manner as the first semiconductor layer and second semiconductor layer are interposed between the gate electrode and the second electrode. Thus field effect transistor is able to discharge the holes that are accumulated in the channel from the elemental structure and to improve the withstand voltage of the field effect transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 7501670
    Abstract: A circuit includes an input drain, source and gate nodes. The circuit also includes a group III nitride depletion mode FET having a source, drain and gate, wherein the gate of the depletion mode FET is coupled to a potential that maintains the depletion mode FET in its on-state. In addition, the circuit further includes an enhancement mode FET having a source, drain and gate. The source of the depletion mode FET is serially coupled to the drain of the enhancement mode FET. The drain of the depletion mode FET serves as the input drain node, the source of the enhancement mode FET serves as the input source node and the gate of the enhancement mode FET serves as the input gate node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Velox Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Murphy
  • Patent number: 7476918
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a HFET formed on part of a substrate made of sapphire and including a Group III-V nitride semiconductor layer, a dielectric film formed on the substrate to cover the top and side surfaces and upper corners of the Group III-V nitride semiconductor layer, a microstrip line formed with the dielectric film interposed between the substrate and the microstrip line, and a drain lead which is formed on part of the dielectric film and through which the HFET is electrically connected to the microstrip line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Nishijima, Daisuke Ueda
  • Publication number: 20080258135
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure having: a channel layer having a conductive channel therein; a pair of polarization generating layers; a spacer layer disposed between the pair of polarization generating layers. The polarization generating layers create polarization fields along a common, predetermined direction. Each one of the pair of polarizations layers may be InGaN; InAlGaN; or quaternary InxAlyGa1-x-yN and x is greater than or equal to y/2. The polarization generating layers create polarization fields along a common, predetermined direction constructively increasing the total polarization fields experienced by the channel layer to increase confinement of carriers in the conductive channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: William E. Hoke, Eduardo M. Chumbes
  • Patent number: 7432538
    Abstract: A field-effect transistor includes a channel layer having a channel and a carrier supply layer, disposed on the channel layer, containing a semiconductor represented by the formula AlxGa1-xN, wherein x is greater than 0.04 and less than 0.45. The channel is formed near the interface between the channel layer and the carrier supply layer or depleted, the carrier supply layer has a band gap energy greater than that of the channel layer, and x in the formula AlxGa1-xN decreases monotonically with an increase in the distance from the interface. The channel layer may be crystalline of gallium nitride. The channel layer may be undoped. X of the formula AlxGa1-xN of the carrier supply layer is greater than or equal to 0.15 and less than or equal to 0.40 at the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kosaki, Koji Hirata
  • Patent number: 7408208
    Abstract: A III-nitride power semiconductor device that includes a two dimensional electron gas having a low field region under the gate thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: International Rectifier Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Herman
  • Patent number: 7361536
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure a structure with an enhancement mode transistor device disposed in a first region and depletion mode transistor device disposed in a laterally displaced second region. The structure has a channel layer for the depletion mode and enhancement mode transistor devices. An enhancement mode transistor device InGaP etch stop/Schottky contact layer is disposed over the channel layer; a first layer different from InGaP disposed on the InGaP layer; a depletion mode transistor device etch stop layer is disposed on the first layer; and a second layer disposed on the depletion mode transistor device etch stop layer. The depletion mode transistor device has a gate recess passing through the second layer and the depletion mode transistor device etch stop layer and terminating in the first layer. The enhancement mode transistor device has a gate recess passing through the second layer, the depletion mode transistor device etch stop layer, the first layer, and terminating in the InGaP layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Kiuchul Hwang
  • Patent number: 7355215
    Abstract: High electron mobility transistors (HEMT) are provided having an output power of greater than 3.0 Watts when operated at a frequency of at least 30 GHz. The HEMT has a power added efficiency (PAE) of at least about 20 percent and/or a gain of at least about 7.5 dB. The total width of the HEMT is less than about 6.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Primit Parikh, Yifeng Wu, Adam William Saxler
  • Patent number: 7253454
    Abstract: A HEMT device including a GaN channel structure including a very thin (Al,In,Ga)N subchannel layer that is disposed between a first GaN channel layer and a second GaN channel layer, to effect band bending induced from the piezoelectric and spontaneous charges associated with the (Al,In,Ga)N subchannel layer. This GaN channel/(Al,In,Ga)N subchannel arrangement effectively disperses the 2DEG throughout the channel of the device, thereby rendering the device more linear in character (relative to a corresponding device lacking the subchannel (Al,In,Ga)N sub-layer), without substantial loss of electron mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam William Saxler