VERTICAL GaN-BASED METAL INSULATOR SEMICONDUCTOR FET

Richard J. Brown

Patent

Atlas literature

Patent

US 8,558,242

VERTICAL GaN-BASED METAL INSULATOR SEMICONDUCTOR FET

Richard J. Brown, Hui Nei, Andrew Edwards, Isik Kizilyalli et al.

Claims

Claims define the patent's legal scope. Independent claims stand alone; dependent claims (nested) narrow them. Click a claim to expand its dependents.

5 independent · 17 dependent

1
IndependentIII-nitride substratefirst III-nitride layer (first conductivity type)second III-nitride layer (second conductivity type)third III-nitride layer (third conductivity type)semiconductor structure (III-nitride)
A semiconductor structure comprising: a I II -nitride substrate having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface; a ﬁrst I II -nitride layer of a ﬁrst conductivity type coupled to the top surface of the III -nitride substrate; a second I II -nitride layer of a second conductivity type coupled to the ﬁrst III- nitride layer along a vertical direction; a third I II -nitride layer of a third conductivity type coupled to the second III- nitride layer along the vertical direction; a ﬁrst trench extending through a portion of the third I II -nitride layer to the ﬁrst III -nitride layer; a second trench extending through another portion of the third I II -nitride layer to the second I II -nitride layer; [[and]] a ﬁrst metal layer coupled to the second and the third I II -nitride layers; and a second metal la yer cou pled to the bottom surface of the I II -nitride substrate.
1. 2
  Dependent← claim 1dielectric materialsemiconductor structure (III-nitride)
  The semiconductor structure of claim 1 wherein a sidewall of each of the ﬁrst trench and the second trench is lined by a layer of dielectric material.
2. 4
  Dependent← claim 1second III-nitride layer (second conductivity type)semiconductor structure (III-nitride)
  The semiconductor structure of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the second I II -nitride layer ranges from about 100 nanometers to about 2,000 nanometers.
3. 5
  Dependent← claim 1AlGaNInGaNsemiconductor structure (III-nitride)
  The semiconductor structure of claim 1 wherein the second III- nitride layer comprises one of AlGaN or InGaN.
4. 6
  Dependent← claim 1third III-nitride layer (third conductivity type)semiconductor structure (III-nitride)
  The semiconductor structure of claim 1 wherein the third III- nitride layer is characterized by a thickness of up to 500 nanometers.
5. 7
  Dependent← claim 1third III-nitride layer (third conductivity type)semiconductor structure (III-nitride)
  The semiconductor structure of claim 1 wherein a dopant concentration of the third I II -nitride layer is between 1 x 10 18 cm- 3 and 1 x 10 2 cm⁻³.
3
Independent
. canceled
8
IndependentIII-nitride substratefirst III-nitride layer (first conductivity type)second III-nitride layer (second conductivity type)third III-nitride layer (third conductivity type)vertical III-nitride field effect transistor
A vertical I II -nitride ﬁeld eﬀect transistor comprising: a drain comprising a ﬁrst I-I nitride an n + type material; a drain contact electrically coupled to the drain; a drift region comprising a second I II -nitride material coupled to the drain and disposed adjacent to the drain along a vertical direction; a channel region comprising a third III -nitride material coupled to the drift region; a gate region coupled to the channel region; a gate contact electrically coupled to the gate region; a source coupled to the channel region; and a source contact electrically coupled to the source; wherein the channel region is disposed between the drain and the source along the vertical direction such that current ﬂow during operation of the vertical III -nitride ﬁeld eﬀect transistor is along the vertical direction from the source to the drain via the drift region.
1. 10
  Dependent← claim 8GaNvertical III-nitride field effect transistor
  The vertical III -nitride ﬁeld eﬀect transistor of claim 8 wherein the second I II -nitride material comprises an n- type GaN epitaxial layer having a dopant concentration less than or equal to a dopant concentration of the ﬁr-st-M4itide n, type material.
2. 11
  Dependent← claim 8p-type III-nitride material (channel region)vertical III-nitride field effect transistor
  The vertical III -nitride ﬁeld eﬀect transistor of claim 8 wherein the channel region comprises a p-type I II -nitride material.
3. 12
  Dependent← claim 8n+ type III-nitride material (source)vertical III-nitride field effect transistor
  The vertical III -nitride ﬁeld eﬀect transistor of claim 8 wherein the source comprises a III-nitride material having an n + type.
9
Independent
. canceled
13
IndependentIII-nitride substratefirst III-nitride layer (first conductivity type)second III-nitride layer (second conductivity type)third III-nitride layer (third conductivity type)dielectric material
A method comprising: providing a I II -nitride substrate having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface; forming a ﬁrst I II -nitride epitaxial layer over the top surface of the I II -nitride substrate, wherein the ﬁrst I II -nitride epitaxial layer is characterized by a ﬁrst conductivity; forming a second I II -nitride epitaxial layer over the ﬁrst I II -nitride layer, wherein the second I II -nitride epitaxial layer is characterized by a second conductivity opposite of the ﬁrst conductivity; forming a third I II -nitride epitaxial layer over the second I II -nitride layer, wherein the third I II -nitride epitaxial layer is characterized by a third conductivity; removing a portion of the third I II -nitride epitaxial layer and the second I II -nitride epitaxial layer to form a ﬁrst trench extending through a thickness of the third I II -nitride epitaxial layer and further protruding into the second I II -nitride epitaxial layer; removing another portion of the third I II-nitride epitaxial layer, the second III- nitride epitaxial layer, and a portion of the ﬁrst I II -nitride epitaxial layer to form a second trench extending through the thickness of the third I II -nitride epitaxial layer, through a thickness of the second I II -nitride material, and further protruding into the ﬁrst I II -nitride epitaxial layer; forming a dielectric layer over the third I II -nitride epitaxial layer; forming a ﬁrst metallic structure electrically coupled to the third I II -nitride layer; forming a second metallic structure electrically coupled to the second I II -nitride layer; and forming a metal structure overlying the dielectric layer, wherein the metal structure is electrically coupled to the third I II -nitride layer via the ﬁrst metallic structure and to the second I II -nitride layer via the second metallic structure.
1. 14
  Dependent← claim 13dielectric material
  The method of claim 13 wherein the dielectric layer lines inner walls of the ﬁrst trench and the second trench.
2. 15
  Dependent← claim 13III-nitride substrate
  The method of claim 13 f u rther comprising forming a third metallic structure electrically coupled to the I II -nitride substrate.
3. 16
  Dependent← claim 13first III-nitride layer (first conductivity type)
  The method of claim 13 wherein the ﬁrst I II -nitride epitaxial layer is characterized by a thickness ranging from about 5 p m to about 100 pm.
4. 17
  Dependent← claim 13second III-nitride layer (second conductivity type)
  The method of claim 13 wherein the second I II -nitride epitaxial layer is characterized by a thickness ranging from about 100 nm to 1,000 nm.
5. 18
  Dependent← claim 13GaN
  The method of claim 13 wherein the ﬁrst I II -nitride epitaxial layer comprises an n-type GaN layer.
6. 19
  Dependent← claim 13
  The method of claim 13 wherein the third conductivity is same as the ﬁrst conductivity.
7. 20
  Dependent← claim 13dielectric material
  The method of claim 13 wherein forming the dielectric layer comprises performing at least one of an Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOC VD) process or an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) process.
8. 21
  Dependent← claim 13
  The method of claim 13 wherein the metal structure ﬁlls the ﬁrst trench and the second trench and a ﬁrst portion of the metal structure is electrically coupled to the third I II -nitride epitaxial layer and a second portion of the metal structure is electrically coupled to the second I II -nitride epitaxial layer.
9. 22
  Dependent← claim 13SiO₂SiONsilicon gallium nitridesilicon aluminum nitrideAlGaNAlN
  The method of claim 13 wherein the dielectric layer comprises at least one of silicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon gallium nitride, silicon aluminum nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, or aluminum nitride. Page 5 of 7

Device structures

Layer stacks claimed or described, ordered top of device to substrate.

semiconductor structure (III-nitride)

third III-nitride layer (third conductivity type)third conductivity layer

second III-nitride layer (second conductivity type)second conductivity layer

first III-nitride layer (first conductivity type)first conductivity layer

III-nitride substratesubstrate

vertical III-nitride field effect transistor

third III-nitride layer (third conductivity type)source (III-nitride n+)

Materials

Materials described outside the worked examples.

III-nitride substrate

Substrate

first III-nitride layer (first conductivity type)

First Epitaxial Layer/Drift Region

second III-nitride layer (second conductivity type)

Second Epitaxial Layer/Channel Region

Reported properties

Performance values and ranges asserted in the specification or claims.

Property	Value	Material
Thickness	100–2000 nm	—
Thickness

Why these are connected

Related documents with shared materials, methods, properties, or citations.

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