# US 10,770,455 B2 · Electronic device including a transistor and a variable capacitor

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- Number: US 10,770,455 B2
- Document ID: US10770455B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/141,557
- Filed: 2018-09-25
- Published: 2020-03-26
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-25
- Assignees: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
- Applicants: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
- Inventors: Jaume Roig-Guitart
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770455B2

## CPC

- H10D 30/475: {having wider bandgap layer formed on top of lower bandgap active layer, e.g. undoped barrier HEMTs such as i-AlGaN/GaN HEMTs}
- H10D 84/811: {Combinations of field-effect devices and one or more diodes, capacitors or resistors}
- H03K 17/687: the devices being field-effect transistors
- H10D 1/64: Variable-capacitance diodes, e.g. varactors
- H10D 8/00: Diodes (variable-capacitance diodes H10D1/64; gated diodes H10D12/00)
- H10D 30/47: having two-dimensional [2D] charge carrier gas channels, e.g. nanoribbon FETs or high electron mobility transistors [HEMT]
- H10D 62/114: {PN junction isolations}
- H10D 84/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10D 84/05: using Group III-V technology
- H10D 84/84: Combinations of enhancement-mode IGFETs and depletion-mode IGFETs
- H10D 86/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10D 86/03: wherein the substrate comprises sapphire, e.g. silicon-on-sapphire [SOS]
- H10D 62/343: {Gate regions of field-effect devices having PN junction gates}
- H10D 62/824: comprising only Group III-V materials heterojunctions, e.g. GaN/AlGaN heterojunctions
- H10D 62/8503: {Nitride Group III-V materials, e.g. AlN or GaN}
- H10D 64/257: {for lateral devices wherein the source or drain electrodes are characterised by top-view geometrical layouts, e.g. interdigitated, semi-circular, annular or L-shaped electrodes (source or drain electrodes of TFTs H10D30/673)}
- H10W 72/5475: {multiple bond wires connected to common bond pads at both ends of the wires}
- H10W 72/926: {Multiple bond pads having different sizes}
- H10W 90/753: {between laterally-adjacent chips}
- H10W 90/754: {between a chip and a stacked insulating package substrate, interposer or RDL}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

In an aspect, a circuit can include a first HEMT, a second HEMT, and a variable capacitor. A drain of the first HEMT can be coupled to a source of the second HEMT. An electrode of the variable capacitor can be coupled to a source of the first HEMT, and another electrode of the variable capacitor can be coupled to a gate of the second HEMT. In another aspect, an electronic device can include a die including a HEMT and a variable capacitor. An electrode of the variable capacitor can be coupled to a source or a gate of the HEMT, and another electrode of the variable capacitor can be coupled to an external terminal of the die. In a further aspect, an electronic device comprising a die, wherein the die includes a variable capacitor, a first diode, and a second diode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A circuit comprising:
a first high electron mobility transistor;
a second high electron mobility transistor, wherein a drain of the first high electron mobility transistor is coupled to a source of the second high electron mobility transistor; and
a first variable capacitor, wherein a first electrode of the first variable capacitor is coupled to a source of the first high electron mobility transistor, and a second electrode of the first variable capacitor is coupled to a gate of the second high electron mobility transistor;
a first diode including a first electrode and a second electrode: and
a second diode including a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein:
the first electrode of the first diode is coupled to the second electrode of the first variable capacitor,
the second electrode of the first diode is electrically connected to the second electrode of the second diode,
the first electrode of the second diode is coupled to the drain of the first high electron mobility transistor and the source of the second high electron mobility transistor,
the first electrodes of the first diode and the second diode are both cathodes, and
the second electrodes of the first diode and the second diode are both anodes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The circuit of claim 1, wherein the drain of the first high electron mobility transistor and the source of the second high electron mobility transistor are electrically connected to each other at an intermediate node, and the first variable capacitor has a capacitance, such that, when the circuit is in an off-state, the intermediate node has a voltage that is within 10% of half of a voltage difference between a source of the first high electron mobility transistor and a drain of the second high electron mobility transistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a third high electron mobility transistor; and a second variable capacitor, wherein: a first electrode of the second variable capacitor is coupled to the gate of the second high electron mobility transistor, a second electrode of the second variable capacitor is coupled to a gate of the third high electron mobility transistor, and a drain of the second high electron mobility transistor is coupled to a source of the third high electron mobility transistor, and the first variable capacitor lies along a conduction path between the second variable capacitor and a source of the first high electron mobility transistor.

### Claim 4

An electronic device comprising a first die including:
a channel layer;
a barrier layer contacting the channel layer;
a first high electron mobility transistor that includes the barrier layer and the channel layer; and
a first variable capacitor,
wherein:
a first electrode of the first variable capacitor overlies a heterojunction between the barrier layer and the channel layer, wherein the first electrode of the first variable capacitor is coupled to a source or a gate of the first high electron mobility transistor, and
a second electrode of the first variable capacitor is coupled to a first external terminal of the first die.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a second die including a second high electron mobility transistor, wherein:
a gate electrode of the second high electron mobility transistor is coupled to a first external terminal of the second die that is coupled to the first external terminal of the first die,
a drain electrode of the first high electron mobility transistor is coupled to a second external terminal of the first die, and
a source electrode of the second high electron mobility transistor is coupled to a second external terminal of the second die that is coupled to the second external terminal of the first die.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the first electrode of the first variable capacitor is coupled to the source electrode of the first high electron mobility transistor, and the second electrode is coupled to the gate electrode of the second high electron mobility transistor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the first high electron mobility transistor is an enhancement-mode transistor, and the second high electron mobility transistor is a depletion-mode transistor.

### Claim 8

The electronic device 10, further comprising a third high electron mobility transistor and a second variable capacitor, wherein:
a drain of the second high electron mobility transistor is coupled to a source of the third high electron mobility transistor,
a first electrode of the second variable capacitor is coupled to the gate of the second high electron mobility transistor, and
a second electrode of the second variable capacitor is coupled to a gate of the third high electron mobility transistor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a first diode and a second diode, wherein:
a cathode of the first diode is electrically connected to the second electrode of the second variable capacitor,
an anode of the first diode is electrically connected to an anode of the second diode,
a cathode of the second diode is electrically connected to the drain of the second high electron mobility transistor and the source of the third high electron mobility transistor,
the third high electron mobility transistor is on a third die, and
the second variable capacitor and the first and second diodes are on a fourth die.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising first diode and a second diode, wherein:
a cathode of the first diode is coupled to the second electrode of the first variable capacitor,
an anode of the first diode is electrically connected to an anode of the second diode, and
a cathode of the second diode is coupled to a drain electrode of the first high electron mobility transistor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein:
the drain electrode of the first high electron mobility transistor and an interconnect of the first variable capacitor have substantially a same composition,
the gate electrode of the first high electron mobility transistor and a capacitor electrode of the first variable capacitor have substantially a same composition, and
a spacing between the drain electrode and the gate electrode of the first high electron mobility transistor is substantially the same as a spacing between the interconnect of the first variable capacitor and the capacitor electrode of the first variable capacitor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a first diode, a second diode, and a second high electron mobility transistor, wherein:
the first high electron mobility transistor is an enhancement-mode transistor,
the second high electron mobility transistor is a depletion-mode transistor,
the first electrode of the variable capacitor is electrically connected to the source of the first high electron mobility transistor,
the second electrode of the variable capacitor is electrically connected to the gate of the second high electron mobility transistor and to a cathode of the first diode,
a drain electrode of the first high electron mobility transistor is electrically connected to a source electrode of the second high electron mobility transistor and to a cathode of the second diode,
an anode of the first diode is electrically connected to an anode of the second diode,
the first high electron mobility transistor, the variable capacitor, and the first and second diodes are on a first die, and
the second high electron mobility transistor is on a second die.

### Claim 13

An electronic device comprising a first die, wherein the first die comprises:
a first external terminal, a second external terminal, and a third external terminal;
a variable capacitor including a first electrode and a second electrode;
a first diode including an anode and a cathode; and
a second diode including an anode and a cathode,
wherein:
the first electrode of the variable capacitor is coupled to the first external terminal of the first die,
the second electrode of the variable capacitor is coupled to the second external terminal of the first die,
the second electrode of the variable capacitor is electrically connected to the cathode of the first diode,
the anode of the first diode is electrically connected to an anode of the second diode, and
the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the third external terminal of the first die.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The electronic device of claim 13, further comprising a first high electron mobility transistor, wherein:
a gate of the first high electron mobility transistor is coupled to the first or second electrode of the variable capacitor, and
a drain or a source of the first high electron mobility transistor is coupled to the cathode of the second diode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The electronic device of claim 14, further comprising a second high electron mobility transistor, wherein:
the gate of the first high electron mobility transistor is coupled to the first electrode of the variable capacitor,
a gate of the second high electron mobility transistor is coupled to the second electrode of the variable capacitor,
the drain of the first high electron mobility transistor and a source of the second high electron mobility transistor are coupled to the cathode of the second diode, and
the first high electron mobility transistor, the second high electron mobility transistor, or both transistors are on at least one die different from the first die.

### Claim 16 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the variable capacitor is configured such that a capacitance of the variable capacitor significantly decreases at a voltage in a range from 300 V to 320 V.

### Claim 17 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a first diode and a second diode, wherein the second diode has a different number of diode structures as compared to the first diode.

### Claim 18 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first electrode of the first variable capacitor contacts the barrier layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 4)

The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first electrode of the first variable capacitor is spaced apart from the barrier layer by a capacitor dielectric layer of the first variable capacitor.