# US 12,224,338 B2 · HEMT and fabricating method of the same

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- Number: US 12,224,338 B2
- Document ID: US12224338B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/214,932
- Filed: 2021-03-29
- Published: 2022-08-25
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2021-02-24
- Assignees: United Microelectronics Corp.
- Applicants: United Microelectronics Corp.
- Inventors: Huai-Tzu Chiang; Sheng-Hao Lin; Yi-Chun Chan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224338B2

## 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 30/015: {of FETs having heterojunction interface channels or heterojunction gate electrodes, e.g. HEMT}
- H10D 62/8503: {Nitride Group III-V materials, e.g. AlN or GaN}
- H10D 64/647: {Schottky drain or source electrodes for IGFETs}
- H10P 50/283: {by chemical means}
- H10D 62/343: {Gate regions of field-effect devices having PN junction gates}
- H10D 64/111: {Field plates}
- H10D 64/256: {for lateral devices wherein the source or drain electrodes are recessed in semiconductor bodies (source or drain electrodes of TFTs H10D30/673)}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

An HEMT includes a gallium nitride layer. An aluminum gallium nitride layer is disposed on the gallium nitride layer. A gate is disposed on the aluminum gallium nitride layer. The gate includes a P-type gallium nitride and a schottky contact layer. The P-type gallium nitride contacts the schottky contact layer, and a top surface of the P-type gallium nitride entirely overlaps a bottom surface of the schottky contact layer. A protective layer covers the aluminum gallium nitride layer and the gate. A source electrode is disposed at one side of the gate, penetrates the protective layer and contacts the aluminum gallium nitride layer. A drain electrode is disposed at another side of the gate, penetrates the protective layer and contacts the aluminum gallium nitride layer. A gate electrode is disposed directly on the gate, penetrates the protective layer and contacts the schottky contact layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), comprising:
a gallium nitride layer;
an aluminum gallium nitride layer disposed on the gallium nitride layer;
a gate disposed on the aluminum gallium nitride layer, wherein the gate consists of a P-type gallium nitride layer and a schottky contact layer, the P-type gallium nitride layer contacts the schottky contact layer, an entirety of the schottky contact layer does not contact the aluminum gallium nitride layer and a top surface of the P-type gallium nitride layer entirely overlaps a bottom surface of the schottky contact layer;
a protective layer covering the aluminum gallium nitride layer and the gate, wherein the protective layer contacts a topmost surface of the schottky contact layer;
a source electrode disposed at one side of the gate, penetrating the protective layer and contacting the aluminum gallium nitride layer;
a drain electrode disposed at another side of the gate, penetrating the protective layer and contacting the aluminum gallium nitride layer; and
a gate electrode disposed directly on the gate, penetrating the protective layer and contacting the topmost surface of the schottky contact layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein the schottky contact layer comprises a metal, a metal compound or alloy, a work function of the metal, a work function of the metal compound and a work function of the alloy are smaller than a work function of the P-type gallium nitride layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein a work function of the schottky contact layer is smaller than 6.1 electron volts.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein the schottky contact layer comprises TiN, TiW, TaN, Al, Ti, Mo, Au, W, Ni, Pd, Ta, Re, Ru, Pt or Co.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the schottky contact layer is larger than 50 angstroms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein an interface between the schottky contact layer and the P-type gallium nitride layer has a first width, an interface between the schottky contact layer and the gate electrode has a second width, and the second width is smaller than the first width.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein the gate electrode comprises Al, Cu or Ti, the source electrode and the drain electrode respectively comprises Al, Cu, Ti or TiN.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein the protective layer comprises silicon nitride or silicon oxide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The HEMT of claim 1, wherein the protective layer covers part of a top surface of the gate.

### Claim 10

A fabricating method of a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), comprising:
forming a gallium nitride layer, an aluminum gallium nitride layer, a P-type gallium nitride layer, and a schottky contact layer in sequence, wherein the schottky contact layer contacts P-type gallium nitride layer;
performing an etching process to etch the schottky contact layer and the P-type gallium nitride layer to form a gate by taking the aluminum gallium nitride layer as a first etching stop layer, wherein the P-type gallium nitride layer contacts the schottky contact layer, and a top surface of the P-type gallium nitride layer entirely overlaps a bottom surface of the schottky contact layer;
forming a protectively layer covering the gate and the aluminum gallium nitride layer;
etching the protective layer to form two first contact holes in the protective layer at two sides of the gate;
forming a source electrode and a drain electrode respectively in the two first contact holes;
after forming the source electrode and the drain electrode, etching the protective layer to form a second contact hole in the protective layer directly on the gate; and
forming a gate electrode in the second contact hole and contacting the schottky contact layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The fabricating method of the HEMT of claim 10, wherein the schottky contact layer comprises a metal, a metal compound or alloy, a work function of the metal, a work function of the metal compound and a work function of the alloy are smaller than a work function of the P-type gallium nitride layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The fabricating method of the HEMT of claim 10, wherein a work function of the schottky contact layer is smaller than 6.1 electron volts.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The fabricating method of the HEMT of claim 10, wherein the schottky contact layer comprises TIN, TiW, TaN, Al, Ti, Mo, Au, W, Ni, Pd, Ta, Re, Ru, Pt or Co.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The fabricating method of the HEMT of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the schottky contact layer is larger than 50 angstroms.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The fabricating method of the HEMT of claim 10, wherein the etching process comprises a dry etching or a wet etching.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The fabricating method of the HEMT of claim 10, wherein the etching process comprises:
etching the schottky contact layer by a first etchant;
after etching the schottky contact layer, etching the P-type gallium nitride layer by a second etchant, wherein the first etchant is different from the second etchant.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The fabricating method of the HEMT of claim 16, wherein the first etchant comprises fluorine-containing gas, chlorine-containing gas, BCl3/Cl2 gas, CHF3 gas, or HCl/H2O2/H2O solution, the second etchant comprises KOH/ethylene glycol solution, HCl/H2O solution, fluorine-containing gas, chlorine-containing gas, BCl3/SF6 gas, Cl2/Ar/O2 gas, Cl2/N2 gas, N2/Cl2/O2 gas, or Cl2/Ar gas.