# US 12,224,340 B2 · Heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance

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- Number: US 12,224,340 B2
- Document ID: US12224340B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/417,663
- Filed: 2019-12-19
- Published: 2022-03-03
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-24
- Assignees: Southeast University; Csmc Technologies Fab2 Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Southeast University; Csmc Technologies Fab2 Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Siyang Liu; Chi Zhang; Kui Xiao; Guipeng Sun; Dejin Wang; Jiaxing Wei; Li Lu; Weifeng Sun; Shengli Lu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12224340B2

## CPC

- H10D 30/477: {Vertical HEMTs or vertical HHMTs}
- H10D 30/478: {the 2D charge carrier gas being at least partially not parallel to a main surface of the semiconductor body}
- H10D 62/114: {PN junction isolations}
- H10D 62/117: {Shapes of semiconductor bodies}
- 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 62/854: further characterised by the dopants
- H10D 62/343: {Gate regions of field-effect devices having PN junction gates}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

## Abstract

A heterojunction semiconductor device with a low on-resistance includes a metal drain electrode, a substrate, and a buffer layer. A current blocking layer is arranged in the buffer layer, a gate structure is arranged on the buffer layer, and the gate structure comprises a metal gate electrode, GaN pillars and AlGaN layers, wherein a metal source electrode is arranged above the metal gate electrode; and the current blocking layer comprises multiple levels of current blocking layers, the centers of symmetry of the layers are collinear, and annular inner openings of the current blocking layers at all levels gradually become smaller from top to bottom. The AlGaN layers and the GaN pillars are distributed in a honeycomb above the buffer layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance comprising:
a metal drain electrode, a substrate disposed on the metal drain electrode, a buffer layer disposed on the substrate, a current blocking layer disposed within the buffer layer, a gate structure disposed on the buffer layer and comprising a metal gate electrode, a metal source electrode disposed above the metal gate electrode, a first passivation layer disposed between the metal gate electrode and the metal source electrode, and a second passivation layer disposed between the metal gate electrode and the buffer layer;
wherein the current blocking layer comprises a first-level current blocking layer, a second-level current blocking layer, and a third-level current blocking layer which are sequentially arranged from top to bottom, the first-level current blocking layer is continuous as one whole piece and has only one inner opening when viewed in plan-view, the second-level current blocking layer is continuous as one whole piece and has only one inner opening when viewed in plan-view, and the third-level current blocking layer is continuous as one whole piece and has only one inner opening when viewed in plan-view, and symmetry centers of the first-level current blocking layer, the second-level current blocking layer, and the third-level current blocking layer are collinear;
the inner opening of the first-level current blocking layer is larger than the inner opening of the second-level current blocking layer, and the inner opening of the second-level current blocking layer is larger than the inner opening of the third-level current blocking layer, presenting a trend of becoming smaller level by level.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 1, wherein the gate structure further comprises a GaN pillar standing on an upper surface of the buffer layer, and an AlGaN layer wrapped on a side surface of the GaN pillar, a vertical channel being formed at an interface between the GaN pillar and the AlGaN layer in contact with each other; the metal gate electrode is located on an outer side of the AlGaN layer, the metal source electrode is located on upper surfaces of the GaN pillar and the AlGaN layer, and a Schottky contact is formed between the metal source electrode and the AlGaN layer; and
wherein, the GaN pillar and the AlGaN layer form a heterojunction structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 1, wherein the current blocking layer further comprises a fourth-level current blocking layer located below the third-level annular current blocking layer, a symmetry center of the fourth-level current blocking layer is collinear with the symmetry center of the third-level current blocking layer, and an inner opening of the fourth-level current blocking layer is smaller than the inner opening of the third-level current blocking layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 2, wherein a cross section of the AlGaN layer is in a regular hexagonal shape, and at least four AlGaN layers having N-type doped GaN pillars therein are disposed on the upper surface of the buffer layer and are distributed and arranged in a honeycomb shape.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 1, wherein a vertical distance between a lower surface of the metal gate electrode and an upper surface of the buffer layer is 0.25 μm to 0.4 μm, and a thickness of the metal gate electrode is 0.2 μm.

### Claim 6

A heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance, comprising:
a metal drain electrode;
a substrate disposed on the metal drain electrode;
a buffer layer disposed on the substrate;
a current blocking layer disposed within the buffer layer;
a gate structure disposed on the buffer layer; and
a metal source electrode disposed on the buffer layer;
wherein, the current blocking layer comprises a first-level current blocking layer, a second-level current blocking layer, and a third-level current blocking layer which are sequentially arranged from top to bottom, the first-level current blocking layer is continuous as one whole piece and has only one inner opening when viewed in plan-view, the second-level current blocking layer is continuous as one whole piece and has only one inner opening when viewed in plan-view, and the third-level current blocking layer is continuous as one whole piece and has only one inner opening when viewed in plan-view, and symmetry centers of the first-level current blocking layer, the second-level current blocking layer, and the third-level current blocking layer are collinear;
the inner opening of the first-level current blocking layer is larger than the inner opening of the second-level current blocking layer, and the inner opening of the second-level current blocking layer is larger than the inner opening of the third-level current blocking layer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 6, wherein the gate structure comprises:
a GaN pillar standing on an upper surface of the buffer layer;
an AlGaN layer wrapping the GaN pillar on a side surface of the GaN pillar, a vertical channel being formed at an interface between the AlGaN layer and the GaN pillar in contact with each other; and
a metal gate electrode disposed on an outer side of the AlGaN layer;
wherein the metal source electrode is located above the metal gate electrode and on upper surfaces of the GaN pillar and the AlGaN layer, and a Schottky contact is formed between the metal source electrode and the AlGaN layer; and
wherein, the GaN pillar and the AlGaN layer form a heterojunction structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 7, further comprising:
a first passivation layer disposed between the metal gate electrode and the metal source electrode; and
a second passivation layer disposed between the metal gate electrode and the buffer layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 7, wherein a cross section of the AlGaN layer is in a regular hexagonal shape, and at least four AlGaN layers having GaN pillars therein are disposed on the upper surface of the buffer layer, and each of the AlGaN layers are distributed and arranged in a honeycomb shape.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 9, wherein the GaN pillars are N-type doped GaN pillars.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 7, wherein the GaN pillars and the AlGaN layers are arranged in a matrix over the buffer layer, and the GaN pillars and the AlGaN layers are rectangular in horizontal cross-section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 7, wherein the gate structure further comprises a P-type doped GaN cap layer disposed between the metal gate electrode and the AlGaN layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 7, wherein a vertical distance between a lower surface of the metal gate electrode and an upper surface of the buffer layer is 0.25 μm to 0.4 μm, and a thickness of the metal gate electrode is 0.2 μm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 6, wherein the current blocking layer is formed by Mg ion implantation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 6)

The heterojunction semiconductor device with low on-resistance according to claim 6, wherein the current blocking layer further comprises a fourth-level current blocking layer located below the third-level current blocking layer, a symmetry center of the fourth-level current blocking layer is collinear with the symmetry center of the third-level current blocking layer, and an inner opening of the fourth-level current blocking layer is smaller than the inner opening of the third-level current blocking layer.