III-nitride devices with through-via structures

A semiconductor device, comprising

• a III-N device comprising an insulating substrate, the insulating substrate comprising a first side and a second side;
• a III-N material structure on a first side of the insulating substrate, and a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode on a side of the III-N material structure opposite the substrate;
• a backmetal layer on the second side of the insulating substrate;
• a via-hole formed through the III-N material structure and the insulating substrate, wherein a metal formed in the via-hole is electrically connected to the drain electrode on the first side of the substrate and electrically connected to the backmetal layer on the second side of the substrate;
• and
• a second via-hole formed through the III-N material structure and the insulating substrate, and a metal formed in the second via-hole is electrically connected to the gate electrode on the first side of the substrate and electrically connected to a second backmetal layer on the second side of the substrate.

A semiconductor device, comprising

• a III-N device comprising an insulating substrate, the insulating substrate comprising a first side and a second side;
• a III-N material structure on a first side of the insulating substrate, and a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode on a side of the III-N material structure opposite the substrate;
• a backmetal layer on the second side of the insulating substrate;
• a via-hole formed through the III-N material structure and the insulating substrate, wherein a metal formed in the via-hole is electrically connected to the drain electrode on the first side of the substrate and electrically connected to the backmetal layer on the second side of the substrate;
• and
• a second via-hole formed through the III-N material structure and the insulating substrate, and a metal formed in the second via-hole is electrically connected to the source electrode on the first side of the substrate and electrically connected to a second backmetal layer on the second side of the substrate.

An electronic component, comprising:

• an enhancement-mode transistor;
• a depletion-mode transistor comprising an insulating substrate and a backmetal layer;
• and
• a package comprising a conductive structural package base, the package enclosing both the enhancement-mode transistor and the depletion-mode transistor;
• wherein a gate electrode of the enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to a gate terminal of the package, a source electrode of the enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to a source terminal of the package, and the gate electrode of the depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to the source terminal of the package;
• wherein a drain electrode of the depletion-mode transistor directly contacts and is electrically connected to the backmetal layer, the backmetal layer is directly contacting and electrically connected to the conductive structural package base, and the conductive structural package base is electrically connected to a drain terminal of the package.

A semiconductor device, comprising:

• a III-N device comprising an insulating substrate, the insulating substrate comprising a first side and a second side;
• a III-N material structure on a first side of the insulating substrate, and a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode on a side of the III-N material structure opposite the substrate, and a dielectric layer over the III-N material structure, wherein the III-N material structure comprises a III-N barrier layer, and a III-N channel layer, and a compositional difference between the III-N barrier layer and the III-N channel layer causes a lateral 2DEG channel to be induced in the III-N channel layer, and the drain electrode is electrically connected to the 2DEG;
• a backmetal layer on the second side of the insulating substrate, wherein the backmetal layer is configured to be electrically coupled to a ground;
• and
• a via-hole formed through the III-N material structure and the insulating substrate, wherein a metal formed in the via-hole is electrically connected to the source electrode on the first side of the substrate and electrically connected to the backmetal layer on the second side of the substrate and the source electrode is fully encapsulated in the dielectric layer on the first side of the substrate.

An electronic module, comprising:

• a base substrate comprising an insulating layer between a first metal layer and a second metal layer, the first metal layer including a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein a trench formed through the first metal layer electrically isolates the first, second and third portions of the first metal layer from one another;
• a high-side switch comprising an enhancement-mode transistor and a depletion-mode transistor, wherein the depletion-mode transistor comprises a III-N material structure on a first side of an insulating substrate and a backmetal layer on a second side opposite the first side;
• a via-hole is formed through the III-N material structure and the insulating substrate;
• and
• a low-side switch;
• wherein a source electrode of the enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to the second portion of the first metal layer, a drain electrode of the enhancement-mode transistor is electrically connected to a source electrode of the depletion-mode transistor, a gate electrode of the depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to the second portion of the first metal layer, and a metal formed in the via-hole is electrically connected to the drain electrode of the depletion-mode transistor and electrically connected to the backmetal layer, and the backmetal layer is electrically connected and physically mounted to the first portion of the first metal layer.