III-nitride semiconuctor devices having a boron nitride alloy contact layer and method of production

A method for making a III-nitride semiconductor device, the method comprising:

• determining work functions of (1) a first III-nitride contact layer having an initial composition and (2) a metal, wherein the determined work function of the first III-nitride contact layer is based on the initial composition of the first III-nitride contact layer;
• determining, based on the determined work functions of the first III-nitride contact layer having the initial composition and of the metal, that a Schottky contact is formed between the first III-nitride contact layer having the initial composition and the metal;
• determining an adjusted composition for the first III-nitride contact layer so that a contact barrier between (1) a first III-nitride contact layer having the adjusted composition and (2) the metal is reduced relative to a contact barrier between (3) the first III-nitride contact layer having the initial composition and (4) the metal, wherein the adjusted composition includes an amount of boron that increases the work function of the first III-nitride contact layer having the initial composition when the first III-nitride contact layer is n-type doped, and decreases the work function of the first III-nitride contact layer having the initial composition when the first III-nitride contact layer is p-type doped;
• and
• making the III-nitride semiconductor device comprising the first III-nitride contact layer having the adjusted composition, adjacent to a second III-nitride contact layer, a first metal contact, comprising the metal, arranged on the first III-nitride contact layer having the adjusted composition, and a second metal contact arranged on the second III-nitride contact layer,
• wherein the made III-nitride semiconductor device includes at least 0.1% boron in the first III-nitride contact layer having the adjusted composition,
• wherein the made III-nitride semiconductor device includes at least 0.1% of a group III element in the first III-nitride contact layer having the adjusted composition, and
• wherein the group III element is one of Al, Ga, and In.