Thick ALN Inter-Layer for III-Nitride Layer on Silicon Substrate
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsChi-Ming Chen, Po-Chun Liu, Chung-Yi Yu
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a gallium-nitride (GaN) transistor device having a composite gallium nitride layer with alternating layers of GaN and aluminum nitride (AlN). In some embodiments, the GaN transistor device has a first GaN layer disposed above a semiconductor substrate. An AlN inter-layer is disposed on the first GaN layer. A second GaN layer is disposed on the AlN inter-layer. The AlN inter-layer allows for the thickness of the GaN layer to be increased over continuous GaN layers, mitigating bowing and cracking of the GaN substrate, while improving the breakdown voltage of the disclosed GaN device.
Claims22
A gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor device, comprising:
- a first gallium nitride (GaN) layer disposed above a semiconductor substrate;
- a first aluminum nitride (AlN) inter-layer disposed onto the first GaN layer;
- a second gallium nitride (GaN) layer disposed onto the first AlN inter-layer;
- an active layer disposed onto the second GaN layer;
- a source region abutting a top surface of the second GaN layer and further abutting a first sidewall of the active layer;
- a drain region abutting the top surface of the second GaN layer and further abutting a second sidewall of the active layer opposite the first sidewall;
- and
- a gate region located above the active layer at a position between the source region and the drain region.
A gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor device, comprising:
- an aluminum nitride (AlN) nucleation layer disposed on a silicon substrate;
- a graded aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layer disposed on the AlN nucleation layer, wherein the graded AlGaN layer has an aluminum concentration that varies as a function of position;
- a first gallium nitride (GaN) layer disposed on the graded AlGaN layer;
- an aluminum nitride (AlN) inter-layer disposed on the first GaN layer;
- a second gallium nitride (GaN) layer disposed on the AlN inter-layer;
- and
- an active layer disposed above the second GaN layer, wherein a two-dimensional electron gas region is located along an interface between the active layer and the second GaN layer.
12-20. (canceled)
A gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor device, comprising:
- a first plurality of gallium nitride (GaN) layers disposed above a semiconductor substrate;
- a second plurality of aluminum nitride (AlN) inter-layers disposed between adjacent GaN layers, wherein the second plurality of AlN inter-layers is smaller than the first plurality of GaN layers, and wherein a total thickness of the first plurality of GaN layers and the second plurality of AlN inter-layers is greater than approximately 5 um;
- an active layer disposed above the first plurality of GaN layers;
- an insulating layer disposed onto the active layer;
- a source region located at a first end of the active layer;
- a drain region located at a second end of the active layer opposite the first end;
- a gate region located onto the insulating layer at a position between the source region and the drain region.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.