# US 2023/0056601 A1 · On-chip emf isolation of an integrated circuit coupled with photoconductive semiconductor switch under an on-chip faraday cage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0056601 A1 - Document ID: US20230056601A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/406,541 - Filed: 2021-08-19 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-19 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Applicants: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Matthew DeJarld; Jeffrey R. LaRoche; Susan C. Trulli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056601A1 ## CPC - H10W 42/20: protecting against electromagnetic or particle radiation, e.g. light, X-rays, gamma-rays or electrons - H10F 39/10: Integrated devices - H10W 42/276: {the arrangements being on an external surface of the package, e.g. on the outer surface of an encapsulation} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An integrated circuit structure including a substrate having an upper surface; a gallium nitride layer disposed on the upper surface of the substrate; and a photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside a transistor on the gallium nitride layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure; an EMF shield enclosing the substrate, the gallium nitride layer and the photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside the transistor on the gallium nitride layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure; and a signal line electronically coupled with the photoconductive semiconductor switch, the signal line penetrating the EMF shield. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An EMF shielded integrated circuit structure comprising: a substrate having an upper surface; a semiconductor layer disposed on said upper surface of the substrate; a photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside a transistor on said semiconductor layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure; an EMF shield enclosing said substrate, said semiconductor layer and said photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside the transistor on said semiconductor layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure; and a signal line electronically coupled with said photoconductive semiconductor switch, said signal line penetrating said EMF shield. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises at least one of a silicon material and a silicon carbide material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, wherein said substrate and said semiconductor layer comprise a wafer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, wherein said transistor comprises a field-effect transistor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, wherein said photoconductive semiconductor switch comprises a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact disposed on the semiconductor layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, wherein said EMF shield comprises a transitory portion, said transitory portion configured to pass emissions from a light source through said EMF shield to said photoconductive semiconductor switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 6, wherein said transitory portion is selected from the group consisting of a mesh, a hole, a transparent material, a translucent material, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, wherein said EMF shield is configured to prevent EMF radiation from passing through a wall of said EMF shield. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The EMF shielded integrated circuit structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a light source optically coupled to said photoconductive semiconductor switch; a controller in electronic communication with said light source, said controller configured to de-activate said light source responsive to EMF radiation detection. ### Claim 10 A laterally integrated circuit with EMF shielding comprising: a substrate having an upper surface; a gallium nitride layer disposed on said upper surface of the substrate; a photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside a transistor on said gallium nitride layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure; an EMF shield comprising a container having walls forming an interior and an exterior opposite said interior; said container enclosing said substrate, said gallium nitride layer and said photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside the transistor on said gallium nitride layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure; a signal line electronically coupled with said photoconductive semiconductor switch, said signal line penetrating said wall of the EMF shield container; a light source optically coupled to said photoconductive semiconductor switch; and a transitory portion formed in said wall, said transitory portion configured to pass emissions from the light source through said EMF shield to said photoconductive semiconductor switch. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 10 further comprising: a controller in electronic communication with said light source, said controller configured to de-activate said light source responsive to EMF radiation detection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 11, further comprising: an EMF detector in electronic communication with the controller, the EMF detector configured to detect the EMF radiation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The integrated circuit structure according to claim 10, wherein said photoconductive semiconductor switch comprises a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact disposed on the GaN layer. ### Claim 14 A process of protecting a laterally integrated circuit from EMF comprising: enclosing the laterally integrated circuit with an EMF shield; said laterally integrated circuit comprising: a substrate having an upper surface; a semiconductor layer disposed on said upper surface of the substrate; a photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside a transistor on said semiconductor layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure; said EMF shield comprising: a container having walls forming an interior and an exterior opposite said interior; said container enclosing said substrate, said semiconductor layer and said photoconductive semiconductor switch laterally disposed alongside the transistor on said semiconductor layer integrated into the integrated circuit structure, a transitory portion formed in said wall, said transitory portion configured to pass emissions from a light source through said wall to said photoconductive semiconductor switch; coupling a signal line with said photoconductive semiconductor switch, said signal line penetrating said wall of the EMF shield container; and optically coupling the light source to said photoconductive semiconductor switch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process according to claim 14, further comprising: coupling a controller in electronic communication with said light source, said controller configured to de-activate said light source responsive to EMF radiation detection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The process according to claim 15, further comprising: coupling an EMF detector in electronic communication with the controller, the EMF detector configured to detect the EMF radiation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The process according to claim 16, further comprising: preventing EMF radiation from passing through the wall of said EMF shield via said signal line responsive to a detection of said EMF radiation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The process according to claim 14, wherein said photoconductive semiconductor switch comprises a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact disposed on the GaN layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The process according to claim 14, further comprising: activating said photoconductive semiconductor switch responsive to said step of optically coupling the light source to said photoconductive semiconductor switch through said transitory portion.