Screen layer integration in gallium nitride technology

Abstract

A microelectronic device includes a lower buffer layer of III-N semiconductor material formed over a silicon substrate. A screen layer having free charge carriers is formed over the lower buffer layer. The microelectronic device may include an upper buffer layer of III-N semiconductor material formed over the screen layer. A gallium nitride field effect transistor (GaN FET) is formed over the screen layer. The GaN FET has a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layer directly over at least a portion of the screen layer. The screen layer may include a doped layer of III-N semiconductor material, or a buried barrier layer with 2DEG layers in the lower and upper buffer layers. The screen layer is electrically connected to a current node, that is, a source node or a drain node, of the GaN FET.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.