US 5,343,070 A · Mesa type PIN diode

Abstract

A mesa-type PIN diode and method for making same are disclosed. A diode made according to the present invention includes a junction formed in the top surface of the mesa-shaped structure, having an area that is less than (and preferrably, approximately half) the area of the top surface. A highly-doped, N-type conducting layer is formed in the side-walls of the mesa-shaped structure. The resulting diode is subject to greatly reduced charge carrier recombination effects and suffers from much less carrier-to-carrier scattering than conventional diodes. Thus, a diode made according to the present invention is capable of achieving much higher stored charge, lower resistance, lower capacitance, better switching characteristics, and lower power consumption than one made according to the prior art. Particular utility is found, inter alia, in the areas of high-frequency microwave and monolithic circuits.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A semiconductor PIN diode made by the steps of:

a. forming an insulating layer on an intrinsic layer disposed upon an N-type substrate;
b. forming in said insulating layer an opening to a first region of said intrinsic layer;
c. forming in said first region a P-type junction of predetermined area;
d. forming upon said insulating layer and said junction a dielectric layer;
e. forming a dielectric pad region by removing both said dielectric layer and said insulating layer except in a second region located on and surrounding said junction, said second region having an area which is greater than said predetermined area of said junction;
f. removing said dielectric layer from said second region;
g. forming a mesa having side-walls and a top surface in said intrinsic layer beneath said pad region;
and
h. forming an N-type, highly doped conducting layer in said side-walls of said mesa.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mesa type PIN diode

Life of this patent

Mesa type PIN diode

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14