Low leakage schottky diode
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorsDonald J. Sawdai, Augusto L. Gutierrez-Aitken
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Abstract
A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a Schottky diode formed from a conductive anode contact, a semiconductor junction layer supporting the conductive contact and a base layer ring formed around at least a portion of the conductive anode contact. In particular, the base layer ring has material removed to form layer material gap (e.g., a vacuum gap) adjacent to the conductive anode contact. A dielectric layer is also provided to form one boundary of the base layer material gap.
Claims9
A method for creating a semiconductor device, said method including:
- forming a base layer on a semiconductor layer, said base layer having different electrical properties from said semiconductor layer;
- forming a dielectric layer on said base layer, said base layer having different electrical properties from said dielectric layer;
- establishing an opening in said base layer and an opening in said dielectric layer to expose said semiconductor layer,
- wherein the lateral extent of said opening in said base layer is greater than the lateral extent of said opening in said dielectric layer;
- and
- positioning a conductive contact in said opening in said base layer and said opening in said dielectric layer, said conductive contact forming a contact between said conductive contact and said semiconductor layer,
- wherein the lateral extent of said contact is less than the lateral extent of said opening in said base layer.
A method for reducing reverse leakage current in a semiconductor device, said method including:
- establishing a semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate, a first layer on top of said substrate and a second layer on top of said first layer;
- establishing a first layer opening in said first layer;
- establishing a second layer opening in said second layer,
- wherein said first layer has different electrical properties than said second layer and said semiconductor layer,
- wherein the area of said second layer opening overlaps at least a portion of the area of said first layer opening to expose said semiconductor layer;
- and
- positioning a conductive contact in contact with said semiconductor layer and situated in said first layer opening and said second layer opening,
- wherein said conductive contact does not contact said first layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.