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US 7,071,498 B2Granted
Gallium nitride material devices including an electrode-defining layer and methods of forming the same
AssigneeNitronex Corporation
InventorsJerry W. Johnson, Robert J. Therrien, Andrei Vescan, Jeffrey D. Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Gallium nitride material devices and methods of forming the same are provided. The devices include an electrode-defining layer. The electrode-defining layer typically has a via formed therein in which an electrode is formed (at least in part). Thus, the via defines (at least in part) dimensions of the electrode. In some cases, the electrode-defining layer is a passivating layer that is formed on a gallium nitride material region.
Claims72
A semiconductor structure comprising:
- a gallium nitride material region;
- an electrode-defining layer formed over the gallium nitride material region and including a via formed therein, a cross-sectional area at a top of the via being greater than a cross-sectional area at a bottom of the via;
- first electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region and in the via, wherein the electrode length is defined at the bottom of the via, wherein at least a portion of the first electrode is in direct contact with the gallium nitride material region;
- and
- a second electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region,
- wherein the electrode-defining layer extends, at least, from the first electrode to the second electrode.
3 more elements
A transistor comprising:
- a gallium nitride material region;
- an electrode-defining layer formed on the gallium nitride material region and including a via formed therein, a cross-sectional area of the via being greater at a top of the via than at a bottom of the via, wherein a sidewall of the via extends upward from the bottom of the via at an angle between about 5 degrees and about 85 degrees and downward from the top of the via at an angle between about 90 degrees and about 160 degrees;
- a source electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region;
- a drain electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region;
- and
- a gate electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region and in the via, wherein a length of the gate electrode is defined at the bottom of the via and the ratio of the gate electrode length to a cross-sectional dimension at the top of the via is between about 0.50 and 0.95, a portion of the gate electrode being in direct contact with the gallium nitride material region and the electrode-defining layer extending, at least, from the gate electrode to the source electrode.
3 more elements
A semiconductor structure comprising:
- a gallium nitride material region;
- an electrode-defining layer formed over the gallium nitride material region and including a via formed therein, a cross-sectional area at a top of the via being greater than a cross-sectional area at a bottom of the via;
- a gate electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region and in the via, wherein the electrode length is defined at the bottom of the via;
- a source electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region;
- and
- a drain electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region,
- wherein the gate electrode extends over a portion of the top surface of the electrode-defining layer a distance, in a direction of the drain electrode, of between about 2% and about 60% of a distance between the gate electrode and the drain electrode and the gate electrode extends over a portion of the top surface of the electrode-defining layer a distance in a direction of the drain electrode greater than a distance in a direction of the source electrode.
4 more elements
A semiconductor structure comprising:
- a gallium nitride material region;
- an electrode-defining layer formed over the gallium nitride material region and including a via formed therein, a cross-sectional area at a top of the via being greater than a cross-sectional area at a bottom of the via;
- and
- an electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region and in the via, wherein the electrode length is defined at the bottom of the via, the electrode comprising a nickel component and a gold component, the nickel component being in direct contact with the gallium nitride material region across the entire electrode length and the gold component not being in direct contact with the gallium nitride material region across any portion of the electrode length.
1 more element
A transistor comprising:
- a gallium nitride material region;
- an electrode-defining layer formed on the gallium nitride material region and including a via formed therein, a cross-sectional area of the via being greater at a top of the via than at a bottom of the via, wherein a sidewall of the via extends upward from the bottom of the via at an angle between about 5 degrees and about 85 degrees and downward from the top of the via at an angle between about 90 degrees and about 160 degrees;
- a source electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region;
- a drain electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region;
- and
- a gate electrode formed on the gallium nitride material region and in the via, wherein a length of the gate electrode is defined at the bottom of the via and the ratio of the gate electrode length to a cross-sectional dimension at the top of the via is between about 0.50 and 0.95, the gate electrode comprising a nickel component and a gold component, the nickel component being in direct contact with the gallium nitride material region across the entire electrode length and the gold component not being in direct contact with the gallium nitride material region across any portion of the electrode length.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.