High voltage GaN-based transistor structure
AssigneeRF Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Smart, Brook Hosse, Shawn Gibb, David Grider, Jeffrey Shealy
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a high voltage and high power gallium nitride (GaN) transistor structure. In general, the GaN transistor structure includes a sub-buffer layer that serves to prevent injection of electrons into a substrate during high voltage operation, thereby improving performance of the GaN transistor structure during high voltage operation. Preferably, the sub-buffer layer is aluminum nitride, and the GaN transistor structure further includes a transitional layer, a GaN buffer layer, and an aluminum gallium nitride Schottky layer.
Claims11
A method of fabricating a high voltage gallium nitride (GaN) transistor structure comprising:
- a) depositing a plurality of structural epitaxial layers on a substrate, comprising:
- i) depositing a transitional layer above the substrate;
- ii) depositing an aluminum nitride sub-buffer layer above the transitional layer, the sub-buffer layer adapted to increase a source-drain breakdown voltage of the GaN transistor structure by preventing electrons from entering the transitional layer and the substrate during high voltage operation;
- and
- iii) depositing a GaN buffer layer above the sub-buffer layer;
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- b) forming electrical contacts on the plurality of structural epitaxial layers, thereby forming a high electron mobility transistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.