III-nitride monolithic IC
AssigneeInternational Rectifier Corporation
InventorsRobert Beach, Paul Bridger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
III-nitride materials are used to form isolation structures in high voltage ICs to isolate low voltage and high voltage functions on a monolithic power IC. Critical performance parameters are improved using III-nitride materials, due to the improved breakdown performance and thermal performance available in III-nitride semiconductor materials. An isolation structure may include a dielectric layer that is epitaxially grown using a III-nitride material to provide a simplified manufacturing process. The process permits the use of planar manufacturing technology to avoid additional manufacturing costs. High voltage power ICs have improved performance in a smaller package in comparison to corresponding silicon structures.
Claims19
A method for isolating low voltage and high voltage functions on a monolithic IC, comprising:
- forming an isolation structure of a first III-nitride material;
- forming a low voltage electronic section having low voltage electronics;
- forming a high voltage electronic section in a second III-nitride material having a different composition than the first III-nitride material;
- forming openings in the isolation structure, the first III-nitride material of the isolation structure between the openings providing isolation between the low voltage electronics of the low voltage electronic section;
- providing connectivity between the high voltage and low voltage sections in the openings, while isolating the high voltage section from the low voltage section with the isolation structure.
A method for isolating low voltage and high voltage functions on a monolithic IC, comprising:
- forming an isolation structure of a first III-nitride material over a second III-nitride material layer;
- forming a low voltage electronic section on the first III-nitride material layer, the low voltage electronic section having low voltage electronics;
- forming a high voltage electronic section in the second III-nitride material layer;
- providing connectivity between the high voltage and low voltage sections in openings in the isolation structure, while isolating the high voltage section from the low voltage section with the first III-nitride material of the isolation structure between the openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.