III-nitride bidirectional switch
View Patent ↗A III-nitride bidirectional switch which includes an AlGaN/GaN interface that obtains a high current currying channel. The bidirectional switch operates with at least one gate that prevents or permits the establishment of a two dimensional electron gas to form the current carrying channel for the bidirectional switch.
1. A bidirectional semiconductor switch comprising:
a substrate;
a first semiconductor body composed of one III-nitride semiconductor material;
a second semiconductor body formed over said first semiconductor body and composed of another III-nitride semiconductor material, having a band gap that is different from that of said first III-nitride semiconductor material;
a first ohmic electrode formed on and ohmically connected to a first portion of said second semiconductor body;
a second ohmic electrode formed on and ohmically connected to a second portion of said second semiconductor body;
a first gate electrode surrounding said first ohmic electrode;
a second gate electrode surrounding said second ohmic electrode, wherein said gate electrodes are positioned such that said device exhibits a symmetric voltage blocking capability;
a first gate runner coupled to said first gate electrode; and
a second gate runner coupled to said second gate electrode.
2. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said first semiconductor body is comprised of GaN and said second semiconductor body is comprised of AlGaN.
3. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said gate electrodes make a schottky contact with said second semiconductor body.
4. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said gate electrodes are comprised of either titanium, gold, aluminum, silver, chromium, tungsten, and indium.
5. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said ohmic electrodes are comprised of either gold, silver, aluminum, or indium.
6. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , further comprising a recess formed in said second semiconductor body, wherein at least one of said gate electrodes resides in said recess.
7. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , further comprising a first recess and a second recess formed in said second semiconductor body, wherein said first gate electrode resides in said first recess and said second gate electrode resides in said second recess.
8. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said first gate electrode and said second gate electrode are independently operable.
9. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said first gate electrode is spaced a first distance from said first ohmic electrode and said second gate electrode is spaced a second distance from said second ohmic electrode, said first distance and said second distance being equal.
10. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said substrate is comprised of either silicon, SiC, or sapphire.
11. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said gate electrodes is insulated from said second semiconductor body by a gate insulation body.
12. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said gate electrodes make a schottky contact with said second semiconductor body.
13. A semiconductor switch according to claim 1 , wherein said first gate runner is parallel to said second gate runner.