IP Library Granted Patent US 8,436,398
Granted Patent B2
US 8,436,398 · App. 12/756,088 · Granted May 7, 2013

Back diffusion suppression structures

Inventors: Alexander Lidow (Marina Del Ray, CA); Robert Beach (La Crescenta, CA); Guang Y. Zhao (Torrance, CA); Jianjun Cao (Torrance, CA)
Assignee: Efficient Power Conversion Corporation
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,436,398
App. No.
12/756,088
Granted
May 7, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

An enhancement-mode GaN transistor, the transistor having a substrate, transition layers, a buffer layer comprised of a III Nitride material, a barrier layer comprised of a III Nitride material, drain and source contacts, a gate containing acceptor type dopant elements, and a diffusion barrier comprised of a III Nitride material between the gate and the buffer layer.

Claims (36)

1. An enhancement-mode III Nitride transistor comprising:

a substrate;

transition layers;

a buffer layer comprised of a III Nitride material;

a barrier layer comprised of a III Nitride material and having an Al fraction;

drain and source contacts;

a gate comprising:

a III Nitride layer containing at least one p-type dopant; and

a contact layer located over the III Nitride layer; and

a diffusion barrier layer disposed between the gate and the barrier layer, the diffusion barrier layer comprised of a III Nitride material and having an Al fraction, the entirety of the diffusion barrier layer being located over the barrier layer, wherein the Al fraction of the diffusion barrier layer is greater than the Al fraction of the barrier layer.

2. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the buffer layer is comprised of In x Al y Ga 1-x-y N, where x+y<1.

3. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer is comprised of In x Al y Ga 1-x-y N of wider band gap than the buffer layer, where x+y<1.

4. The transistor of claim 1 , wherein the p-type dopant is selected from the group consisting of Mg, C, Ca, Fe, Cr, V, Mn, and Be.

5. The transistor of claim 3 , wherein the diffusion barrier layer is comprised of In x Al y Ga 1-x-y N, where x+y<1.

6. The transistor of claim 5 , wherein the III Nitride layer is an In x Al y Ga 1-x-y N layer, where x+y<1.

7. The transistor of claim 1 , further comprising a channel layer located between the diffusion barrier layer and the buffer layer.

8. The transistor of claim 1 , further comprising an additional diffusion barrier layer having an Al fraction, the entirety of the additional diffusion barrier layer being located below the barrier layer, wherein the Al fraction of the additional diffusion barrier layer is greater than the Al fraction of the barrier layer.

9. An enhancement-mode III Nitride transistor comprising:

a substrate;

transition layers;

a buffer layer comprised of a III Nitride material;

a barrier layer comprised of a III Nitride material;

drain and source contacts; and

a gate comprising:

a III Nitride layer, the III Nitride layer having a first region and a second region each having a p-dopant concentration, wherein the p-type dopant concentration of the first region is less than the p-type dopant concentration of the second region, the entirety of the III Nitride layer being located above the barrier layer; and

a contact layer located over the III Nitride layer.

10. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the buffer layer is comprised of In x Al y Ga 1-x-y N, where x+y<1.

11. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the barrier layer is comprised of In x Al y Ga 1-x-y N, where x+y<1.

12. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the III Nitride layer further comprises a third region located above the second region, the third region having a p-type dopant concentration.

13. The transistor of claim 12 , wherein the p-type dopant concentration of the third region is greater than the p-type dopant concentration of the second region.

14. The transistor of claim 12 , wherein the p-type dopant concentration of the third region is less than the p-type dopant concentration of the second region.

15. The transistor of claim 12 , wherein the third region has an n-type dopant concentration.

16. The transistor of claim 15 , wherein the n-type dopant concentration of the third region is greater than the p-type dopant concentration of the third region near the top of the third region, and wherein the n-type dopant concentration is less than the p-type dopant concentration of the third region near the bottom of the third region.

17. The transistor of claim 15 , wherein the third region has an n-type dopant concentration that is less than the p-type dopant concentration of the third region.

18. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the III Nitride layer has an undoped fourth region located below the first region.

19. The transistor of claim 9 , wherein the second region is located above the first region.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2010
From: LIDOW, ALEXANDER; BEACH, ROBERT; ZHAO, GUANG Y.; CAO, JIANJUN
To: EFFICIENT POWER CONVERSION CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024201/0586 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61167817 · Apr 8, 2009
Related Publication 20100258841A1 · Oct 14, 2010