IP Library Granted Patent US 7,956,383
Granted Patent B2
US 7,956,383 · App. 12/060,505 · Granted Jun 7, 2011

Field effect transistor

Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,956,383
App. No.
12/060,505
Granted
Jun 7, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A field effect transistor includes: a first nitride semiconductor layer having a plane perpendicular to a (0001) plane or a plane tilted with respect to the (0001) plane as a main surface; a second nitride semiconductor layer formed on the first nitride semiconductor layer and having a wider bandgap than the first nitride semiconductor layer; a third nitride semiconductor layer formed on the second nitride semiconductor layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode formed so as to contact at least a part of the second nitride semiconductor layer or the third nitride semiconductor layer. A recess that exposes a part of the second nitride semiconductor layer is formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode in the third nitride semiconductor layer. A gate electrode is formed in the recess and an insulating film is formed between the third nitride semiconductor layer and the gate electrode.

Claims (16)

1. A field effect transistor, comprising:

a first nitride semiconductor layer;

a second nitride semiconductor layer formed on the first nitride semiconductor layer and having a wider bandgap than the first nitride semiconductor layer;

a third nitride semiconductor layer formed on the second nitride semiconductor layer, the first, second and third nitride semiconductor layers being formed on a plane perpendicular to a (0001) plane or a plane tilted with respect to the (0001) plane;

a source electrode and a drain electrode formed so as to contact at least a part of the second nitride semiconductor layer or the third nitride semiconductor layer;

a gate electrode provided between the source electrode and the drain electrode in the third nitride semiconductor layer and formed in a recess that exposes a part of the second nitride semiconductor layer; and

an insulating film formed between the third nitride semiconductor layer and the gate electrode,

wherein the insulating film is formed between the second nitride semiconductor layer and the gate electrode at the recess, and

the insulating film is made of SiN.

2. The field effect transistor according to claim 1 , wherein impurities providing n-type conductivity are doped in at least one of the second nitride semiconductor layer and the third nitride semiconductor layer.

3. The field effect transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating film is formed so as to cover at least a part of each surface of the source electrode and the drain electrode.

4. The field effect transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the field effect transistor has normally-off characteristics.

5. The field effect transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the plane perpendicular to the (0001) plane or the plane tilted with respect to the (0001) plane is a (11-20) plane, a (1-100) plane, a (1-101) plane, a (1-102) plane, a (11-22) plane, or a (11-24) plane.

6. The field effect transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the first nitride semiconductor layer is made of GaN, the second nitride semiconductor layer is made of Al x Ga 1-x N (0<x<1), and the third nitride semiconductor layer is made of GaN.

7. The field effect transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating film is a single-layer film of SiN.

8. The field effect transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating film fully separates the gate electrode from the second nitride semiconductor layer.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 21, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021897/0606 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2008
From: KURODA, MASAYUKI; UEDA, TETSUZO
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021260/0227 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-111451 · Apr 20, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080258243A1 · Oct 23, 2008