Gallium nitride materials including thermally conductive regions
First Claim
1. A semiconductor structure comprising:
- a substrate;
a gallium nitride material device region having a crack level of less than 0.005 micron/micron2 and formed over the substrate;
a heat spreading layer formed over the substrate, the heat spreading layer having a greater thermal conductivity than that of the gallium nitride material region and capable of conducting heat generated in the gallium nitride material device region; and
a heat sink.
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Abstract
The invention includes providing gallium nitride materials including thermally conductive regions and methods to form such materials. The gallium nitride materials may be used to form semiconductor devices. The thermally conductive regions may include heat spreading layers and heat sinks. Heat spreading layers distribute heat generated during device operation over relatively large areas to prevent excessive localized heating. Heat sinks typically are formed at either the backside or topside of the device and facilitate heat dissipation to the environment. It may be preferable for devices to include a heat spreading layer which is connected to a heat sink at the backside of the device. A variety of semiconductor devices may utilize features of the invention including devices on silicon substrates and devices which generate large amounts of heat such as power transistors.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A semiconductor structure comprising:
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a substrate;
a gallium nitride material device region having a crack level of less than 0.005 micron/micron2 and formed over the substrate;
a heat spreading layer formed over the substrate, the heat spreading layer having a greater thermal conductivity than that of the gallium nitride material region and capable of conducting heat generated in the gallium nitride material device region; and
a heat sink. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprising:
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forming a heat spreading layer over a substrate;
forming a device structure comprising a gallium nitride material region having a crack level of less than 0.005 micron/micron2 over the substrate; and
forming a heat sink associated with the semiconductor structure, wherein the heat spreading layer has a greater thermal conductivity than that of the gallium nitride material region and is capable of conducting heat generated by the device structure. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating a semiconductor device comprising:
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operating a semiconductor device comprising a gallium nitride material region formed over a silicon substrate;
transmitting heat generated by the device through a heat spreading layer formed over the substrate; and
dissipating heat generated by the device through a heat sink associated with the semiconductor device. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification