Methods of making high voltage GaN-AlN based semiconductor devices and semiconductor devices made

• US 5,990,531 A
• Filed: 11/12/1997
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Khan, Babar A., Taskar, Nikhil R., Mensz, Piotr M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prenty, Mark V.
• Application Number:
  US08/968,680
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 257/410, 257/76, 257/615
• US Class Current: 257/410
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28587 characterised by the sectional shape, e.g. T, inverted T
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28593 asymmetrical sectional shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1079 with insulated gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/2003 Nitride compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/518 the insulating material containing nitrogen, e.g. nitride, oxynitride, nitrogen-doped material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66462 with a heterojunction interface channel or gate, e.g. HFET, HIGFET, SISFET, HJFET, HEMT
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78681 having a semiconductor body comprising AIIIBV or AIIBVI or AIVBVI semiconductor materials, or Se or Te
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/802 with heterojunction gate, e.g. transistors with semiconductor layer acting as gate insulating layer, MIS-like transistors H01L29/806 takes precedence; with one dimensional electron gas H01L29/775; with dimensional electron gas H01L29/778

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a technique for manufacturing semiconductor devices in which p type GaN is formed on a substrate and semi-insulating AlN is formed on the P type GaN with n type GaN formed on the p type GaN and partially below the AlN. Highly efficient high power and high voltage semiconductor devices are formed through this technique having better or similar properties to silicon type semiconductors.

Claims

1. In a semiconductor device, the structure comprising a substrate, a layer of GaN of one conductivity type on said substrate, a semi-insulating portion of AlN on said layer of one conductivity type GaN, and GaN of an opposite conductivity type on said GaN of one conductivity type at opposite sides of said insulating portion of AlN and disposed partially under said portion of AlN.

2. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is Al₂ O₃.