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US4583107A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Castellated gate field effect transistor

Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1983-08-15
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Granted: 1986-04-15
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Expires: 2003-08-15
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Abstract

Abstract A field effect transistor is described incorporating a semiconductor layer over a layer or substrate of semi-insulating semiconductor material and a gate electrode which periodically passes through the semiconductor layer to the substrate to form a plurality of conducting bars in the semiconductor layer for transistor current and which at pinch-off confines the current interior of each conducting bar. The invention overcomes the problem of leakage current at pinch-off, thus improving the efficiency of the field effect transistor as a power amplifier.

Inventors

  • 👤 Rowland C. Clarke

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 01:26
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/80; H10D30/87; H10D64/00; H10D64/20; H10D64/27; H10D64/311; H10D64/411

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 69 words
A field effect transistor comprising: a substrate, a semiconductor layer having an upper surface over said substrate, and a gate electrode on said upper surface traversing said semiconductor layer, said semiconductor layer having a plurality of semiconductor regions of high resistivity spaced apart and extending from said upper surface to said substrate underneath said gate electrode whereby transistor current is channeled in said semiconductor layer between said semiconductor regions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 69 words
A field effect transistor comprising: a substrate, a semiconductor layer having an upper surface over said substrate, and a gate electrode on said upper surface traversing said semiconductor layer, said semiconductor layer having a plurality of semiconductor regions of high resistivity spaced apart and extending from said upper surface to said substrate underneath said gate electrode whereby transistor current is channeled in said semiconductor layer between said semiconductor regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said substrate is semi-insulating gallium arsenide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor layer is n conductivity type gallium arsenide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said gate electrode includes aluminum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said substrate is silicon having a resistivity greater than 100 ohms/cm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The field effect transistor of claim 5 wherein said semiconductor layer is n conductivity type silicon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said gate electrode includes metallic elements to form a Schottky barrier diode with both said semiconductor layer and said semiconductor regions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said gate electrode is 1 micrometer long in the direction of channel current.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor regions pass through said semiconductor layer every 8 micrometers or less.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 25 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor regions have side walls therebetween channeling transistor currents that are substantially parallel to one another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor regions have a resistivity greater than 100 ohms/cm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 80 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein said plurality of spaced-apart high resistivity semiconductor regions extend along the direction of transistor current flow, with the dimension of the said semiconductor region in the direction of transistor current flow exceeding the width of the semiconductor region traverse to the direction of transistor current flow, and which plurality of spaced-apart high resistivity semiconductor regions define therebetween a plurality of semiconductor layer conducting channel portions through which the transistor current is channeled.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
The field effect transistor of claim 12, wherein the plurality of semiconductor layer conducting channel portions have a rectangular cross-section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 33 words
The field effect transistor of claim 1, wherein a drain and source electrode are disposed on the upper surface of the semiconductor layer, spaced from and on opposed sides of the gate electrode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 132 words
A field effect transistor comprising; (a) a semi-insulating semiconductive substrate; (b) an activated semiconductor layer disposed upon the semi-insulating semiconductor substrate, which activated semiconductive layer has an upper surface spaced above said substrate; (c) a plurality of aligned semi-insulating semiconductive regions spaced apart within the activated semiconductor layer and extending therethrough from said upper surface to said substrate; (d) spaced apart source and drain electrodes disposed upon the upper surface of the activated semiconductor layer on opposed sides of the aligned semi-insulating semiconductor region; and (e) a gate electrode disposed atop the upper surface of the activated semiconductor layer over the aligned semi-insulating semiconductive regions and in electrical contact with the activated semiconductive layer whereby transistor current is channeled in the activated semiconductor channels defined between the spaced-apart aligned semi-insulating semiconductive regions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 132 words
A field effect transistor comprising; (a) a semi-insulating semiconductive substrate; (b) an activated semiconductor layer disposed upon the semi-insulating semiconductor substrate, which activated semiconductive layer has an upper surface spaced above said substrate; (c) a plurality of aligned semi-insulating semiconductive regions spaced apart within the activated semiconductor layer and extending therethrough from said upper surface to said substrate; (d) spaced apart source and drain electrodes disposed upon the upper surface of the activated semiconductor layer on opposed sides of the aligned semi-insulating semiconductor region; and (e) a gate electrode disposed atop the upper surface of the activated semiconductor layer over the aligned semi-insulating semiconductive regions and in electrical contact with the activated semiconductive layer whereby transistor current is channeled in the activated semiconductor channels defined between the spaced-apart aligned semi-insulating semiconductive regions.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US4104672A Cited
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US4327475A Cited
JPS56100482A Cited
US4393391A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-04-14 1989-10-14 1990-04-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-04-14 1993-10-14 1994-04-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-04-14 1997-10-14 1998-04-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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