Patent US4746626A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4746626A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of manufacturing heterojunction bipolar transistors

Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
•
Filing: 1987-05-08
•
Granted: 1988-05-24
•
Expires: 2007-05-08
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A heterojunction bipolar transistor having excellent high-frequency characteristics is manufactured by forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on a collector (or emitter) layer, removing a part of the semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion so that the collector layer is exposed at the cut portion, growing a base layer on the semi-insulating semiconductor layer, on a slant wall of the cut portion and on the exposed part of the collector layer, and growing an emitter (or collector) layer on the base layer. A base layer may be preliminarily formed on the semi-insulating semiconductor layer before forming the cut portion. Energy band gap of the emitter is greater than that of the base.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kazuo Eda
  • 👤 Masanori Inada
  • 👤 Yorito Ota

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 19:59
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D10/00; H10D10/01; H10D10/021; H10D10/80; H10D10/821; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/82; H10D62/824; H10D62/85

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 245 words
A method of manufacturing a III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the steps of: forming a first collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second collector layer on said first collector layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second collector layer; forming a first base layer on said semi-insulating layer; removing at least a part of said first base layer and said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with slant wall so that said second collector layer is partly exposed to said cut portion; epitaxially growing a second base layer on said first base layer to be a first external base region, on a said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of second collector layer to be a base region; epitaxially growing a first emitter layer on said second base layer, wherein the energy band gap of said first emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said second base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said first emitter layer and said second base layer; epitaxially growing a second emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer o said first emitter; and forming an emitter electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one collector electrode on said second emitter layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first collector layer, respectively.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 245 words
A method of manufacturing a III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the steps of: forming a first collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second collector layer on said first collector layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second collector layer; forming a first base layer on said semi-insulating layer; removing at least a part of said first base layer and said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with slant wall so that said second collector layer is partly exposed to said cut portion; epitaxially growing a second base layer on said first base layer to be a first external base region, on a said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of second collector layer to be a base region; epitaxially growing a first emitter layer on said second base layer, wherein the energy band gap of said first emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said second base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said first emitter layer and said second base layer; epitaxially growing a second emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer o said first emitter; and forming an emitter electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one collector electrode on said second emitter layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first collector layer, respectively.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein Al x Ga 1-x As (x>0), GaAs and Al y Ga 1-y As (y≧0) are used for said first emitter layer, said second base layer and said semi-insulating layer, respectively, wherein said cut portion is formed by wet etching.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method according to claim 1, wherein said second base layer, said first emitter layer and said second emitter layer are grown by molecular beam epitaxy.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 247 words
A method of manufacturing a III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the steps of: forming a first emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second emitter layer on said first emitter layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second emitter layer; forming a first base layer on said semi-insulating semiconductor layer; removing at least a part of said first base layer and said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with a slant wall so that said second emitter layer is partly exposed to said cut portion; epitaxially growing a second base layer in said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to be a first external base region, on said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of said second emitter layer to be a base region, wherein the energy band gap of said second emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said second base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said second emitter layer and said second base layer; epitaxially growing a first collector layer on said second base layer; epitaxially growing a second collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on said first collector, and forming a collector electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one emitter electrode on said second collector layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first emitter layer, respectively.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 247 words
A method of manufacturing a III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the steps of: forming a first emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second emitter layer on said first emitter layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second emitter layer; forming a first base layer on said semi-insulating semiconductor layer; removing at least a part of said first base layer and said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with a slant wall so that said second emitter layer is partly exposed to said cut portion; epitaxially growing a second base layer in said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to be a first external base region, on said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of said second emitter layer to be a base region, wherein the energy band gap of said second emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said second base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said second emitter layer and said second base layer; epitaxially growing a first collector layer on said second base layer; epitaxially growing a second collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on said first collector, and forming a collector electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one emitter electrode on said second collector layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first emitter layer, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 47 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein Al x Ga 1-x AS (x>0), GaAs and Al y Ga 1-y As (y≧0) are used for said second emitter layer, said second base layer and said semi-insulating layer, respectively, and wherein said cut portion is formed by wet etching.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method according to claim 4, wherein said second base layer, said first collector layer and said second collector layer are grown by molecular beam epitaxy.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 227 words
A method of manufacturing III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the step of: forming a first collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second collector layer on said first collector layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second collector layer; removing at least a part of said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with a slant wall so that said second collector layer is partly exposed at said cut portion; epitaxially growing a base layer on said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to be a first external base region, on said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of a second collector layer to be a base region; epitaxially growing a first emitter layer on said base layer, wherein the energy band gap of said first emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said first emitter layer and said base layer; epitaxially growing a second emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on said first emitter; and forming an emitter electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one collector electrode on said second emitter layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first collector layer, respectively.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 227 words
A method of manufacturing III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the step of: forming a first collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second collector layer on said first collector layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second collector layer; removing at least a part of said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with a slant wall so that said second collector layer is partly exposed at said cut portion; epitaxially growing a base layer on said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to be a first external base region, on said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of a second collector layer to be a base region; epitaxially growing a first emitter layer on said base layer, wherein the energy band gap of said first emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said first emitter layer and said base layer; epitaxially growing a second emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on said first emitter; and forming an emitter electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one collector electrode on said second emitter layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first collector layer, respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method according to claim 7, wherein Al x Ga 1-x As (x>0), GaAs and Al y Ga 1-y As (y≧0) are used for said first emitter layer, said base layer and said semi-insulating layer, respectively, and wherein said cut portion is formed by wet etching.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method according to claim 8, wherein said base layer, said first emitter layer and said second emitter layer are grown by molecular beam epitaxy.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 227 words
A method of manufacturing a III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the steps of: forming a first emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second emitter layer on said first emitter layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second emitter layer; removing at least a part of said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with a slant wall so that said second emitter layer is partly exposed at said cut portion; epitaxially growing a base layer on said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to be a first external base region, on said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of said second emitter layer to be a base region, wherein the energy band gap of said second emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said emitter layer and said base layer; epitaxially growing a first collector layer on said base layer; epitaxially growing a second collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on said first collector, and forming a collector electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one emitter electrode on said second collector layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first emitter layer, respectively.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 227 words
A method of manufacturing a III-V compound heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising the steps of: forming a first emitter layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on a semi-insulating semiconductor substrate; forming a second emitter layer on said first emitter layer; forming a semi-insulating semiconductor layer on said second emitter layer; removing at least a part of said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to form a cut portion with a slant wall so that said second emitter layer is partly exposed at said cut portion; epitaxially growing a base layer on said semi-insulating semiconductor layer to be a first external base region, on said slant wall to be a second external base region, and on the exposed portion of said second emitter layer to be a base region, wherein the energy band gap of said second emitter layer is greater than the energy band gap of said base layer so that a heterojunction is formed by said emitter layer and said base layer; epitaxially growing a first collector layer on said base layer; epitaxially growing a second collector layer which is substantially an electrode extraction layer on said first collector, and forming a collector electrode, at least one base electrode and at least one emitter electrode on said second collector layer at a portion in said cut portion, said first external base region and said first emitter layer, respectively.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein Al x Ga 1-x As (x>0), GaAs and Al y Ga 1-y As (y≧0) are used for second emitter layer, said base layer and said semi-insulating layer, respectively, and wherein said cut portion is formed by wet etching.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method according to claim 10, wherein said base layer, said first collector layer and said second collector layer are grown by molecular beam epitaxy.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2569347A Cited
US3413533A Cited
US3780359A Cited
JPS553829A Cited
US4617724A Cited
US4561916A Cited
US4567060A Cited
US4575924A Cited
US4593457A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-05-24 1991-11-23 1992-05-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-05-24 1995-11-23 1996-05-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-05-24 1999-11-23 2000-05-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag