US5274269A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ohmic contact for p-type group II-IV compound semiconductors
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1991-05-15
•
Granted: 1993-12-28
•
Expires: 2011-05-15
Abstract
Abstract A ZnSe semiconductor device includes a ZnSe pn junction having p-type and n-type layers, and an ohmic contact to both layers. The ohmic contact to the p-type layer includes a p-type ZnSe crystalline semiconductor contact layer, and a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy. The contact layer is doped with nitrogen shallow acceptors, characterized by a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 5x1017 cm-3. The contact layer also includes sufficient deep energy states between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy to enable cascade tunneling by charge carriers.
Inventors
- 👤 James M. DePuydt
- 👤 Jun Qiu
- 👤 Hwa Cheng
- 👤 Michael A. Haase
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:50
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/83; H10H20/832; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/04; H01S5/042; H01S5/0421; H01S5/30; H01S5/34; H01S5/347; H10D; H10D64/00; H10D64/60; H10D64/62; H10H20/01; H10H20/011; H10H20/012; H10H20/0125; H10H20/81; H10H20/822; H10H20/823; H10H20/8232; H10H20/831; H01S5/20; H01S5/22; H01S5/2205; H01S5/2211; H01S5/223; H01S5/2231; H01S5/305; H01S5/3054; H01S5/3059; H01S5/3068; H01S5/32; H01S5/327; H01S5/3403; H10H20/816; H10H20/8162
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A Group II-VI semiconductor device, including: a p-type Group II-VI semiconductor device layer; a p-type Group II-VI crystalline semiconductor contact layer on a first side of the device layer; a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy, on the contact layer; and the contact layer is doped, with shallow acceptors having a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 1×10 17 cm -3 , and includes sufficient deep states with energy between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy to enable sufficient current flow for device operation with voltages less than about 2 volts across the contact layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
106 words
A Group II-VI semiconductor device, including: a p-type Group II-VI semiconductor device layer; a p-type Group II-VI crystalline semiconductor contact layer on a first side of the device layer; a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy, on the contact layer; and the contact layer is doped, with shallow acceptors having a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 1×10 17 cm -3 , and includes sufficient deep states with energy between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy to enable sufficient current flow for device operation with voltages less than about 2 volts across the contact layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The p-type ohmic contact of claim 1 wherein the contact layer is doped with shallow acceptors to achieve a net acceptor concentration of at least 1×10 18 cm -3 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The p-type ohmic contact of claim 2 wherein the contact layer is doped with nitrogen shallow acceptors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The p-type ohmic contact of claim 3 wherein the contact layer is doped with nitrogen to a concentration of 1×10 19 cm -3 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The p-type ohmic contact of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device layer includes a ZnSe semiconductor layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The p-type ohmic contact of claim 1 wherein the electrode layer includes a layer of material having a work function of al least 5 eV.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The p-type ohmic contact of claim 6 wherein the electrode layer includes a metal layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The p-type ohmic contact of claim 7 wherein the electrode layer includes a gold layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
123 words
A ZnSe semiconductor device, including: a ZnSe pn junction including a p-type layer and an n-type layer; an ohmic contact to the n-type layer of the ZnSe pn junction; and an ohmic contact to the p-type layer of the ZnSe pn junction, including: a p-type ZnSe crystalline semiconductor contact layer doped with nitrogen shallow acceptors, characterized by a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 5×10 17 cm -3 ; a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy; and sufficient deep states in the contact layer with energy between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy to enable sufficient current flow for device operation with voltages less than about 2 volts across the contact layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
123 words
A ZnSe semiconductor device, including: a ZnSe pn junction including a p-type layer and an n-type layer; an ohmic contact to the n-type layer of the ZnSe pn junction; and an ohmic contact to the p-type layer of the ZnSe pn junction, including: a p-type ZnSe crystalline semiconductor contact layer doped with nitrogen shallow acceptors, characterized by a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 5×10 17 cm -3 ; a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy; and sufficient deep states in the contact layer with energy between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy to enable sufficient current flow for device operation with voltages less than about 2 volts across the contact layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor device of claim 1 wherein the device is a II-VI electroluminescent device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor device of claim 10 wherein the device is a II-VI laser diode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor device of claim 9 wherein the device is a II-VI electroluminescent device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The semiconductor device of claim 12 wherein the device is a II-VI laser diode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the p-type contact layer includes a ZnSe layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 14 wherein the p-type device layer includes a ZnSe layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 14 wherein the p-type device layer includes a ZnSSe layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the p-type contact layer includes a ZnSeTe layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the p-type device layer includes a ZnSSe layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
102 words
A II-VI laser diode, including: a p-type Group II-VI semiconductor device layer; a p-type Group II-VI crystalline semiconductor contact layer on a first side of the device layer; a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy, on the contact layer; and the contact layer is doped, with shallow acceptors having a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 1×10 17 cm -3 , and includes sufficient deep states with energy between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy so the reverse bias breakdown voltage of the contact layer is less than about 2 volts.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
102 words
A II-VI laser diode, including: a p-type Group II-VI semiconductor device layer; a p-type Group II-VI crystalline semiconductor contact layer on a first side of the device layer; a conductive electrode layer characterized by a Fermi energy, on the contact layer; and the contact layer is doped, with shallow acceptors having a shallow acceptor energy, to a net acceptor concentration of at least 1×10 17 cm -3 , and includes sufficient deep states with energy between the shallow acceptor energy and the electrode layer Fermi energy so the reverse bias breakdown voltage of the contact layer is less than about 2 volts.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The laser diode of claim 19 wherein the contact layer is doped with shallow acceptors to achieve a net acceptor concentration of at least 1×10 18 cm -3 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser diode of claim 20 wherein the contact layer is doped with nitrogen shallow acceptors.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
The laser diode of claim 21 wherein the contact layer is doped with nitrogen to a concentration of 1×10 19 cm -3 .
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The laser diode of claim 19 wherein the semiconductor device layer includes a ZnSe semiconductor layer.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser diode of claim 19 wherein the electrode layer includes a layer of material having a work function of al least 5 eV.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
14 words
The laser diode of claim 24 wherein the electrode layer includes a metal layer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
The laser diode of claim 25 wherein the electrode layer includes a gold layer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser diode of claim 19 wherein the p-type contact layer includes a ZnSe layer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The laser diode of claim 27 wherein the ZnSe p-type contact layer is doped with nitrogen to a concentration of 1×10 19 cm -3 .
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser diode of claim 27 wherein the p-type device layer includes a ZnSe layer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser diode of claim 27 wherein the p-type device layer includes a ZnSSe layer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser diode of claim 19 wherein the p-type contact layer includes a ZnSeTe layer.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The laser diode of claim 19 wherein the p-type device layer includes a ZnSSE layer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4607369A
Cited
US4868615A
Cited
US4735662A
Cited
US4959106A
Cited
US5037709A
Cited
US5081632A
Cited
US5008891A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-12-27 | 1997-06-28 | 1997-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-12-27 | 2001-06-28 | 2001-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-12-27 | 2005-06-28 | 2005-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |