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US5367184A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Vertical JFET transistor with optimized bipolar operating mode and corresponding method of fabrication

Assignee: Chartoleaux KG LLC
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Filing: 1993-07-02
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Granted: 1994-11-22
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Expires: 2013-07-02
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Abstract

Abstract The vertical junction field-effect transistor comprises a semiconductor structure including an internal semiconductor layer (23, 26) extending within the channel region (7) between the gate region (4, 31), this internal layer being produced in a semiconductor material, having an energy gap (Eg 2 ) smaller than that of the material forming the channel and gate regions, and the same type of conductivity (N) as that of the channel region, and the heterojunction formed between this internal layer and the channel region exhibits a band discontinuity situated in the valence band in the case of a N-type channel, or in the conduction band in the case of a P-type channel.

Inventors

  • 👤 Alain Chantre

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 20:03
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/051; H10D30/0516; H10D10/00; H10D10/01; H10D10/021; H10D10/80; H10D10/821; H10D30/80; H10D30/83; H10D30/831

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 109 words
A vertical junction field-effect transistor, comprising: a semiconductor structure comprising an internal semiconductor layer extending within a channel region between portions of a semiconductive gate region, the internal semiconductor layer having a band gap smaller than that an other portion of the channel and smaller than the portions of the gate region, wherein the internal semi-conductor layer and the channel region are of a same conductivity; and a heterojunction formed between the internal semiconductor layer and the other portion of the channel region having a discontinuity in the valance band if the channel is an N-type channel or in a conduction band if the channel is a P-type channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 109 words
A vertical junction field-effect transistor, comprising: a semiconductor structure comprising an internal semiconductor layer extending within a channel region between portions of a semiconductive gate region, the internal semiconductor layer having a band gap smaller than that an other portion of the channel and smaller than the portions of the gate region, wherein the internal semi-conductor layer and the channel region are of a same conductivity; and a heterojunction formed between the internal semiconductor layer and the other portion of the channel region having a discontinuity in the valance band if the channel is an N-type channel or in a conduction band if the channel is a P-type channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
The transistor of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the internal semiconductor layer is on the order of 10-100 angstroms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
The transistor of claim 1, wherein the gate and channel regions are formed of silicon, and the internal layer is formed of a silicon/germanium alloy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
The transistor of claim 1, wherein the internal layer is formed of a III-V material and the gate and channel regions are formed of a ternary alloy of the III-V material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 135 words
The transistor of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises: a) an intermediate region forming the channel region and having a first type of conductivity, the intermediate region surmounting a first region forming a drain region included in a substrate that also has the first type of conductivity; b) a projecting part of the semiconductor structure incorporating a part of the channel region and a second region surmounting the channel region, the projecting part forming a source region and having the first type of conductivity; c) a third region forming the gate region and having a second type of conductivity, arranged on sides of the channel region and separated from the second region by an insulating separation arranged around the projecting part, wherein the internal layer extends within an intermediate region between the gate region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 25 words
The transistor of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises an insulating layer arranged outside the channel region between the gate region and a substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
The transistor of claim 6, wherein the gate region comprises a layer substantially parallel to the substrate and separated from the substrate by the insulating layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 35 words
The transistor of claim 6, wherein the insulating layer has a thickness at least equal to a width of a space charge region resulting from a junction of the gate region and the channel region.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
A transistor of claim 6, wherein the insulating layer has a thickness lying between about 0.2 μm and about 1 μm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
The transistor of claim 6, wherein the channel, source and drain regions include monocrystalline silicon, the insulating layer includes silicon dioxide, and the gate region includes polycrystalline silicon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 15 words
The transistor of claim 5, wherein the drain, source and gate regions are heavily doped.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 13 words
The transistor of claim 5, wherein the substrate comprises a substrate on insulator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 32 words
The transistor of claim 5, for use in a bipolar operating mode, wherein the drain, source and gate regions constitute respectively, the collector, emitter and base regions of a corresponding bipolar transistor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4799090A Cited
EP0069606A1 Cited
US4460910A Cited
US4743951A Cited
DE3736009A1 Cited
US4916499A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-11-21 1998-05-23 1998-11-22 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-11-21 2002-05-23 2002-11-22 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-11-21 2006-05-23 2006-11-22 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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