US6057564A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor device having a GaNO region intermediate a GaN-based contact region and an electrode
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
•
Filing: 1998-07-21
•
Granted: 2000-05-02
•
Expires: 2018-07-21
Abstract
Abstract A thin oxide region is introduced to a surface of a GaN layer prior to contact meal evaporation by carefully controlling the oxidation of the surface. This results in the normally present surface states to be smothered and thus a low band offset is observed in an ohmic contact comprising the contact metal and the GaN layer. The thickness of the oxide region preferably is about 8 Å to 25 Å. Other elements such as S, Se, Te, As, P and Hf can be used as an alternative to O. Devices using the thin region in the ohmic contact may include semiconductor laser devices, light emitting diodes, and III-V based transistors.
Inventors
- 👤 John Rennie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 05:22
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/83; H10H20/832; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/80; H10D62/85; H10D64/00; H10D64/60; H10D64/62; H10H20/81; H10H20/822; H10H20/824; H10H20/825
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a GaN based first contact region and a second contact region, an active region disposed between the GaN based first contact region and the second contact region, a first intermediate region having an average thickness in the range from 8 Å to 25 Å consisting of GaN and O and disposed on the first GaN based contact region, a first metal electrode disposed on the first intermediate region and forming an ohmic contact region with the first GaN based contact region through the intermediate region, and a second metal electrode coupled to the second contact region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A semiconductor device comprising: a GaN based first contact region and a second contact region, an active region disposed between the GaN based first contact region and the second contact region, a first intermediate region having an average thickness in the range from 8 Å to 25 Å consisting of GaN and O and disposed on the first GaN based contact region, a first metal electrode disposed on the first intermediate region and forming an ohmic contact region with the first GaN based contact region through the intermediate region, and a second metal electrode coupled to the second contact region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A semiconductor device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first metal electrode comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Ir, Au, Pt, and Hf or an alloy based on a metal selected from the group.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A semiconductor device, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second intermediate layer disposed between the second contact region and the second electrode, wherein the second contact region is GaN based.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A semiconductor device, as set forth in claim 3, further comprising an insulator or counter doped region and an isolated stripe region surrounded by the insulator or counter doped region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A semiconductor device, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising first and second clad regions, a first optical guide region disposed between the active region and the first clad region, a second optical guide region disposed between the active region and the second clad region, the first clad region disposed between the first optical guide region and the first GaN based contact region, and the second clad region disposed between the second optical guide region and the second contact region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
98 words
A semiconductor device, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a second intermediate layer consisting of GaN and O, wherein a multilayer structure comprising the active region, the GaN based first contact region, the second contact region, the first intermediate region, the first metal electrode, the second metal electrode, the first optical guide region, the first clad region, the second optical guide region, and the second clad region is disposed above an insulator substrate, the second contact region is GaN based, and the second electrode is disposed on the second contact region through the second intermediate layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A semiconductor device, as set forth in claim 5, wherein a multilayer structure comprising the active region, the GaN based first contact region, the second contact region, the first intermediate region, the first metal electrode, the second metal electrode, the first optical guide region, the first clad region, the second optical guide region, and the second clad region is disposed above a first surface of a conductive substrate, and the second metal electrode is disposed on a second surface of the conductive substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor device, as set forth in claim 1, wherein dangling bonds of GaN in the first contact region are terminated with O.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4416952A
Cited
JPS55138238A
Cited
US4608581A
Cited
US5877558A
Cited
US5804834A
Cited
US5889295A
Cited
US5932896A
Cited
US5912498A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-02 | 2003-11-01 | 2004-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-02 | 2007-11-01 | 2008-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-02 | 2011-11-01 | 2012-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |