Gallium Nitride Power Semiconductor Devices with Vertical Structure

Abstract

The invention discloses a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a first active layer. The substrate has a first side and a second side, and the first active layer is disposed on the substrate. above the first side. A second active layer is disposed on the first active layer. The second active layer has a higher band gap than the first active layer, so that a two-dimensional electron gas layer occurs between the first active layer and the second active layer. At least one trench extends through the first and second active layers and the two-dimensional electron gas layer and into the substrate. Conductive material lines the trench. A first electrode is disposed on the second active layer and a second electrode is disposed on the second side of the substrate.

Description

Background technique [0001] Gallium nitride (GaN) is a potential material to replace silicon (Si) in high power applications. GaN has high breakdown voltage, excellent transport properties, fast switching speed and good thermal stability. GaN is also more cost-effective than SiC. Another advantage is that the heterostructure formed by aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) and gallium nitride creates a two-dimensional channel for high-mobility electrons, thus enabling GaN devices to achieve better performance than silicon and silicon carbide under the same reverse bias voltage. Lower on-resistance. [0002] GaN may provide a technology platform for a wide variety of different semiconductor devices including, for example, diodes and transistors. Diodes are used in a wide range of electronic circuits. Diodes used in circuits for high voltage switching applications ideally require the following characteristics. When reverse biased (that is, the cathode is at a higher voltage than ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] figure 1 One problem with the diode shown is that its on-resistance is relatively large due to the increased total contact resistance, since the forward current of the 2DEG electron gas must flow through the AlGaN barrier layer 135 to reach the cathode 150, where the silicon phase The ohmic contact resistance for GaN-based materials is generally significantly higher than

Also, because the anode and cathode are on the same side of the device, the required die area is relatively large

In addition, the thermal performance of diodes is relatively poor because heat dissipation is limited to only one side of the die

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