A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of semiconductor devices, and particularly relates to a gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device. The application provides a gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device, reduces the control complexity of the device, makes the device more easily applied, and greatly simplifies the control logic of the bidirectional switching device. The application adopts a single gate to control the bidirectional electronic device, that is, the left and right two p-GaN are controlled through the same gate, and when the application scene is a medium and low voltage application scene, for example, 10V-100V, the gate control can be more simple.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor device technology, and specifically relates to a gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Bidirectional electronic devices have important applications in AC-AC conversion, rectification / inversion, and other fields. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a typical representative of third-generation wide-bandgap semiconductors, with a bandgap of 3.4 eV. It possesses a higher critical breakdown electric field, a higher electron saturation drift velocity, and good chemical stability than traditional silicon, making it an excellent material for power electronic semiconductor devices. In traditional GaN-based power device applications, achieving bidirectional switching functionality requires combining discrete components, which increases system cost and complexity. Therefore, fabricating bidirectional switching devices based on gallium nitride has significant application value. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention proposes a gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device that reduces device control complexity, makes the device easier to apply, and greatly simplifies the control logic of the bidirectional switching device.

[0004] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows:

[0005] A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device includes a substrate 01, a transition layer 02, a buffer layer 03, a channel layer 04, and a barrier layer 05, which are stacked sequentially from bottom to top along the vertical direction of the device.

[0006] The device has a first electrode metal 11 and a second electrode metal 12 at both ends of the upper surface of the device. The first electrode metal 11 and the second electrode metal 12 penetrate the barrier layer 05 and extend into the channel layer 04 along the vertical direction of the device.

[0007] A first p-GaN layer 06 and a second p-GaN layer 07 are provided in the middle of the upper surface of the barrier layer 05. The first p-GaN layer 06 is located on the side close to the first electrode metal 11. There is a gap between the first p-GaN layer 06 and the second p-GaN layer 07. A first passivation layer 08 is provided on the upper surface of the barrier layer 05 between the first p-GaN layer 06 and the first electrode metal 11. A second passivation layer 09 is provided on the upper surface of the barrier layer 05 between the first p-GaN layer 06 and the second p-GaN layer 07. A third passivation layer 10 is provided on the upper surface of the barrier layer 05 between the second p-GaN layer 07 and the second electrode metal 12. The first passivation layer 08 and the third passivation layer 10 are arranged symmetrically in the lateral direction of the device.

[0008] Gate metal 13 is present on the upper surface of the first p-GaN layer 06 and the second p-GaN layer 07.

[0009] Specifically, the gate metal 13 is T-shaped in the cross-sectional view of the device, and the bottom of the gate metal 13 covers the upper surface of the second passivation layer 09.

[0010] Specifically, the gate metal 13 is split into two parts and located on the upper surfaces of the first p-GaN layer 06 and the second p-GaN layer 07, respectively. Both parts of the gate metal 13 are T-shaped in the cross-sectional view of the device.

[0011] Specifically, the lateral width of the first p-GaN layer 06 is smaller than the lateral width of the second p-GaN layer 07.

[0012] Specifically, the lateral width of the first p-GaN layer 06 is greater than the lateral width of the second p-GaN layer 07.

[0013] Specifically, it also includes a third p-GaN layer 14, which is embedded in the second passivation layer 09, dividing the second passivation layer 09 into two parts. The top of the third p-GaN layer 14 is in contact with the gate metal 13, and the bottom is in contact with the barrier layer 05.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are: this invention uses a single gate to control a bidirectional electronic device, that is, both the left and right p-GaN are controlled through the same gate, which makes gate control simpler in low-to-medium voltage applications such as 10V-100V. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a bidirectional switching device provided in Embodiment 1;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a bidirectional switching device provided in Embodiment 2;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a bidirectional switching device provided in Embodiment 3;

[0018] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a bidirectional switching device provided in Embodiment 4;

[0019] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a bidirectional switching device provided in Example 5. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The specific technical solution of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Example 1:

[0022] Reference Figure 1As shown, this embodiment provides a gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device, characterized by comprising: a substrate 01, a transition layer 02, a buffer layer 03, a channel layer 04, a barrier layer 05, a p-GaN layer 06, a p-GaN layer 07, a passivation layer 08, a passivation layer 09, a passivation layer 10, a first electrode metal 11, a first electrode metal 12, and a gate metal 13.

[0023] The bottom layer of the device is substrate 01; transition layer 02 is located above substrate 01; buffer layer 03 is located above transition layer 02; channel layer 04 is located above buffer layer 03; barrier layer 05 is located above channel layer 04; p-GaN layer 06, p-GaN layer 07, passivation layer 08, passivation layer 09 and passivation layer 10 are located above AlGaN barrier layer 05, and their order from left to right is: passivation layer 08, p-GaN layer 06, passivation layer 09, p-GaN layer 07, passivation layer 10; first electrode metal 11 is located at the leftmost end of the device, above channel layer 04, and penetrates passivation layer 08, barrier layer 05 and part of channel layer 04; second electrode metal 12 is located at the rightmost end of the device, above channel layer 04, and penetrates passivation layer 10, barrier layer 05 and part of channel layer 04; gate metal 13 is located above p-GaN layer 06 and p-GaN layer 07.

[0024] The working principle of this example is as follows:

[0025] The device in this example uses a single gate to control a bidirectional switching device. In low-to-medium voltage applications, this simplifies gate control. The bidirectional switching device can be turned on simply by controlling a single gate voltage, eliminating the need for two gates for a dual-switching device and the need for separate two gate signal drives, thus reducing the complexity of device control.

[0026] The working principle of the single-gate bidirectional switching device is explained below, which can achieve bidirectional conduction and bidirectional blocking. When the gate is grounded, p-GaN 06 and p-GaN 07 deplete the two-dimensional electron gas in the underlying channel layer 04, hindering the flow of current between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12. When a positive voltage is applied to the gate 13, electrons are induced and injected into the channel region below p-GaN 06 and p-GaN 07, thereby forming a current path between the first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12.

[0027] The distance between the p-GaN layer 06 and the first electrode metal 11 is equal to the distance between the p-GaN layer 07 and the first electrode metal 12; the p-GaN layer 06 and the p-GaN layer 07 are separated by a passivation layer 09.

[0028] In some embodiments, substrate 01 may include a silicon substrate, a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate, a sapphire substrate, a gallium nitride substrate, an aluminum nitride substrate, or a substrate formed of other suitable materials.

[0029] In some embodiments, the transition layer 02 may be made of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0030] In some embodiments, the buffer layer 03 is made of gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto, and its doping element is carbon or iron.

[0031] In some embodiments, the channel layer 04 material may include gallium nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, but is not limited thereto.

[0032] In some embodiments, the barrier layer 05 material may include gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum gallium nitride, or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto.

[0033] In some embodiments, the materials of p-GaN layer 06 and p-GaN layer 07 are p-type doped gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, or aluminum gallium nitride, but are not limited thereto, and the doping element is magnesium.

[0034] In some embodiments, the materials of passivation layer 08, passivation layer 09, and passivation layer 10 are SiNx, Al2O3, AlN, SiO2, HfO2, ScO2, TiO2, ZrO2, or a combination thereof, but are not limited thereto.

[0035] Example 2

[0036] Reference Figure 2 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the gate metals on p-GaN layer 06 and p-GaN layer 07 are not directly connected together, but can be connected together through subsequent wiring.

[0037] Example 3

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the length of the p-GaN layer 06 is less than the length of the p-GaN layer 07.

[0039] Example 4

[0040] like Figure 4 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the length of the p-GaN layer 06 is greater than the length of the p-GaN layer 07.

[0041] Example 5

[0042] like Figure 5 As shown, the difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that there is an additional p-GaN layer 14 between p-GaN layer 06 and p-GaN layer 07.

Claims

1. A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a substrate (01), a transition layer (02), a buffer layer (03), a channel layer (04), and a barrier layer (05) stacked sequentially from bottom to top along the vertical direction of the device. The device has a first electrode metal (11) and a second electrode metal (12) at both ends of the upper surface. The first electrode metal (11) and the second electrode metal (12) penetrate the barrier layer (05) and extend into the channel layer (04) along the vertical direction of the device. A first p-GaN layer (06) and a second p-GaN layer (07) are provided in the middle of the upper surface of the barrier layer (05), wherein the first p-GaN layer (06) is located on the side close to the first electrode metal (11), and there is a gap between the first p-GaN layer (06) and the second p-GaN layer (07). A first passivation layer (08) is provided on the upper surface of the barrier layer (05) between the first p-GaN layer (06) and the first electrode metal (11), a second passivation layer (09) is provided on the upper surface of the barrier layer (05) between the first p-GaN layer (06) and the second p-GaN layer (07), and a third passivation layer (10) is provided on the upper surface of the barrier layer (05) between the second p-GaN layer (07) and the second electrode metal (12). The first passivation layer (08) and the third passivation layer (10) are arranged symmetrically in the transverse direction of the device. Gate metal (13) is present on the upper surfaces of the first p-GaN layer (06) and the second p-GaN layer (07).

2. A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gate metal (13) is T-shaped in the cross-sectional view of the device, and the bottom of the gate metal (13) covers the upper surface of the second passivation layer (09).

3. A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gate metal (13) is split into two parts and located on the upper surfaces of the first p-GaN layer (06) and the second p-GaN layer (07), respectively. Both parts of the gate metal (13) are T-shaped in the cross-sectional view of the device.

4. A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lateral width of the first p-GaN layer (06) is smaller than the lateral width of the second p-GaN layer (07).

5. A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lateral width of the first p-GaN layer (06) is greater than the lateral width of the second p-GaN layer (07).

6. A gallium nitride bidirectional electronic device according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a third p-GaN layer (14), which is embedded in the second passivation layer (09) to divide the second passivation layer (09) into two parts. The top of the third p-GaN layer (14) is in contact with the gate metal (13), and the bottom is in contact with the barrier layer (05).

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