Gallium Oxide Multilayer Structure for Heat Dissipation and Crack Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor elements using gallium oxide as a semiconductor face challenges with electrode functionality, such as failure to act as Schottky or Ohmic electrodes, joint issues, and poor heat dissipation, particularly when bonding a conductive substrate to a gallium oxide semiconductor film, which can lead to cracks or impurities.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor element with a multilayer structure comprising a conductive substrate and an oxide semiconductor film, where the substrate has a larger area than the film, allowing for improved semiconductor characteristics and heat dissipation performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conductive substrate is bonded to a gallium oxide semiconductor film to improve heat dissipation, then heat dissipation performance is improved, but cracks or impurities occur in the gallium oxide
Solution Approach 1:
A buffer layer is introduced as an intermediary between the conductive substrate and the gallium oxide semiconductor film. This buffer layer mediates the thermal and mechanical stress between the substrate and the semiconductor film, preventing cracks and impurity formation while maintaining effective heat dissipation from the gallium oxide to the substrate.
2Ease of manufacture
If existing electrode structures are used on alpha-Ga2O3, then electrode fabrication is simplified, but the electrode fails to function as Schottky or Ohmic electrode and causes leakage current
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameters of the electrode by selecting specific metals with appropriate work functions. For Schottky electrodes, metals with high work functions are used to create Schottky barriers, while for Ohmic electrodes, metals with low work functions are used to ensure good ohmic contact. This parameter-based approach maintains fabrication simplicity while achieving proper electrode functionality and preventing leakage current.
3Reliability
If beta-Ga2O3 is used as semiconductor, then Ohmic and Schottky electrodes can be formed, but the crystal structure is not preferred for semiconductor elements and requires high substrate temperature and high vacuum for growth
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the crystal structure parameter of gallium oxide from the conventional beta-phase to the alpha-phase. Alpha-Ga2O3 has a corundum structure that allows for lower substrate temperature and reduced vacuum requirements during film growth, while still enabling the formation of functional Schottky and Ohmic electrodes through appropriate metal selection, thus improving ease of manufacture while maintaining electrode reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a semiconductor element including: a multilayer structure including: a conductive substrate; and an oxide semiconductor film arranged directly on the conductive substrate or over the conductive substrate via a different layer, the oxide semiconductor film including an oxide, as a major component, containing gallium, the conductive substrate having a larger area than the oxide semiconductor film.