Nitride Semiconductor Layer Structure for Lower Gate Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In nitride semiconductor devices, increasing the thickness of the second nitride semiconductor layer with a lower carbon concentration to reduce current collapse leads to stacking faults, resulting in increased gate leakage and decreased yield.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device structure with a substrate, buffer layer, intermediate layer, electron transport layer, and electron supply layer, where the intermediate layer includes a stack of first and second intermediate layers with specific thickness and carbon concentrations, and a V/III ratio greater than 5000, to reduce edge screw mixed dislocation density and stacking faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thickness of the second nitride semiconductor layer is increased to reduce current collapse, then current collapse is reduced, but stacking faults occur resulting in increased gate leakage and decreased yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the intermediate layer into multiple sub-layers with different carbon concentrations and thicknesses. Specifically, it includes a first intermediate layer with lower carbon concentration and a second intermediate layer with higher carbon concentration, allowing each layer to serve different functions in reducing current collapse while controlling stacking faults
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different carbon concentrations to different regions of the intermediate layer. The first intermediate layer has a lower carbon concentration (1×10^18 to 1×10^20 atoms/cm³) while the second intermediate layer has a higher carbon concentration (1×10^20 to 1×10^22 atoms/cm³), optimizing each region's properties to balance current collapse reduction and stacking fault prevention
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed structure effectively reduces the occurrence of stacking faults and gate leakage, enhancing the reproducibility of output current properties and improving device yield.
Implementation Method 1
A value obtained by dividing a density of edge screw mixed dislocations with a Burgers vector of a/3 at the second position by a density of edge screw mixed dislocations with the Burgers vector of a/3 at the first position is at most 0.66
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a buffer layer; an intermediate layer; an electron transport layer; an electron supply layer; a source electrode and a drain electrode; and a gate electrode. The intermediate layer includes a stack resulting from stacking a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer. The second intermediate layer is provided above the first intermediate layer. A first position that is 100 nm above a lower surface of the intermediate layer is in the first intermediate layer. A second position that is 100 nm below an upper surface of the intermediate layer is in the second intermediate layer. A value obtained by dividing a density of edge screw mixed dislocations with a Burgers vector of <11-23>/3 at the second position by a density of edge screw mixed dislocations with the Burgers vector of <11-23>/3 at the first position is at most 0.66.