1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device using a compound semiconductor.
2. Description of Related Art
Microwave transmitter/receiver devices to be used for mobile stations are required to satisfy both low voltage operation and low power consumption. In particular, as transmitter devices, HJFET (hetero junction field effect transistor) with a gate made of p type GaAs, which is an enhancement type field effect transistor, has been used to achieve both low voltage operation and low power consumption.
In this semiconductor device, a two-layer structure having an undoped GaAs layer 3 and an undoped ordered InGaP layer 4 is placed on both sides of and in contact with the C-doped GaAs layer 13. The C-doped GaAs layer 13 has therebelow an Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7, which is an electron supply layer, and an undoped InGaAs layer 8, which is a channel layer, with a two-layer structure of an undoped GaAs layer 5 and an undoped AlGaAs layer 6 therebetween.
Electric charges are supplied to the undoped InGaAs layer 8 from the Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 which has been modulation doped. Electric charges of a two-dimensional electron layer formed in the undoped InGaAs layer 8 are modulated through a pn junction gate of the C-doped GaAs layer 13. The current thus modulated is coupled to an external circuit by using a drain electrode 18 made of an Ni—AuGe—Au layer and a source electrode 19 made of an Ni—AuGe—Au layer.
The Si-doped GaAs layer 1 and the undoped AlGaAs layer 2 are then removed using photolithography from a region, over the epitaxial substrate thus fabricated, in which a gate portion and a recess portion of a field effect transistor are to be formed. An interlayer insulating film 12 made of SiO2 is then deposited all over the surface of the wafer (
A gate opening portion is then formed in a portion of the interlayer insulating film 12 by using photolithography and oxide-film etching (
Continuously, the InGaP layer 4 is removed using a hydrochloric acid-based etchant to form a gate recess portion (
Then, WSi is deposited, followed by patterning to form a WSi electrode 14 serving as a gate (
The undoped GaAs layer 3 and the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4 have, at the interface therebetween, a p-type charge storage layer 15. This means that the C-doped GaAs layer 13 serving as a gate is in contact with the p-type charge storage layer 15. An electric current path from the gate is therefore formed via this p-type charge storage layer 15. Such a structure is accompanied with the drawback that a gate leakage current is large. A large gate leakage current leads to problems such as an increase in a standby current when the device is used for radio-frequency power amplifiers and a decrease in a handling power when it is used for radio-frequency switching devices.
According to T. Tanaka, K. Takano, T. Tsuchiya, and H. Sakaguchi, Journal of Crystal Growth, 221, 515-519 (2000) and K. Yamashita, K. Oe, T. Kita, O. Wada, Y. Wang, C. Geng, F. Scholz, and H. Schweizer, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 44, 7390-7394 (2005), the p-type charge storage layer 15 and the n-type charge storage layer 16 appear according to the following mechanism.
(a) When the InGaP layer 4 is an ordered type, polarization charges appear in the InGaP layer 4. The direction of the electric field is from the undoped InGaAs layer 8 which is a channel layer to the C-doped GaAs layer 13 which is a gate electrode.
The conduction band of the undoped GaAs layer 5 disposed above the undoped InGaAs layer 8 is therefore lowered below the Fermi level (EF) and an n-type charge storage layer 16 is formed at the interface between the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4 and the undoped GaAs layer 5. According to T. Tanaka, K. Takano, T. Tsuchiya, and H. Sakaguchi, Journal of Crystal Growth, 221, 515-519 (2000), it is reported that the electron concentration is about 1×1012 cm−2. In addition, the GaAs layer 3 and the InGaP layer 4 have therebetween the p-type charge storage layer 15.
(b) When the InGaP layer is a disordered type, a conduction band discontinuity appears between the GaAs layer and the InGaP layer. As a result, the conduction band of GaAs is lowered below the Fermi level, leading to accumulation of electrons in the GaAs layer. In addition, the GaAs layer 3 and the InGaP layer 4 have therebetween a p-type charge storage layer 15. In either of the above cases, a charge storage layer is formed between the InGaP layer and the GaAs layer and it becomes a cause for gate leakage.
In the semiconductor device illustrated in
In this structure, however, the C-doped p+-GaAs 112 is not buried and a surface depletion layer formed on the GaAs layer 109 undesirably raises the ON resistance. Decreasing the width of the recess portion in order to decrease the ON resistance leads to a decrease in the ON resistance but increases a field strength between the C-doped p+-GaAs 112 serving as a gate and the drain electrode 116 or the source electrode 115. This causes a problem such as an increase in a leakage current.
Thus, the semiconductor devices described above failed to suppress an increase in the ON resistance and at the same time, reduce the leakage current.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a semiconductor device including a channel layer of a first conductivity type, a cap layer of the first conductivity type formed over the channel layer and equipped with a first recess portion, a two-layered semiconductor layer formed between the channel layer and the cap layer, equipped with a second recess portion provided in the first recess portion, and comprised of a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer formed thereover, a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided in the second recess portion over the channel region, and an insulator provided between the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type and the two-layered semiconductor layer and covering the interface between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer but not provided at a portion between the first semiconductor layer and the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type.
This makes it possible to reduce the leakage current, because the interface between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer is covered with the insulator and insulated from the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type. In addition, the insulator is not provided at a portion between the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type and the first semiconductor layer. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the ON resistance because the number of carriers in the recess portion does not decrease.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device capable of suppressing an increase in the ON resistance and at the same time, reducing the leakage current; and a manufacturing method of the device.
Prior to the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the reason why the present inventors have made the present invention will next be described.
Supposing that the semiconductor device illustrated in
The sidewall insulating film 17 however exists right next to the interface of the gate so that the number of carriers in the recess portion decreases due to a surface depletion layer formed on the side of an undoped GaAs layer 5 and the ON resistance increases. With a view to overcoming this problem, the present inventors therefore have made the invention described below.
The semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will next be described referring to
As illustrated in
The semi-insulating substrate 11 made of GaAs has, thereover, the super-lattice buffer layer 9 made of an AlGaAs layer/GaAs layer. The super-lattice buffer layer 9 has thereover the undoped InGaAs layer 8 serving as a channel layer and the Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 serving as an electron supply layer. The Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 has thereover the undoped AlGaAs layer 6, the undoped GaAs layer 5, the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4, the undoped GaAs layer 3, the undoped AlGaAs layer 2, and the Si-doped GaAs layer 1. They are stacked successively in this order.
The Si-doped GaAs layer 1 and the undoped AlGaAs layer 2 have therein a first recess portion. In this first recess portion, the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4 and the undoped GaAs layer 3 have therein a second recess portion. The C-doped GaAs layer 13 serving as a gate is embedded in the second recess portion. The C-doped GaAs layer 13 has thereover the WSi electrode 14. In addition, the Si-doped GaAs layer 1 has thereover the drain electrode 18 and the source electrode 19 each made of an Ni—AuGe—Au layer.
As described above, the undoped GaAs layer 3 and the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4 have therebetween the p-type charge storage layer 15. The undoped ordered InGaP layer 4 and the undoped GaAs layer 5 have therebetween the n-type charge storage layer 16.
The C-doped GaAs layer 13 and the interlayer insulating film 12, and the C-doped GaAs layer 13 and the undoped GaAs layer 3 have therebetween the sidewall insulating film 17 made of SiO2, while this sidewall insulating film is provided partially between the C-doped GaAs layer 13 and the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. This means that the C-doped GaAs layer 13 and the p-type charge storage layer 15 have therebetween the sidewall insulating film 17. A leakage path via the p-type charge storage layer 15 is therefore insulated, making it possible to reduce a leakage current.
The sidewall insulating film 17 is not provided at a portion between the C-doped GaAs layer 13 and the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. In this structure, therefore, the sidewall insulating film 17 is not in contact with the undoped GaAs layer 5 formed below the C-doped GaAs layer 13 which will serve as a gate. A decrease in the number of carriers in the recess portion due to a surface depletion layer of the undoped GaAs layer 5 therefore does not occur, making it possible to suppress an increase in the ON resistance.
Referring to
The Si-doped GaAs layer 1 and the undoped AlGaAs layer 2 in a region, over the epitaxial substrate thus fabricated, in which a gate portion of a field effect transistor and a recess portion are to be formed are removed using photolithography. An interlayer insulating film 12 made of SiO2 is then deposited all over the wafer. Photolithography and oxide film etching are then performed to form a gate opening portion in a portion of the interlayer insulating film 12. As a result, the structure illustrated in
From the opening portion of the interlayer insulating film 12, the undoped GaAs layer 3 is exposed. With a sulfuric acid-based etchant, the GaAs layer 3 is etched off. This etching removes only about several nm of the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4 and this layer serves as an etching stopper (
The sidewall insulating film 17 over the InGaP layer 4 is then removed using anisotropic dry etching. Since the etching occurs anisotropically, the sidewall insulating film 17 covering therewith the surface of the p-type charge storage layer 15 remains without being removed. The surface of it is therefore still covered with the sidewall insulating film (
The InGaP layer 4 exposed from the second recess portion is then removed with a hydrochloric acid-based etchant. In this etching, the GaAs layer 5 serves as an etching stopper against the hydrochloric acid-based etchant and as a result, the GaAs layer 5 is exposed from the surface (
Organic chemical vapor deposition or the like is then performed to cause selective growth of a C-doped GaAs layer 13 over the undoped GaAs layer 5 at the opening portion of the sidewall insulating film 17 thus formed (
A portion of the interlayer insulating film 12 over the Si-doped GaAs layer 1 is then removed. An Ni—AuGe—Au layer is deposited, followed by patterning and alloying to form a drain electrode 18 and a source electrode 19 (
A semiconductor device according to a second embodiment will be described referring to
A semiconductor device according to a third embodiment will be described referring to
Also in this example, a semiconductor device having a reduced ON resistance and at the same time, having a reduced leakage current can be obtained as in the first embodiment. Incidentally, in a third embodiment, the undoped disordered InGaP layer 21 may be replaced by the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4.
A semiconductor device according to a fourth embodiment will be described referring to
Also in this example, a semiconductor device having a reduced ON resistance and at the same time, having a reduced leakage current can be obtained as in the first embodiment. Incidentally, in the fourth embodiment, the undoped disordered InGaP layer 21 may be replaced by the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. In addition, the sidewall insulator 22 may be replaced by the sidewall insulating film 17.
A semiconductor device according to a fifth embodiment will be described referring to
Also in this example, a semiconductor device having a reduced ON resistance and at the same time, having a reduced leakage current can be obtained as in the first embodiment. Incidentally, in the fifth embodiment, the undoped disordered InGaP layer 21 may be replaced by the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. In addition, the sidewall insulator 22 may be replaced by the sidewall insulating film 17. Further, the interlayer insulator 23 may be preplaced by the interlayer insulating film 12.
A semiconductor device according to a sixth embodiment will be described referring to
As the electron supply layer 25, an Si-doped InAlAs layer or another compound semiconductor layer which supplies electrons to the channel layer 26 can be used. As the channel layer 26, an Si-doped InGaAs layer or another compound semiconductor layer which becomes a channel layer can be used.
Either of the Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 or the undoped InGaAs layer 8 may be replaced by the electron supply layer 25 or the electron running layer 26. Alternatively, both of them may be replaced. When the channel layer 26 also serves as an electron supply layer, the electron supply layer 25 can be omitted.
Also in this embodiment, as described above, the undoped disordered InGaP layer 21 may be replaced by the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. In addition, the sidewall insulator 22 may be replaced by the sidewall insulating film 17. Further, the interlayer insulator 23 may be preplaced by the interlayer insulating film 12. The p-type compound semiconductor layer 24 may be replaced by the C-doped GaAs layer 13.
A semiconductor device according to a seventh embodiment will be described referring to
As the semiconductor layer 27, a layer composed of one or more selected from GaAs and the other semiconductors can be used. As the substrate 28, a semiconductor substrate made of Si, InP, or the like, or an insulator substrate made of Al2O3 or the like can be used.
Incidentally, either of the semiconductor layer 27 or the substrate 28 may be replaced by the super-lattice buffer layer 9 or the semi-insulting substrate 11. Alternatively, both of them may be replaced. As described above, also in this embodiment, the undoped disordered InGaP layer 21 may be replaced by the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. The sidewall insulator 22 may be replaced by the sidewall insulating film 17. Further, the interlayer insulator 23 may be replaced by the interlayer insulating film 12. The p-type compound semiconductor layer 24 may be replaced by the C-doped GaAs layer 13. The Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 the electron supply layer 25 and the channel layer 26 may be replaced by the Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 and the undoped InGaAs layer 8, respectively.
A semiconductor device according to an eighth embodiment will be described referring to
Incidentally, either of the super-lattice buffer layer 9 or the semi-insulating substrate 11 may be replaced by the semiconductor layer 27 or the substrate 28. Alternatively, both of them may be replaced. As described above, also in this embodiment, the undoped disordered InGaP layer 21 may be replaced by the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. The sidewall insulator 22 may be replaced by the sidewall insulating film 17. Further, the interlayer insulator 23 may be replaced by the interlayer insulating film 12. The p-type compound semiconductor layer 24 may be replaced by the C-doped GaAs layer 13. The electron supply layer 25 and the channel layer 26 may be replaced by the Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 and the undoped InGaAs layer 8, respectively.
A semiconductor device according to a ninth embodiment will be described referring to
As the metal layer 30, a layer made of Ti, Au, Pt, Nt, Mo, or another metal and forming an ohmic contact with the p-type compound semiconductor layer 24 or the C-doped GaAs layer 13 can be used. As the metal layer 31 and the metal layer 32, a layer made of Mo or another metal and forming an ohmic contact with the Si-doped GaAs layer 11 can be used. Any one or more or all of the WSi electrode 14, the drain electrode 18, and the source electrode 19 may be replaced with the elements described above, respectively.
A semiconductor device according to an tenth embodiment will be described referring to
Either of the semiconductor layer 27 or the substrate 28 may be replaced by the super-lattice buffer layer 9 or the semi-insulating substrate 11. Alternatively, both of them may be replaced. As described above, also in this embodiment, the undoped disordered InGaP layer 21 may be replaced by the undoped ordered InGaP layer 4. The sidewall insulator 22 may be replaced by the sidewall insulating film 17. Further, the interlayer insulator 23 may be replaced by the interlayer insulating film 12.
The p-type compound semiconductor layer 24 may be replaced by the C-doped GaAs layer 13. The Si-doped AlGaAs layer 7 and the undoped InGaAs layer 8 may be replaced by the electron supply layer 25 and the channel layer 26, respectively. The metal layer 30 may be replaced by the WSi electrode 14 and the metal layer 31 and the metal layer 32 may be replaced by the drain electrode 18 and the source electrode 19, respectively.
The invention is not limited to or by the embodiments described above but can be changed without departing from the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-005910 | Jan 2010 | JP | national |
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-5910 filed on Jan. 14, 2010 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.