Power Integrations. has been granted a patent for a method of forming semiconductor devices using gallium and nitrogen materials. The process involves creating a crystalline state from an amorphous state through implantation and thermal treatment, ultimately enhancing electrical activation and forming a p-n junction. GlobalData’s report on Power Integrations gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.

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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Power Integrations, Quantum dot devices was a key innovation area identified from patents. Power Integrations's grant share as of July 2024 was 70%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.

Method for forming semiconductor devices using gallium and nitrogen

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Credit: Power Integrations Inc

The patent US12068161B1 outlines a method for forming a semiconductor device utilizing a gallium and nitrogen-containing material. The process begins with a substrate member featuring a surface region configured along a c-plane with an off-set cut along an m-plane. An epitaxial layer of gallium and nitrogen material is deposited using either Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) or Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE). This layer is characterized by a specific silicon dopant concentration and thickness, followed by a cleaning process involving a solvent and acid mixture. Subsequently, a plurality of particles is implanted into the epitaxial material, inducing crystalline damage that transforms the material into an amorphous state. The method includes a thermal annealing step in an ammonia environment to facilitate the conversion back to a single crystalline state, thereby forming an electrically activated crystalline material and establishing a p-n junction.

Further claims detail specific conditions and materials used in the process, such as the types of gases and entities employed during MOCVD and HVPE, as well as the thermal energy application. The patent also specifies that the nitrogen environment used in the final stages is free from hydrogen species. The implanted particles may include beryllium or magnesium, contributing to the formation of a diode device characterized by a p-n junction. The method concludes with an etching process to adjust the upper surface region's electrical characteristics, enhancing the current value of the semiconductor device. The substrate member can be selected from various materials, including silicon carbide, bulk gallium nitride, or silicon-bearing substrates, providing versatility in the application of this semiconductor fabrication method.

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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.