A nitride semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device is formed by a process that first deposits a silicon nitride (SiN) film on a semiconductor layer by the lower pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) technique at a temperature, then, forming an opening in the SiN film for an ohmic electrode. Preparing a photoresist on the SiN film, where the photoresist provides an opening that fully covers the opening in the SiN film, the process exposes a peripheral area around the opening of the SiN film to chlorine (Cl) plasma that may etch the semiconductor layer to form a recess therein. Metals for the ohmic electrode are filled within the recess in the semiconductor layer and the peripheral area of the SiN film. Finally, the metals are alloyed at a temperature lower than the deposition temperature of the SiN film.

Gallium nitride (GaN) transistors with source and drain field plates are described. In an example, a transistor includes a gallium nitride (GaN) layer above a substrate, a gate structure over the GaN layer, a source region on a first side of the gate structure, a drain region on a second side of the gate structure, the second side opposite the first side, a source field plate above the source region, and a drain field plate above the drain region.

Patterning methods for forming patterned device substrates are provided. Also provided are devices made using the methods. The methods utilize photoresist features have re-entrant profiles to form a secondary metal hard mask that can be used to pattern an underlying device substrate.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including a substrate; a first nitride layer containing gallium on the substrate; and a second nitride layer containing silicon on the first nitride layer includes generating an etchant of a gas containing chlorine atoms or bromine atoms; and selectively removing the second nitride layer, wherein the etchant is generated by plasma discharge of the gas, wherein the second nitride layer and the first nitride layer are prevented from being irradiated with ultraviolet rays generated at a time of the plasma discharge, and wherein the selectively removing the second nitride layer includes etching the second nitride layer under a first atmosphere at a first pressure that is lower than a first saturated vapor pressure of a silicon compound and that is higher than a second saturated vapor pressure of a gallium compound.

A field effect transistor, comprising a gate contact and gate metal forming a vertical structure, such vertical structure having sides and a top surrounded by an air gap formed between a source electrode and a drain electrode of the field effect transistor.

A Group III-V semiconductor structure having a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has a source and drain recess regions extending through a barrier layer and into a channel layer. A regrown, doped Group III-V ohmic contact layer is disposed on and in direct contact with the source and drain recess regions. A gate electrode is disposed in a gap in the regrown, doped Group III-V ohmic contact layer and on the barrier layer A dielectric structure is disposed over the ohmic contact layer and over the barrier layer and extending continuously from a region over the source recess region to one side of the stem portion and then extending continuously from an opposite side of the stem portion to a region over the drain recess region, a portion of the dielectric structure being in contact with the stem portion and the barrier layer.

Gallium nitride-based monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) can comprise aluminum-based metals. Electrical contacts for gates, sources, and drains of transistors can include aluminum-containing metallic materials. Additionally, connectors, inductors, and interconnect devices can also comprise aluminum-based metals. The gallium-based MMICs can be manufactured in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) facilities with equipment that produces silicon-based semiconductor devices.

A Group III-V semiconductor structure having a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has a source and drain recess regions extending through a barrier layer and into a channel layer. A regrown, doped Group III-V ohmic contact layer is disposed on and in direct contact with the source and drain recess regions. A gate electrode is disposed in a gap in the regrown, doped Group III-V ohmic contact layer and on the barrier layer A dielectric structure is disposed over the ohmic contact layer and over the barrier layer and extending continuously from a region over the source recess region to one side of the stem to portion and then extending continuously from an opposite side of the stem portion to a region over the drain recess region, a portion of the dielectric structure being in contact with the stem portion and the barrier layer.

A semiconductor device for power amplification includes: a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode disposed above a semiconductor stack structure including a first nitride semiconductor layer and a second nitride semiconductor layer; and a source field plate that is disposed above the semiconductor stack structure between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, and has a same potential as a potential of the source electrode. The source field plate has a staircase shape, and even when length LF2 of an upper section is increased for electric field relaxation, an increase in parasitic capacitance Cds generated between the source field plate and a 2DEG surface is inhibited.

A III-N device is described with a III-N material layer, an insulator layer on a surface of the III-N material layer, an etch stop layer on an opposite side of the insulator layer from the III-N material layer, and an electrode defining layer on an opposite side of the etch stop layer from the insulator layer. A recess is formed in the electrode defining layer. An electrode is formed in the recess. The insulator can have a precisely controlled thickness, particularly between the electrode and III-N material layer.