A symmetrically-bidirectional bipolar transistor circuit where the two base contact regions are clamped, through a low-voltage diode and a resistive element, to avoid bringing either emitter junction to forward bias. This avoids bipolar gain in the off state, and thereby avoids reduction of the withstand voltage due to bipolar gain.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) with a buried trap rich region and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising a collector region, a base region and an emitter region; and at least one non-single-crystal semiconductor region in the collector region of the heterojunction bipolar transistor.

Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.

Methods, systems, circuits, and devices for power-packet-switching power converters using bidirectional bipolar transistors (BTRANs) for switching. Four-terminal three-layer BTRANs provide substantially identical operation in either direction with forward voltages of less than a diode drop. BTRANs are fully symmetric merged double-base bidirectional bipolar opposite-faced devices which operate under conditions of high non-equilibrium carrier concentration, and which can have surprising synergies when used as bidirectional switches for power-packet-switching power converters. BTRANs are driven into a state of high carrier concentration, making the on-state voltage drop very low.

A semiconductor device that includes a bipolar transistor, wherein a third opening, through which a pillar bump and a second wiring line, which is electrically connected to an emitter layer, contact each other, is shifted in a longitudinal direction of the emitter layer away from a position at which the third opening would be directly above the emitter layer. The third opening is arranged, with respect to the emitter layer, such that an end portion of the emitter layer in the longitudinal direction of the emitter layer and the edge of the opening of the third opening are substantially aligned with each other.

To manufacture a bipolar transistor, a first stack of layers including a first layer made of the material of the base of the bipolar transistor is formed between second and third insulating layers. A first cavity is then formed crossing the first stack in such a way as to reach the substrate. The forming of the first cavity includes an etching of no layer covering the first layer other than the third layer. A first portion of the collector of the bipolar transistor and a second portion of the base of the bipolar transistor are then formed in the first cavity.

A symmetrically-bidirectional bipolar transistor circuit where the two base contact regions are clamped, through a low-voltage diode and a resistive element, to avoid bringing either emitter junction to forward bias. This avoids bipolar gain in the off state, and thereby avoids reduction of the withstand voltage due to bipolar gain.

The disclosed technology generally relates to ferroelectric materials and semiconductor devices, and more particularly to semiconductor memory devices incorporating doped polar materials. In one aspect, a capacitor comprises a crystalline polar layer comprising a base polar material substitutionally doped with a dopant. The base polar material comprises one or more metal elements and one or both of oxygen or nitrogen. The dopant comprises a metal element of one of 4d series, 5d series, 4f series or 5f series that is different from the one or more metal elements, such that a ferroelectric switching voltage of the capacitor is different from that of the capacitor having the base polar material without being doped with the dopant by more than about 100 mV.

Described herein are various amorphous metal thin film transistors. Embodiments of such transistors include an amorphous metal gate electrode and a channel conductor formed on a non-conducting substrate. Further embodiments of such transistors include an amorphous metal source electrode, an amorphous metal drain electrode, and a channel conductor formed on a non-conducting substrate. Methods of forming such transistors are also described.

A semiconductor device, such as a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), having a monocrystalline extrinsic base region may be formed via a method including steps of providing a substrate that includes a dielectric isolation region and a collector region that includes semiconductor material, forming a polycrystalline semiconductor layer over the substrate, forming a monocrystalline intrinsic base layer via epitaxial growth, where the intrinsic base layer is in direct contact with the polycrystalline semiconductor layer, removing the polycrystalline semiconductor layer after forming the monocrystalline intrinsic base layer, and forming a monocrystalline extrinsic base layer via epitaxial growth, where the monocrystalline extrinsic base layer is in direct contact with the monocrystalline intrinsic base layer.