A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first transistor unit having a first drain electrode, a first gate electrode, and a first source electrode, a second transistor unit having a second source electrode, a second gate electrode, and a second drain electrode, a gate wiring provided between the first source electrode and the second source electrode and electrically connected to the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode, a first cover metal layer electrically connected to the first source electrode, at least an upper portion of the first cover metal layer projecting toward the gate wiring more than the first source electrode, and a second cover metal layer electrically connected to the second source electrode, at least an upper portion of the second cover metal layer projecting toward the gate wiring more than the second source electrode.

Providing a resistor between a gate of a target device (e.g., a gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistor device) and a clamp circuit improves electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection between an input/output (IO) and the target device. For example, the resistor may result in ESD protection between the IO and a source of the target device and between the IO and a drain of the target device may be at least 2 kilovolts under the human body model. Because ESD protection is improved, chances of burn out in the target device are reduced. Additionally, larger currents may be applied in the clamp circuit without risk of ESD.

A number of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) devices including combinations of PIN and Schottky diodes, with integrated passive electrical components fabricated and electrically connected among them, are described herein, along with new process techniques for forming the MMIC devices. In one example, a monolithic semiconductor includes a substrate, a plurality of layers of semiconductor materials over the substrate, Schottky and Ohmic contacts on a first subset of the plurality of layers for a Schottky diode, and PIN diode Ohmic contacts on a second subset of the plurality of layers for a PIN diode. The device can also include an etch stop layer between the first subset of the plurality of layers and the second subset of the plurality of layers. The etch stop layer facilitates selective etching and isolation of the Schottky diode from the PIN diode by consecutive etchings.

A number of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) devices including combinations of PIN and Schottky diodes, with integrated passive electrical components fabricated and electrically connected among them, are described herein, along with new process techniques for forming the MMIC devices. In one example, a monolithic semiconductor includes a substrate, a plurality of layers of semiconductor materials over the substrate, Schottky and Ohmic contacts on a first subset of the plurality of layers for a Schottky diode, and PIN diode Ohmic contacts on a second subset of the plurality of layers for a PIN diode. The device can also include an etch stop layer between the first subset of the plurality of layers and the second subset of the plurality of layers. The etch stop layer facilitates selective etching and isolation of the Schottky diode from the PIN diode by consecutive etchings.

The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, a second nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the first nitride semiconductor layer and having a bandgap greater than that of the first nitride semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes a first gate conductor disposed on a first region of the second nitride semiconductor layer, a first source electrode disposed on a first side of the first gate conductor, a first field plate disposed on a second side of the first gate conductor, a first conductive terminal and a second conductive terminal disposed on a second region of the second nitride semiconductor layer, and a resistor formed in the first nitride semiconductor layer and electrically connected between the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal, wherein the resistor comprises at least one conductive region.

The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, a second nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the first nitride semiconductor layer and having a bandgap greater than that of the first nitride semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes a first gate conductor disposed on a first region of the second nitride semiconductor layer, a first source electrode disposed on a first side of the first gate conductor, a first field plate disposed on a second side of the first gate conductor, a first conductive terminal and a second conductive terminal disposed on a second region of the second nitride semiconductor layer, and a resistor formed in the first nitride semiconductor layer and electrically connected between the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal, wherein the resistor comprises at least one conductive region.

A power amplifier module includes a power amplifier including a GaAs bipolar transistor having a collector, a base abutting the collector, and an emitter, the collector having a doping concentration of at least about 310.sup.16 cm.sup.3 at a junction with the base, the collector also having at least a first grading in which doping concentration increases away from the base; and an RF transmission line driven by the power amplifier, the RF transmission line including a conductive layer and finish plating on the conductive layer, the finish plating including a gold layer, a palladium layer proximate the gold layer, and a diffusion barrier layer proximate the palladium layer, the diffusion barrier layer including nickel and having a thickness that is less than about the skin depth of nickel at 0.9 GHZ. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate (120); a first nitride semiconductor layer (130) on the substrate (120); a second nitride semiconductor layer (140) on the first nitride semiconductor layer (130) and having a band gap greater than a band gap of the first semiconductor layer (130); a transistor (14) on the second nitride semiconductor layer (140); and a protection circuit (40) on the second nitride semiconductor layer (140), wherein the protection circuit (40) is configured to dispel electrons from a gate node of the transistor (14) when a voltage on the gate node exceeds a first threshold voltage.

The present invention provides a nitride semiconductor device, including: a silicon substrate; a first lateral transistor over a first region of the silicon substrate and including: a first nitride semiconductor layer formed over the silicon substrate; and a first gate electrode, a first source electrode and a first drain electrode formed over the first nitride semiconductor layer; a second lateral transistor over a second region of the silicon substrate and including: a second nitride semiconductor layer formed over the silicon substrate; and a second gate electrode, a second source electrode and a second drain electrode formed over the second nitride semiconductor layer; a first separation trench formed over a third region; a source/substrate connecting via hole formed over the third region; a first interlayer insulating layer formed over the first source electrode and the second source electrode; and a second interlayer insulating layer formed in the first separation trench.

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming an opening in a dielectric layer, forming a recess in an exposed part of a substrate, and forming a lattice-mismatched crystalline semiconductor material in the recess and opening.