A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of providing a substrate having a medium-voltage (MV) region and a low-voltage (LV) region, forming fin-shaped structures on the LV region, forming an insulating layer between the fin-shaped structures, forming a hard mask on the LV region, and then performing a thermal oxidation process to form a gate dielectric layer on the MV region. Preferably, a hump is formed on the substrate surface of the MV region after the hard mask is removed, in which the hump further includes a first hump adjacent to one side of the substrate on the MV region and a second hump adjacent to another side of the substrate on the MV region.

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of providing a substrate having a low-voltage (LV) region and a medium-voltage (MV) region, forming a first metal gate on the LV region and a second metal gate on the MV region, forming a first patterned mask on the second metal gate, removing part of the first metal gate, forming a second patterned mask on the first metal gate, removing part of the second metal gate, and then forming a first hard mask on the first metal gate and a second hard mask on the second metal gate.

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a memory cell structure covered by a protective layer is formed in a memory cell area of a substrate. A mask pattern is formed. The mask pattern has an opening over a first circuit area, while the memory cell area and a second circuit area are covered by the mask pattern. The substrate in the first circuit area is recessed, while the memory cell area and the second circuit area are protected. A first field effect transistor (FET) having a first gate dielectric layer is formed in the first circuit area over the recessed substrate and a second FET having a second gate dielectric layer is formed in the second circuit area over the substrate as viewed in cross section.

GaN-based half bridge power conversion circuits employ control, support and logic functions that are monolithically integrated on the same devices as the power transistors. In some embodiments a low side GaN device communicates through one or more level shift circuits with a high side GaN device. Both the high side and the low side devices may have one or more integrated control, support and logic functions. Some devices employ electro-static discharge circuits and features formed within the GaN-based devices to improve the reliability and performance of the half bridge power conversion circuits.

An oxide semiconductor layer which is intrinsic or substantially intrinsic and includes a crystalline region in a surface portion of the oxide semiconductor layer is used for the transistors. An intrinsic or substantially intrinsic semiconductor from which an impurity which is to be an electron donor (donor) is removed from an oxide semiconductor and which has a larger energy gap than a silicon semiconductor is used. Electrical characteristics of the transistors can be controlled by controlling the potential of a pair of conductive films which are provided on opposite sides from each other with respect to the oxide semiconductor layer, each with an insulating film arranged therebetween, so that the position of a channel formed in the oxide semiconductor layer is determined.

An integrated circuit (IC) device may include a first active transistor of a first-type in a first-type region. The first active transistor may have a first-type work function material and a low channel dopant concentration in an active portion of the first active transistor. The IC device may also include a first isolation transistor of the first-type in the first-type region. The second active transistor may have a second-type work function material and the low channel dopant concentration in an active portion of the first isolation transistor. The first isolation transistor may be arranged adjacent to the first active transistor.

An electronic device can include a bidirectional HEMT. In an aspect, the electronic device can include a pair of switch gate and blocking gate electrodes, wherein the switch gate electrodes are not electrically connected to the blocking gate electrodes, and the first blocking, first switch, second blocking, and second switch gate electrodes are on the same die. In another aspect, the electronic device can include shielding structures having different numbers of laterally extending portions. In a further aspect, the electronic device can include a gate electrode and a shielding structure, wherein a portion of the shielding structure defines an opening overlying the gate electrode.

An electronic circuit is disclosed. The electronic circuit includes a GaN substrate, a first power supply node on the substrate, an output node, a signal node, and an output component on the substrate, where the output component is configured to generate a voltage at the output node based at least in part on a voltage at the signal node. The electronic circuit also includes a capacitor coupled to the signal node, where, the capacitor is configured to selectively cause the voltage at the signal node to be greater than the voltage of the first power supply node, such that the output component causes the voltage at the output node to be substantially equal to the voltage of the first power supply node.

In accordance with an embodiment, semiconductor component includes a compound semiconductor material based semiconductor device coupled to a silicon based semiconductor device and a protection element, wherein the silicon based semiconductor device is a transistor. The protection element is coupled in parallel across the silicon based semiconductor device and may be a resistor, a diode, or a transistor. In accordance with another embodiment, the silicon based semiconductor device is a diode. The compound semiconductor material may be shorted to a source of potential such as, for example, ground, with a shorting element.

An integrated circuit containing a first plurality of MOS transistors operating in a low voltage range, and a second plurality of MOS transistors operating in a mid voltage range, may also include a high-voltage MOS transistor which operates in a third voltage range significantly higher than the low and mid voltage ranges, for example 20 to 30 volts. The high-voltage MOS transistor has a closed loop configuration, in which a drain region is surrounded by a gate, which is in turn surrounded by a source region, so that the gate does not overlap field oxide. The integrated circuit may include an n-channel version of the high-voltage MOS transistor and/or a p-channel version of the high-voltage MOS transistor. Implanted regions of the n-channel version and the p-channel version are formed concurrently with implanted regions in the first and second pluralities of MOS transistors.