Tunnel-junction structure incorporating N-type layer comprising nitrogen and a group VI dopant
US7123638B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 17, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 17, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 12, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/343
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A tunnel junction structure comprises an n-type tunnel junction layer of a first semiconductor material, a p-type tunnel junction layer of a second semiconductor material and a tunnel junction between the tunnel junction layers. The first semiconductor material includes gallium (Ga), nitrogen (N), arsenic (As) and is doped with a Group VI dopant. The probability of tunneling is significantly increased, and the voltage drop across the tunnel junction is consequently decreased, by forming the tunnel junction structure of materials having a reduced difference between the valence band energy of the material of the p-type tunnel junction layer and the conduction band energy of the n-type tunnel junction layer. Doping the first semiconductor material n-type with a Group VI dopant maximizes the doping concentration in the first semiconductor material, thus further improving the probability of tunneling.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.