III-nitride bidirectional switches

US7875907B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Transphorm Inc. · US

Inventors

• James Honea · Lompoc, US
• Primit Parikh · Goleta, US
• Yifeng Wu · Goleta, US
• Ilan Ben-Yaacov · Goleta, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 12, 2008
• Grant date: Jan 25, 2011
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D62/8503

Abstract

Bidirectional switches are described. The bidirectional switches include first and a second III-N based high electron mobility transistor. In some embodiments, the source of the first transistor is in electrical contact with a source of the second transistor. In some embodiments, the drain of the first transistor is in electrical contact with a drain of the second transistor. In some embodiments, the two transistors share a drift region and the switch is free of a drain contact between the two transistors. Matrix converters can be formed from the bidirectional switches.