Monolithic heteroepitaxial microwave tunnel die

{
  "publication_number": "US3670218A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Monolithic heteroepitaxial microwave tunnel die",
  "abstract": "A monolithic heteroepitaxial microwave tunnel diode with a vertical tunnel junction is manufactured from an insulating substrate on which a layer of p-type semiconductor material has been grown. A layer of dielectric thin film is placed over the ptype semiconductor layer and where an ohmic contact is desired an opening is formed in the dielectric thin film. A circuit metal is then alloyed to the p-type semiconductor material. A similar opening is formed where a tunnel junction is desired and a second metal is alloyed to the p-type semiconductor material. An n-type semiconductor region is formed during the second alloying.",
  "claims": [
    "2. The device of claim 1 comprising in addition a metal ground plane intimate to said dielectric substrate but not in contact with any other metal or semiconductor material.",
    "3. The device of claim 1 wherein there is an interchange of the p and n-type materials and a layer of n-type semiconductor material is epitaxially deposited on said dielectric substrate instead of said p-type material and a p-type region is grown at the interface of said n-type semiconductor material to form said p-n junction.",
    "4. The device of claim 1 wherein said dielectric substrate is selected from a group consisting of aluminum oxide, beryllium oxide and sapphire.",
    "5. The device of claim 1 wherein said p-type semiconductor is degenerate gallium arsenide.",
    "6. The device of claim 5 wherein said degenerate gallium arsenide is doped with zinc.",
    "7. The device of claim 6 wherein said degenerate gallium arsenide is doped to an acceptor concentration of 2 X 1019/cm3.",
    "8. The device of claim 1 wherein said first metal is selected from a group consisting of zinc, silver, cadmium and indium.",
    "9. The device of claim 1 wherein said layer of p-type semiconductor has a thickness between 1 and 25 microns.",
    "10. The device of claim 1 wherein said second metal used for producing the p-n junction consists of sulfur mixed with tin.",
    "11. The device of claim 10 wherein the amount of tin is mixed with the maximum soluble amount of sulfur.",
    "12. The device of claim 1 wherein said dielectric thin film is made from silicon oxide and silicon nitride.",
    "13. The device of claim 1 wherein the alloying into of said first metal used for producing the ohmic contact zone is effected at a temperature of about 300* C.",
    "14. The device of claim 1 wherein the alloying into of said second metal used for the production of the p-n junction is effected at temperatures between 380* and 500* C.",
    "15. The device of claim 1 wherein the alloying into of said second metal used for producing the p-n junction is effected in a reducing atmosphere."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "H10D 99/00",
    "H10D 8/70",
    "H10D 84/645",
    "H10P 95/00",
    "Y10S 438/979"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "NORTH AMERICAN ROCKWELL"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1971-08-02",
  "publication_date": "1972-06-13",
  "grant_date": "1972-06-13",
  "priority_date": "1971-08-02",
  "application_number": "US-3670218D-A",
  "family_id": "22611539",
  "citations": [
    "US2972092A",
    "US3065391A",
    "US3184659A",
    "US3375145A",
    "US3375416A",
    "US3391346A",
    "US3408732A"
  ]
}