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  Gallium nitride material devices and methods of forming the sameUSPTO Application #: 20070295985Title: Gallium nitride material devices and methods of forming the same Abstract: The invention provides gallium nitride material devices, structures and methods of forming the same. The devices include a gallium nitride material formed over a substrate, such as silicon. Exemplary devices include light emitting devices (e.g., LED's, lasers), light detecting devices (such as detectors and sensors), power rectifier diodes and FETs (e.g., HFETs), amongst others. (end of abstract) Agent: Wolf Greenfield & Sacks, P.C. - Boston, MA, US Inventors: T. Warren Weeks, Kevin J. Linthicum USPTO Applicaton #: 20070295985 - Class: 257103000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Active Solid-state Devices (e.g., Transistors, Solid-state Diodes), Incoherent Light Emitter Structure, With Particular Semiconductor Material The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070295985. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/650,122, filed Aug. 25, 2003, and entitled "Gallium Nitride Material Devices and Methods of Forming the Same", which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/792,414 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,002), filed Feb. 23, 2001, and entitled "Gallium Nitride Material Devices and Methods Including Backside Vias". All of the above-mentioned disclosures are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The invention relates generally to semiconductor materials and, more particularly, to gallium nitride materials and methods of producing gallium nitride materials. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0003] Gallium nitride materials include gallium nitride (GaN) and its alloys such as aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), indium gallium nitride (InGaN), and aluminum indium gallium nitride (AlInGaN). These materials are semiconductor compounds that have a relatively wide, direct bandgap which permits highly energetic electronic transitions to occur. Such electronic transitions can result in gallium nitride materials having a number of attractive properties including the ability to efficiently emit visible (e.g., blue, green) or UV light, the ability to transmit signals at high frequency, and others. Accordingly, gallium nitride materials are being widely investigated in many semiconductor device applications such as transistors, field emitters, and optoelectronic devices. [0004] Gallium nitride materials have been formed on a number of different substrates including silicon carbide (SiC), sapphire, and silicon. Silicon substrates are readily available and relatively inexpensive, and silicon processing technology has been well developed. However, forming gallium nitride materials on silicon substrates to produce semiconductor devices presents challenges which arise from differences in the lattice constant, thermal expansion, and band gap between silicon and gallium nitride. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0005] The invention includes providing gallium nitride material structures, devices and methods of forming the structures and devices. [0006] In one aspect, a semiconductor device is provided. The device comprises a substrate, and a gallium nitride material region formed over the substrate. The semiconductor device has at least one via extending from a first side of the semiconductor device, wherein the via is free of an electrical contact formed therein. [0007] In another aspect, a method of forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises forming a gallium nitride material region over a substrate, and forming a via extending from a first side of the semiconductor device. The via is free of an electrical contact formed therein. [0008] In another aspect, a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device comprises a silicon substrate and a gallium nitride material region formed over the silicon substrate. The device further comprises a first electrical contact formed over a portion of the gallium nitride material region, and a second electrical contact formed over a portion of the gallium nitride material region. The semiconductor device has at least one via extending from a backside of the semiconductor device. [0009] In another aspect, a method of forming a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises forming a gallium nitride material region over a silicon substrate, forming a first electrical contact over the gallium nitride material region, and forming a second electrical contact over the gallium nitride material region. The method further comprises forming a via extending from a backside of the semiconductor device. [0010] In another aspect, an opto-electronic device is provided. The opto-electronic device comprises a silicon substrate, a compositionally-graded transition layer formed over the silicon substrate, and a gallium nitride material region formed over the compositionally-graded transition layer. The gallium nitride material region includes an active region. [0011] In another aspect, a method of forming a opto-electronic device is provided. The method comprises forming a compositionally-graded transition layer formed over a silicon substrate, and forming a gallium nitride material region over the compositionally-graded transition layer. The gallium nitride material region includes an active region. [0012] In another aspect, a method of forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method comprises forming a first transition layer over a silicon substrate, forming a gallium nitride material region over the first transition layer, and removing the silicon substrate to expose a backside of the transition layer. [0013] In another aspect, an opto-electronic device is provided. The opto-electronic device comprises a transition layer comprising a gallium nitride alloy, aluminum nitride, or an aluminum nitride alloy. The transition layer has an exposed back surface. The device further comprises a gallium nitride material region formed over a front surface of the transition layer. The gallium nitride material region includes an active region. [0014] In another aspect, an opto-electronic device is provided. The opto-electronic device comprises a transition layer comprising a gallium nitride alloy, aluminum nitride, or an aluminum nitride alloy. The device further comprises an electrical contact formed directly on a back surface of the transition layer, and a gallium nitride material region formed over a front surface of the transition layer. The gallium nitride material region includes an active region. [0015] In another aspect, an opto-electronic device is provided. The opto-electronic device comprises a silicon substrate, a gallium nitride material region formed over the substrate. The gallium nitride material region includes an active region, wherein the active region has a non-rectangular plane-view cross-section. [0016] In another aspect, an opto-electronic device is provided. The opto-electronic device comprises a substrate, a gallium nitride material region formed over the substrate. The gallium nitride material region includes an active region, wherein the active region has a non-rectangular plane-view cross-section. A non-active region of the opto-electronic device has a non-rectangular plane-view cross-section. [0017] In another aspect, a method is provided. The method comprises forming an active region having a non-rectangular plane-view cross-section. The active region is a portion of a gallium nitride material region formed on a silicon substrate. [0018] In another aspect, a method is provided. The method comprises forming an active region having a non-rectangular plane-view cross-section. The active region is a portion of a gallium nitride material region formed on a substrate. The method further comprises forming a non-active region having a non-rectangular plane-view cross-section. [0019] Other aspects, embodiments and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The accompanying figures are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the figures, each identical, or substantially similar component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a single numeral or notation. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every figure. Nor is every component of each embodiment of the invention shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention. All patent applications and patents incorporated herein by reference are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading... 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