Wide bandgap semiconductor device including lightly doped active region

摘要

A semiconductor device for providing stable operation over a relatively wide temperature range includes a wide bandgap semiconductor active region having an intentional dopant of a first conductivity type and an unintentional impurity of a second conductivity type which together produce a free carrier concentration at room temperature. The concentration of the intentional dopant in the active region is preferably less than 1x1016 cm-3 and the concentration of the unintentional impurity is less than 0.1 times the intentional dopant concentration so that the intentional dopant concentration will be less than 1000 times the free carrier concentration at room temperature. The intentional dopant concentration supplies substantially all the majority free carriers in the active region. The wide bandgap semiconductor active region is preferably diamond, IV-IV carbides, III-V nitrides and phosphides and II-VI selenides, tellurides, oxides and sulfides. By lightly doping the active region to a level below 1x1016 cm-3, relatively uniform device characteristics can be achieved over a wide temperature range extending from room temperature to 1000 K and above.