Listing of Claims: Claim 1. A GaN ESD protection device consisting of a first terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a second terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a 2D electron gas (2DEG) region between the two terminals, a GaN channel region and an AlGaN cap layer formed over the GaN channel region, the 2DEG region being defined by 4-9 the junction between the GaN channel region and the AlGaN cap layer, an AlGaN buffer region below the GaN channel region, and an isolation region formed between and around the two terminals, the isolation region is configured to form a ballast region extending laterally from the first terminal and terminating on the isolation region between the two terminals, the isolation region vertically extending from above the top of the 2D e leeteren electron gas (2DEG) region down through the 2D eeeteren electron gas (2DEG) region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and trig ge rin g voltages of the ESD device and the ballasting region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is lon ger than the isolation re gion len gth.

canceled

canceled

canceled

The device of 7, wherein the GaN channel region between the first terminal and the isolation region is longer than the length of the isolation region.

A method of controlling the breakdown and triggering voltage of a high voltage GaN ESD protection structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts connected to a 2DEG region, the method comprising, providing an isolation region between the terminals and extending vertically through the 2DEG region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, by varying the breakdown and triggering voltage of the device by varying the lateral length of the isolation region between the terminals, 3 Application No. 12/799,12 1 Reply to Final Action forming an AlGaN ballasting re gi on below the GaN channel re gi on, dimensioning the GaN channel region to be long enough to define a ballasting region between one of the terminals and the isolation region to provide for greater uniformity of the current density distribution and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the terminals, wherein the length of the isolation re g ion controls the breakdown and triggering volta ges of the ESD device and the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region lengt h.

The method of claim 44 1 1, further comprising forming the buffer region on top of a substrate material, and subsequently removing the substrate material after forming at least some of the regions on the substrate material.

A grid voltage GaN structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts, a 2DEG region, defined by the junction between a GaN layer and an AlGaN layer, extending between the terminals, a vertically extending isolation region fo rm ed between the terminals that extends through the 2DEG and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the A I GaN buffer region, and a ballast region defined by at least one of the GaN layer and the A l GaN layer extending between the one terminal and the isolation region, the ballast region being longer than the isolation region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and triggerin g volt a ges of an ESD device and the ballast region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat g eneration away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region length.

Listing of Claims: Claim 1. A GaN ESD protection device consisting of a first terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a second terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a 2D electron gas (2DEG) region between the two terminals, a GaN channel region and an AlGaN cap layer formed over the GaN channel region, the 2DEG region being defined by 4-9 the junction between the GaN channel region and the AlGaN cap layer, an AlGaN buffer region below the GaN channel region, and an isolation region formed between and around the two terminals, the isolation region is configured to form a ballast region extending laterally from the first terminal and terminating on the isolation region between the two terminals, the isolation region vertically extending from above the top of the 2D e leeteren electron gas (2DEG) region down through the 2D eeeteren electron gas (2DEG) region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and trig ge rin g voltages of the ESD device and the ballasting region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is lon ger than the isolation re gion len gth.

canceled

canceled

canceled

The device of 7, wherein the GaN channel region between the first terminal and the isolation region is longer than the length of the isolation region.

A method of controlling the breakdown and triggering voltage of a high voltage GaN ESD protection structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts connected to a 2DEG region, the method comprising, providing an isolation region between the terminals and extending vertically through the 2DEG region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, by varying the breakdown and triggering voltage of the device by varying the lateral length of the isolation region between the terminals, 3 Application No. 12/799,12 1 Reply to Final Action forming an AlGaN ballasting re gi on below the GaN channel re gi on, dimensioning the GaN channel region to be long enough to define a ballasting region between one of the terminals and the isolation region to provide for greater uniformity of the current density distribution and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the terminals, wherein the length of the isolation re g ion controls the breakdown and triggering volta ges of the ESD device and the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region lengt h.

The method of claim 44 1 1, further comprising forming the buffer region on top of a substrate material, and subsequently removing the substrate material after forming at least some of the regions on the substrate material.

A grid voltage GaN structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts, a 2DEG region, defined by the junction between a GaN layer and an AlGaN layer, extending between the terminals, a vertically extending isolation region fo rm ed between the terminals that extends through the 2DEG and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the A I GaN buffer region, and a ballast region defined by at least one of the GaN layer and the A l GaN layer extending between the one terminal and the isolation region, the ballast region being longer than the isolation region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and triggerin g volt a ges of an ESD device and the ballast region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat g eneration away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region length.

Listing of Claims: Claim 1. A GaN ESD protection device consisting of a first terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a second terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a 2D electron gas (2DEG) region between the two terminals, a GaN channel region and an AlGaN cap layer formed over the GaN channel region, the 2DEG region being defined by 4-9 the junction between the GaN channel region and the AlGaN cap layer, an AlGaN buffer region below the GaN channel region, and an isolation region formed between and around the two terminals, the isolation region is configured to form a ballast region extending laterally from the first terminal and terminating on the isolation region between the two terminals, the isolation region vertically extending from above the top of the 2D e leeteren electron gas (2DEG) region down through the 2D eeeteren electron gas (2DEG) region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and trig ge rin g voltages of the ESD device and the ballasting region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is lon ger than the isolation re gion len gth.

canceled

canceled

canceled

The device of 7, wherein the GaN channel region between the first terminal and the isolation region is longer than the length of the isolation region.

A method of controlling the breakdown and triggering voltage of a high voltage GaN ESD protection structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts connected to a 2DEG region, the method comprising, providing an isolation region between the terminals and extending vertically through the 2DEG region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, by varying the breakdown and triggering voltage of the device by varying the lateral length of the isolation region between the terminals, 3 Application No. 12/799,12 1 Reply to Final Action forming an AlGaN ballasting re gi on below the GaN channel re gi on, dimensioning the GaN channel region to be long enough to define a ballasting region between one of the terminals and the isolation region to provide for greater uniformity of the current density distribution and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the terminals, wherein the length of the isolation re g ion controls the breakdown and triggering volta ges of the ESD device and the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region lengt h.

The method of claim 44 1 1, further comprising forming the buffer region on top of a substrate material, and subsequently removing the substrate material after forming at least some of the regions on the substrate material.

A grid voltage GaN structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts, a 2DEG region, defined by the junction between a GaN layer and an AlGaN layer, extending between the terminals, a vertically extending isolation region fo rm ed between the terminals that extends through the 2DEG and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the A I GaN buffer region, and a ballast region defined by at least one of the GaN layer and the A l GaN layer extending between the one terminal and the isolation region, the ballast region being longer than the isolation region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and triggerin g volt a ges of an ESD device and the ballast region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat g eneration away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region length.

Listing of Claims: Claim 1. A GaN ESD protection device consisting of a first terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a second terminal with an ohmic contact or Schottky contact, a 2D electron gas (2DEG) region between the two terminals, a GaN channel region and an AlGaN cap layer formed over the GaN channel region, the 2DEG region being defined by 4-9 the junction between the GaN channel region and the AlGaN cap layer, an AlGaN buffer region below the GaN channel region, and an isolation region formed between and around the two terminals, the isolation region is configured to form a ballast region extending laterally from the first terminal and terminating on the isolation region between the two terminals, the isolation region vertically extending from above the top of the 2D e leeteren electron gas (2DEG) region down through the 2D eeeteren electron gas (2DEG) region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and trig ge rin g voltages of the ESD device and the ballasting region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is lon ger than the isolation re gion len gth.

canceled

canceled

canceled

The device of 7, wherein the GaN channel region between the first terminal and the isolation region is longer than the length of the isolation region.

A method of controlling the breakdown and triggering voltage of a high voltage GaN ESD protection structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts connected to a 2DEG region, the method comprising, providing an isolation region between the terminals and extending vertically through the 2DEG region and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the AlGaN buffer region, by varying the breakdown and triggering voltage of the device by varying the lateral length of the isolation region between the terminals, 3 Application No. 12/799,12 1 Reply to Final Action forming an AlGaN ballasting re gi on below the GaN channel re gi on, dimensioning the GaN channel region to be long enough to define a ballasting region between one of the terminals and the isolation region to provide for greater uniformity of the current density distribution and to move the high electric field and heat generation away from the terminals, wherein the length of the isolation re g ion controls the breakdown and triggering volta ges of the ESD device and the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region lengt h.

The method of claim 44 1 1, further comprising forming the buffer region on top of a substrate material, and subsequently removing the substrate material after forming at least some of the regions on the substrate material.

A grid voltage GaN structure that consists of a pair of terminals with ohmic or Schottky contacts, a 2DEG region, defined by the junction between a GaN layer and an AlGaN layer, extending between the terminals, a vertically extending isolation region fo rm ed between the terminals that extends through the 2DEG and the GaN channel region touching and terminating at the A I GaN buffer region, and a ballast region defined by at least one of the GaN layer and the A l GaN layer extending between the one terminal and the isolation region, the ballast region being longer than the isolation region, wherein the length of the isolation region is configured to control the breakdown and triggerin g volt a ges of an ESD device and the ballast region is configured to provide uniform current density distribution through the ESD device and to move the high electric field and heat g eneration away from the contacts, wherein the length of the ballast region is longer than the isolation region length.