US Patent 9064947 Island matrixed gallium nitride microwave and power switching transistors

A gallium nitride (GaN) device that has greatly superior current handling ability per unit area than previously described GaN devices. The improvement is due to improved layout topology. The layout scheme, which uses island electrodes rather than finger electrodes, is shown to increase the active area density over that of conventional interdigitated structures. Ultra low on resistance transistors can be built using the island topology. Specifically, the present invention, which uses conventional GaN lateral technology and electrode spacing, provides a means to enhance cost/effective performance of all lateral GaN structures.