High-voltage Schottky diode with low leakage for power
This patent covers a new type of power diode built using semiconductor materials that support two-dimensional carrier channels — think ultra-thin conducting layers inside the chip. The key innovation is etching trenches through those channels and lining them with an opposite-conductivity material, creating a structure that simultaneously blocks high voltages and minimizes wasted leakage current. Traditional high-voltage diodes face a fundamental tradeoff between these two properties; this geometry is designed to break that tradeoff. The result is a more efficient switching component suited for high-power electronics where both performance metrics matter.
What you could build
A next-generation Schottky barrier diode component for power electronics — power supplies, EV inverters, or industrial motor drives — sold to semiconductor fabs or power module manufacturers seeking better efficiency in compact form factors.
Who in Virginia should care
Defense electronics and power conversion companies in Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads corridor, including defense prime suppliers needing efficient power components for military platforms, would be natural prospects.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Yuhao ZHANG, Ming Xiao
- Granted
- March 5, 2024
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 11923463
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.