Semiconductor device such as a hall-effect sensor or solar cell barrier layer for controlling current flow to substrate

Abstract

A semiconductor device possessing a semiconductor substrate consisting of a single element semiconductor; directly formed on the semiconductor substrate, a buffer layer consisting of a compound semiconductor possessing a lattice constant differing from the lattice constant of the single element semiconductor; laminated on the buffer layer, an active layer consisting of the same compound semiconductor as the buffer layer, which functions as a semiconductor element; and, disposed between the buffer layer and the active layer, a barrier layer forming a voltage barrier against the active layer so as to control the flow of current from the active layer to the semiconductor substrate: and in the case where this is utilized as a Hall element, a semiconductor device is obtained which maintains good carrier mobility as a Hall element, and also, the leakage current to the substrate can be controlled, and therefore sufficient Hall electromotive force can be obtained.