Patent ID: 8778788

Claim:
A semiconductor structure comprising: a free-standing III-nitride wafer having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the free-standing III-nitride wafer is characterized by a first conductivity type and a first dopant concentration; a III-nitride epitaxial structure comprising: a first III-nitride epitaxial layer coupled directly to the first side of the free-standing III-nitride wafer, wherein the first III-nitride epitaxial layer is characterized by the first conductivity type and a second dopant concentration lower than the first dopant concentration; and a plurality of III-nitride regions of a second conductivity type, the plurality of III-nitride regions of the second conductivity type having at least one III-nitride epitaxial region of the first conductivity type disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of III-nitride regions of the second conductivity type; and a first metallic structure electrically coupled to one or more of the plurality of III-nitride regions of the second conductivity type and the at least one III-nitride epitaxial region of the first conductivity type, wherein a Schottky contact is created between the first metallic structure and the at least one III-nitride epitaxial region of the first conductivity type.