Patent ID: 7638824

Claim:
A field effect transistor having a crank-shaped multigate structure, comprising: a pair of ohmic electrodes; a semiconductor layer located between said pair of ohmic electrodes and having a recess that has a perpendicular-extending portion and a parallel-extending portion, relative to a crystal orientation of said semiconductor layer; and a plurality of crank-shaped gate electrodes located within said recess of said semiconductor layer, each gate electrode having a perpendicular-extending portion and a parallel-extending portion, relative to the crystal orientation of said semiconductor layer, said perpendicular-extending portion being disposed within said perpendicular-extending portion of said recess, said parallel-extending portion being disposed within said parallel-extending portion of said recess, wherein said semiconductor layer includes a non-active region located around either said perpendicular-extending portion or said parallel-extending portion of said plurality of gate electrodes relative to the crystal orientation of said semiconductor layer, and said semiconductor layer further includes an active region in a principal surface of said semiconductor layer, located between said plurality of gate electrodes, said active region continuously extending from input ends of said plurality of gate electrodes to terminal ends of said plurality of gate electrodes, and including a potential clamp electrode located on a surface of said active region.