Lateral iii-nitride devices including a vertical gate module

A lateral III-N device has a vertical gate module with III-N material orientated in an N-polar or a group-III polar orientation. A III-N material structure has a III-N buffer layer, a III-N barrier layer, and a III-N channel layer. A compositional difference between the III-N barrier layer and the III-N channel layer causes a 2DEG channel to be induced in the III-N channel layer. A p-type III-N body layer is disposed over the III-N channel layer in a source side access region but not over a drain side access region. A n-type III-N capping layer over the p-type III-N body layer. A source electrode that contacts the n-type III-N capping layer is electrically connected to the p-type III-N body layer and is electrically isolated from the 2DEG channel when the gate electrode is biased relative to the source electrode at a voltage that is below a threshold voltage.