High-temperature reliability of GaN metal semiconductor field-effect transistor and bipolar junction transistor

Abstract

High-quality GaN was grown using gas-source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE). We fabricated a GaN metal semiconductor field-effect transistor (MESFET) and an n–p–n bipolar junction transistor. The high-temperature reliability of the GaN MESFET and bipolar junction transistor was investigated. That is, the life performance of the FET at 400 °C was examined during continuous current injection at 400 °C. We confirmed that the FET performance did not change at 400 °C for 300 h. No degradation of the metal–semiconductor interface was observed by secondary ion-mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, an n–p–n bipolar junction transistor using GaN grown by GSMBE was demonstrated. The bipolar junction transistor was operated at 300 °C. The reliability of a GaN MESFET and the bipolar junction transistor at high temperature was thus confirmed.