Interface states at the SiN/AlGaN interface on GaN heterojunctions for Ga and N-polar material

Abstract

Dielectric passivation is important to improve the stability and reliability of gallium nitride based semiconductor devices. We need to characterize various dielectrics and their interfaces to nitrides accurately to be able to exploit the benefits efficiently. Earlier, B. L. Swenson and U. K. Mishra [J. Appl. Phys. 106, 064902 (2009)] have detailed a photo-assisted high frequency CV characterization technique for the Ga-polar SiN/GaN interface that gives an accurate value of interface state density (Dit) across the bandgap of the dielectric. In this work, we extend the technique to study the interface states at the SiN/AlGaN interface on GaN for Ga and N polar material. This simulates the AlGaN/GaN HEMT structure. A MIS-type structure comprised of a metal on SiN on an AlGaN/GaN heterojunction was used for the study. For a structure with 1 nm AlGaN interlayer, a peak interface state density of 2.8 × 1012 cm−2 eV−1 was measured. For Ga polar devices, the measured Dit decreases with increasing AlGaN thickness. In the N-polar case, the measured Dit increases with increasing AlGaN thickness. The variations of measured Dit with AlGaN thickness, in both cases, can be explained by screening from the accumulation charge at the AlGaN/GaN interface.