Investigations on MgO-dielectric GaN/AlGaN/GaN MOS-HEMTs by using an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition technique

Abstract

This work investigates GaN/Al0.24Ga0.76N/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MOS-HEMTs) grown on a Si substrate with MgO gate dielectric by using the non-vacuum ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition (USPD) technique. The oxide layer thickness is tuned to be 30 nm with the dielectric constant of 8.8. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), C–V, low-frequency noise spectra, and pulsed I–V measurements are performed to characterize the interface and oxide quality for the MOS-gate structure. Improved device performances have been successfully achieved for the present MOS-HEMT (Schottky-gate HEMT) design, consisting of a maximum drain-source current density (IDS, max) of 681 (500) mA/mm at VGS = 4 (2) V, IDS at VGS = 0 V (IDSS0) of 329 (289) mA/mm, gate-voltage swing (GVS) of 2.2 (1.6) V, two-terminal gate-drain breakdown voltage (BVGD) of −123 (−104) V, turn-on voltage (Von) of 1.7 (0.8) V, three-terminal off-state drain-source breakdown voltage (BVDS) of 119 (96) V, and on/off current ratio (Ion/Ioff) of 2.5 × 108 (1.2 × 103) at 300 K. Improved high-frequency and power performances are also achieved in the present MOS-HEMT design.