Low-resistance GaN tunnel homojunctions with 150 kA/cm2 current and repeatable negative differential resistance

Abstract

We report GaN n++/p++ interband tunnel junctions with repeatable negative differential resistance and low resistance. Reverse and forward tunneling current densities were observed to increase as Si and Mg doping concentrations were increased. Hysteresis-free, bidirectional negative differential resistance was observed at room temperature from these junctions at a forward voltage ∼1.6 V. Thermionic PN junctions with GaN homojunction tunnel contact to the p-layer exhibited forward current density of 150 kA/cm2 at 7.6 V, with a low series device resistance of 1 × 10−5 Ω cm2.