Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Phase Epitaxy Growth of Buffer Layers on 3C‐SiC/Si(111) Templates for AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors with Low RF Losses

Eric Frayssinet,Yvon Cordier,Thi Huong Ngo,Marc Portail,Nicolas Defrance,Marcin Zielinski,Maxime Garcia Barros,Marie Lesecq,Jean-Claude De Jaeger,Rémi Comyn,Luan Nguyen

doi:10.1002/pssa.201900760

Abstract

Herein, the interest of cubic silicon carbide as a template for the growth of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) heterostructures on silicon substrates for high‐frequency operation is shown. On the one hand, 0.6–0.8 μm‐thick 3C‐SiC grown by chemical vapor deposition on intrinsic silicon substrate having initial resistivity superior to 5 kΩ cm enables the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy of GaN buffer layers with propagation losses below 0.4 dB mm−1 at 40 GHz and 0.5 dB mm−1 at 67 GHz. On the other hand, an HEMT heterostructure is grown on 1.5 μm‐thick 3C‐SiC on 4° off‐axis silicon substrate having an initial resistivity superior to 200 Ω cm that allows to keep a sufficiently resistive epilayer stack limiting the loss up to 0.78 dB mm−1 at 40 GHz. Device process developed on a piece of the 100 mm diameter wafer leads to the demonstration of DC transistor operation with low leakage currents. Compared with direct growth on silicon, these templates enable reduced radio frequency (RF) propagation losses that are very interesting for high‐frequency transistors and circuits operation.

Highlights

GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) heterostructures on silicon substrates for high-frequency operation is shown
A GaN-on-silicon high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology has been identified as a promising way to develop high-frequency telecommunication and power switching systems at large scale due to the availability of large diameter and lowcost substrates
Compared with direct growth on silicon, these materials and large thermoelastic strain have been mainly overcome with GaN/ Al(Ga)N-based buffer layers grown on AlN nucleation layers

Summary

Introduction

GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) heterostructures on silicon substrates for high-frequency operation is shown. 3C-SiC grown by chemical vapor deposition on intrinsic silicon substrate having initial resistivity superior to 5 kΩ cm enables the metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy of GaN buffer layers with propagation losses below 0.4 dB mmÀ1 at 40 GHz and 0.5 dB mmÀ1 at 67 GHz. On the other hand, an HEMT heterostructure is grown on. Of low radio frequency (RF) loss epilayers for efficient high-frequency transistors and circuits for applications such as 5G.[1] This necessitates the use of highresistivity substrates[2] and requires the achievement of both sufficient crystal quality and electrical resistivity regarding AlN/. It is demonstrated MOVPE grown HEMT with 3C-SiC on resistive silicon for transistor devices with low RF propagation losses

Buffer Layers Growth and Characterization

Transistor Demonstration

Conclusion

Findings

Conflict of Interest