2DEG Carrier Mobility Research Articles

Investigation of Self-Heating Effect on DC and RF Performances in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on CVD-Diamond

We have investigated the self-heating effect on DC and RF performances of identically fabricated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on CVD-Diamond (GaN/Dia) and Si (GaN/Si) substrates. Self-heating induced device performances were extracted at different values drain bias voltage (VD) and dissipated DC power density (PD) in continuous wave (CW) operating condition. The effect of self-heating was observed much lesser in GaN/Dia HEMTs than GaN/Si HEMTs in terms of I <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">D</sub> , I <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">G</sub> , g <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">m</sub> , f <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">T</sub> and f <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">max</sub> reduction. Increased channel temperature caused by joule heating at high PD reduces the 2-DEG carrier mobility in the channel of the device. This behaviour was also confirmed by TCAD simulation which showed ~3.9-times lower rising rate of maximum channel temperature and lowers thermal resistance (Rth) in GaN/Dia HEMTs than GaN/Si HEMTs. Small signal measurements and equivalent circuit parameter extraction were done to analyze the variation in performance of the devices. Our investigation reveals that the GaN/Dia HEMT is a promising candidate for high power density CW operation without significant reduction in electrical performance in a large drain bias range.

Two dimensional electron gas in a hybrid GaN/InGaN/ZnO heterostructure with ultrathin InGaN channel layer

We investigated the influence of an ultrathin InGaN channel layer on two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) properties in a newly proposed hybrid GaN/InxGa1−xN/ZnO heterostructure using numerical methods. We found that 2DEG carriers were confined at InGaN/ZnO and GaN/InGaN interfaces. Our calculations show that the probability densities of 2DEG carriers at these interfaces are highly influenced by the In mole fraction of the InGaN channel layer. Therefore, 2DEG carrier confinement can be adjustable by using the In mole fraction of the InGaN channel layer. The influence of an ultrathin InGaN channel layer on 2DEG carrier mobility is also discussed. Usage of an ultrathin InGaN channel layer with a low indium mole fraction in these heterostructures can help to reduce the short-channel effects by improvements such as providing 2DEG with higher sheet carrier density which is close to the surface and has better carrier confinement.

The effect of ammonia flow in the AlN spacer on the electrical properties of InAlN/AlN/GaN HEMT structures

AbstractDuring the past few years it has been reported that a thin AlN spacer of few nanometers needs to be inserted in InAlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) to obtain high 2DEG carrier mobility. This work presents a systematic study of the effects of varying the ammonia flow in the AlN spacer of InAlN/AlN/GaN HEMTs grown by low pressure metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (LP‐MOVPE). The strain state, the surface roughness and the growth rate of AlN were found to be dependent on the V/III ratio. In addition the ammonia flow in the interlayer has a strong impact on the structural properties of the subsequent InAlN barrier layer and on the electrical properties of the structure. A sheet resistance as low as 327 Ω/□ with a sheet carrier density of 1.5 × 1013 cm−2 has been obtained at room temperature.

Multilayer AIN/AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN heterostructures with quantum wells for high-power field-effect transistors grown by ammonia MBE

High-power field-effect transistors (FETs) are among the main applications of heterostructures based on group III metal nitrides, which in most cases implement the classical GaN/AlGaN structure with a single junction. An alternative approach based on the use of double heterostructures with imporved two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) confinement offers a number of advantages, but such structures are usually characterized by a lower carrier mobility and density (in GaN layers of reduced thickness) as compared to the values in the single-junction structures. Optimization of the heterostructure design and ammonia MBE growth conditions allowed us to obtain multilayer AlN/AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN heterostructures with quantum wells, which are characterized by a 2DEG carrier mobility of 1100–1300 cm2/(V s) and a sheet electron density of (1.1–1.3) × 1013 cm-2. Experimental FETs based on the obtained multilayer heterostructures in a static regime exhibit working current densities up to 0.6 A/mm at a transconductance of up to 150 mS/mm and a breakdown voltage above 100 V.

Multilayer AlN∕AlGaN∕GaN∕AlGaN Heterostructures for High-Power Field-Effect Transistors Grown by Ammonia MBE

The results of the optimization of the ammonia MBE technology of AlN/AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN heterostructures for high-power microwave field-effect transistors (FETs) are presented. The creation of technological systems of the EPN type for the deposition of group III nitrides by ammonia MBE, in combination with the development of optimum growth and postgrowth processes, make it possible to obtain AlN/AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN based heterostructures for high-power microwave FETs with the output static characteristics on the world best level. One of the main fields of application of the semiconductor heterostructures based on group III nitrides is the technology of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Most investigations in this field have been devoted to the classical GaN/AlGaN structures with a single heterojunction. An alternative approach based on the use of double heterostructures with improved two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) confinement offers a number of advantages, but such structures are usually characterized by a lower carrier mobility as compared to that in the single-junction structures. We succeeded in optimizing the double heterostructure parameters and growth conditions so as to obtain conducting channels with a 2DEG carrier mobility of 1450, 1350, and 1000 cm2/(V s) and a sheet electron density of 1.3 × 1013, 1.6 × 1013, and 2.0 × 1013 cm−2, respectively. Experimental HEMTs with 1-μm-long gates based on the obtained multilayer heterostructure with a doped upper barrier layer exhibit stable current-voltage characteristics with maximum saturation current densities of about 1 A/mm and a transconductance of up to 180 mS/mm.

Correlation Between Sheet Carrier Density-Mobility Product and Persistent Photoconductivity in AlGaN/GaN Modulation Doped Heterostructures

High quality Al0.25Ga0.75N/GaN modulation-doped heterojunction field-effect transistor (MOD-HFET) structures grown on sapphire substrates with high sheet carrier density and mobility products (nsμ &gt; 1016/Vs at room temperature) have been grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The optimized structures were achieved by varying structural parameters, including the AlGaN spacer layer thickness, the Si-doped AlGaN barrier layer thickness, the Si-doping concentration, and the growth pressure. In these structures, the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) effect associated with the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system was invariantly observed. As a consequence, the characteristic parameters of the 2DEG were sensitive to light and the sensitivity was associated with permanent photoinduced increases in the 2DEG carrier mobility (μ) and sheet carrier density (ns). However, we observed that the magnitude of the PPC and hence the photoinduced instability associated with these heterostructures were a strong function of only one parameter, the product of ns and μ, which is the most important parameter for the HFET device design. For a fixed excitation photon dose, the ratio of the low temperature PPC to the dark conductivity level was observed to decrease from 200% to 3% as the nsμ (300 K) product was increased from 0.048 × 1016/Vs to 1.4 × 1016/Vs. Based on our studies, we suggest that the magnitude of the low temperature PPC can be used as a sensitive probe for monitoring the electronic quality of the AlGaN/GaN HFET structures.

Correlation between Sheet Carrier Density-Mobility Product and Persistent Photoconductivity in ALGAN/GAN Modulation Doped Heterostructures

AbstractHigh quality Al0.25Ga0.75N/GaN modulation-doped heterojunction field-effect transistor (MOD-HFET) structures grown on sapphire substrates with high sheet carrier density and mobility products (nsμ &gt; 1016/Vs at room temperature) have been grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The optimized structures were achieved by varying structural parameters, including the AlGaN spacer layer thickness, the Si-doped AlGaN barrier layer thickness, the Si-doping concentration, and the growth pressure. In these structures, the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) effect associated with the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system was invariantly observed. As a consequence, the characteristic parameters of the 2DEG were sensitive to light and the sensitivity was associated with permanent photoinduced increases in the 2DEG carrier mobility (μ) and sheet carrier density (ns). However, we observed that the magnitude of the PPC and hence the photoinduced instability associated with these heterostructures were a strong function of only one parameter, the product of ns and μ, which is the most important parameter for the HFET device design. For a fixed excitation photon dose, the ratio of the low temperature PPC to the dark conductivity level was observed to decrease from 200% to 3% as the nsμ (300 K) product was increased from 0.048 × 1016/Vs to 1.4 ‘times; 1016/Vs. Based on our studies, we suggest that the magnitude of the low temperature PPC can be used as a sensitive probe for monitoring the electronic quality of the AlGaN/GaN HFET structures.

Persistent photoconductivity in a two-dimensional electron gas system formed by an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure

Persistent photoconductivity (PPC) effect associated with a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in an AlGaN/GaN heterojunction device has been observed. As a consequence, the device was observed to be sensitive to light and the sensitivity was associated with a permanent photoinduced increase in the 2DEG carrier mobility and density. By formulating the PPC buildup and decay kinetics, we attributed the observed increase in the 2DEG carrier density and mobility to the photoionization of deep level impurities (DX like centers) in the AlGaN barrier material. In the PPC state, we were able to continuously vary the 2DEG carrier density in a single sample through photoexcitation and it has been found that the 2DEG carrier mobility increases almost linearly with the carrier density in the 2DEG channel. At 10 K, an electron mobility of 5800 cm2/V⋅s has been obtained in a PPC state. Implications of these observations on the device applications based on AlGaN/GaN heterojunctions have also been discussed.

Two-dimensional electron gas in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

The formation of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system by an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure has been further confirmed by measuring its electrical properties. The effect of persistent photoconductivity (PPC) has been observed and its unique features have been utilized to study the properties of 2DEG formed by the AlGaN/GaN heterointerface. Sharp electronic transitions from the first to the second subbands in the 2DEG channel have been observed by monitoring the 2DEG carrier mobility as a function of carrier concentration through the use of PPC. These results are expected to have significant implications on field-effect transistor and high electron mobility transistor applications based on the GaN system.