Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T18:36:53.885Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Influence of Device Structure on High-electric-field Effects and Reliability of AlGaN/GaN HFETs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Weiwei Kuang ,
Robert J Trew ,
Griff L Bilbro  and
Yueying Liu
Weiwei Kuang
Affiliation:
wkuang@ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University, Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2703-D Conifer Dr., Raleigh, NC, 27606, United States
Robert J Trew
Affiliation:
rjt@ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Raleigh, NC, 27695, United States
Griff L Bilbro
Affiliation:
glb@ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Raleigh, NC, 27695, United States
Yueying Liu
Affiliation:
yliu6@ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Raleigh, NC, 27695, United States
Get access

Abstract

AlGaN/GaN HFETs have demonstrated excellent RF performance, but the devices still suffer from a reliability problem. The decrease of the dc current and RF output power over time is attributed to gate tunneling which is determined by the magnitude of electric field at the gate edge. In this work, in order to improve the reliability of AlGaN/GaN HFETs, a 2D drift-diffusion tool is used to explore the relationship between the magnitude of electric field and different device structures through modifications of the 2DEG sheet charge density, AlGaN barrier layer thickness, AlGaN doping concentration and gate to drain spacing. The effect of field plates is also investigated. It was found that decreasing 2DEG sheet charge density results in much improved reliability, although the current and output power are somewhat reduced.

Keywords

III-Vdeviceselectrical properties
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 955: Symposium I – Advances in III-V Nitride Semiconductor Materials and Devices , 2006 , 0955-I14-01
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Wu, Y.F. et al., “30 W/mm GaN HEMTs by field plate optimization”, IEEE Electron Device Lett., vol.25, no. 3, pp. 117–119, Mar. 2004.Google Scholar
2. Palacios, T. et al., “High-;power AlGaN/GaN HEMTs for Ka-band applications”, IEEE Electron Device Lett., vol.26, no. 11, pp. 781–783, Nov. 2005.Google Scholar
3. Trew, R.J. et al., “Nonlinear Source Resistance in High-Voltage Microwave AlGaN/GaN HFETs”, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol.54, No. 5, pp. 2061–2067, 2006.Google Scholar
4. Trew, R.J. et al., “RF Breakdown and Large-Signal Modeling of AlGaN/GaN HFET's”, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, 2006.Google Scholar
5. Trew, R.J. et al., “The Physics of Reliability for High Voltage AlGaN/GaN HFET's”, IEEE Compound Semiconductor IC Symposium, 2006.Google Scholar
6. Karmalkar, S. et al., “Enhancement of breakdown voltage in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors using a field plate”, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol.48, no. 8, pp. 1515, 2001.Google Scholar
7. Saito, W. et al., “Design optimization of high breakdown voltage AlGaN-GaN power HEMT on an insulating substrate for R/sub ON/A-V/sub B/ tradeoff characteristics”, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol.52, no. 1, pp. 106, 2005.Google Scholar