Optical and electron beam studies of gamma-irradiated AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors

The impact of ⁶⁰Co gamma-irradiation on n-channel AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors was studied by means of temperature-dependent electron beam-induced current (EBIC) and cathodoluminescence (CL) techniques. For the doses up to ～250?Gy, an enhancement of minority carrier transport was observed as evident from the EBIC measurements. This enhancement is associated with internal electron irradiation induced by the primary gamma photons. For the doses above ～250?Gy, deterioration in minority carrier transport was explained by carrier scattering on radiation-induced defects. It is shown that calculated activation energy from the EBIC and CL measurements follows exactly the same trend, which implies that the same underlying phenomenon is responsible for observed findings.     

Low and moderate dose gamma-irradiation and annealing impact on electronic and electrical properties of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

To understand the effects of ⁶⁰Co gamma-irradiation, systematic studies were carried out on n-channel AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors. Electrical testing, combined with electron beam-induced current measurements, was able to provide critical information on defects induced in the material as a result of gamma-irradiation. It was shown that at low gamma-irradiation doses, the minority carrier diffusion length in AlGaN/GaN exhibits an increase up to ～300?Gy. The observed effect is due to longer minority carrier (hole) life time in the material's valence band as a result of an internal electron irradiation by Compton electrons. However, for larger doses of gamma irradiation (above 400?Gy), deteriorations in transport properties and device characteristics were observed. This is consistent with the higher density of deep traps in the material's forbidden gap induced by a larger dose of gamma-irradiation. Moderate annealing of device structures at 200°C for 25?min resulted in partial recovery of transport properties and device performance.     

Neutron irradiation effects on A1GaN//GaN high electron mobility transistors

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs) were exposed to 1 MeV neutron irradiation at a neutron fluence of 1 × 10 15 cm 2.The dc characteristics of the devices,such as the drain saturation current and the maximum transconductance,decreased after neutron irradiation.The gate leakage currents increased obviously after neutron irradiation.However,the rf characteristics,such as the cut-off frequency and the maximum frequency,were hardly affected by neutron irradiation.The AlGaN/GaN heterojunctions have been employed for the better understanding of the degradation mechanism.It is shown in the Hall measurements and capacitance-voltage tests that the mobility and concentration of two-dimensional electron gas(2DEG) decreased after neutron irradiation.There was no evidence of the full-width at half-maximum of X-ray diffraction(XRD) rocking curve changing after irradiation,so the dislocation was not influenced by neutron irradiation.It is concluded that the point defects induced in AlGaN and GaN by neutron irradiation are the dominant mechanisms responsible for performance degradations of AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices.     

Neutron irradiation effects on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were exposed to 1 MeV neutron irradiation at a neutron fluence of 1 × 10¹⁵ cm^-2. The dc characteristics of the devices, such as the drain saturation current and the maximum transconductance, decreased after neutron irradiation. The gate leakage currents increased obviously after neutron irradiation. However, the rf characteristics, such as the cut-off frequency and the maximum frequency, were hardly affected by neutron irradiation. The AlGaN/GaN heterojunctions have been employed for the better understanding of the degradation mechanism. It is shown in the Hall measurements and capacitance-voltage tests that the mobility and concentration of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) decreased after neutron irradiation. There was no evidence of the full-width at half-maximum of X-ray diffraction (XRD) rocking curve changing after irradiation, so the dislocation was not influenced by neutron irradiation. It is concluded that the point defects induced in AlGaN and GaN by neutron irradiation are the dominant mechanisms responsible for performance degradations of AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices.     

阶梯AlGaN外延新型Al0.25Ga0.75N/GaNHEMTs器件实验研究

本文报道了作者提出的阶梯AlGaN外延层新型AlGaN/GaN HEMTs结构的实验结果. 实验利用感应耦合等离子体刻蚀(ICP)刻蚀栅边缘的AlGaN外延层, 形成阶梯的AlGaN 外延层结构, 获得浓度分区的沟道2DEG, 使得阶梯AlGaN外延层边缘出现新的电场峰, 有效降低栅边缘的高峰电场, 从而优化了AlGaN/GaN HEMTs器件的表面电场分布. 实验获得了阈值电压-1.5 V的新型AlGaN/GaN HEMTs器件. 经过测试, 同样面积的器件击穿电压从传统结构的67 V提高到新结构的106 V, 提高了58%左右; 脉冲测试下电流崩塌量也比传统结构减少了30%左右, 电流崩塌效应得到了一定的缓解.     

基于脉冲方法的超短栅长GaN基高电子迁移率晶体管陷阱效应机理

陷阱效应导致的电流崩塌是制约GaN基微波功率电子器件性能提高的一个重要因素,研究深能级陷阱行为对材料生长和器件开发具有非常重要的意义.随着器件频率的提升,器件尺寸不断缩小,对小尺寸器件中深能级陷阱的表征变得越发困难.本文制备了超短栅长（L_g=80 nm）的AlGaN/GaN金属氧化物半导体高电子迁移率晶体管（MOSHEMT）,并基于脉冲I-V测试和二维数值瞬态仿真对器件的动态特性进行了深入研究,分析了深能级陷阱对AlGaN/GaN MOSHEMT器件动态特性的影响以及相关陷阱效应的内在物理机制.结果表明,AlGaN/GaN MOSHEMT器件的电流崩塌随着栅极静态偏置电压的增加呈非单调变化趋势,这是由栅漏电注入和热电子注入两种陷阱机制共同作用的结果.根据研究结果推断,可通过改善栅介质的质量以减小栅漏电或提高外延材料质量以减少缺陷密度等措施达到抑制陷阱效应的目的,从而进一步抑制电流崩塌.     

高温AlN插入层对AlGaN/GaN异质结材料和HEMTs器件电学特性的影响

研究了在GaN缓冲层中插入40 nm厚高温AlN层的GaN外延层和AlGaN/GaN异质结材料, AlN插入层可以增加GaN层的面内压应力并提高AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管（HEMTs）的电学特性. 在精确测量布拉格衍射角的基础上定量计算了压应力的大小. 增加的压应力一方面通过增强GaN层的压电极化电场, 提高了AlGaN/GaN异质结二维电子气（2DEG）面密度, 另一方面使AlGaN势垒层对2DEG面密度产生的两方面影响相互抵消. 同时, 这种AlN插入层的采用降低了GaN与AlGaN层之间的 关键词： 高温AlN插入层 AlGaN/GaN异质结 二维电子气 应力     

Effects of Low-Damage Plasma Treatment on the Channel 2DEG and Device Characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

We investigate the effects of remote nitride-based plasma treatment on the channel carrier and device characteristics of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs).A 200 W NH_3/N_2 remote plasma causes little degeneration of carrier mobility and an increase in electron density due to surface alteration,which results in a decrease in sheet resistance and an increase in output current by 20-30%.Improved current slump,suppressed gate leakage current,and improved Schottky contact properties are also achieved by using low-damage nitride-based plasma treatment.It is found that NH_3/N_2 remote plasma treatment is a promising technique for GaN-based HEMTs to modulate the surface conditions and channel properties.     

A unified drain current 1/f noise model for GaN-based high electron mobility transistors

In this work, we present a theoretical and experimental study on the drain current 1/f noise in the AIGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor （HEMT）. Based on both mobility fluctuation and carrier number fluctuation in a two- dimensional electron gas （2DEG） channel of AlGaN/GaN HEMT, a unified drain current 1/f noise model containing a piezoelectric polarization effect and hot carrier effect is built. The drain current 1/f noise induced by the piezoelectric polarization effect is distinguished from that induced by the hot carrier effect through experiments and simulations. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results. Experiments show that after hot carrier injection, the drain current 1/f noise increases four orders of magnitude and the electrical parameter degradation Agm/gm reaches 54.9%. The drain current 1/f noise degradation induced by the piezoelectric effect reaches one order of magnitude; the electrical parameter degradation Agm/gm is 11.8%. This indicates that drain current 1/f noise of the GaN-based HEMT device is sensitive to the hot carrier effect and piezoelectric effect. This study provides a useful reliability characterization tool for the A1GaN/GaN HEMTs.     

Effects of SiNx on two-dimensional electron gas and current collapse of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

SiN_x is commonly used as a passivation material for AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). In this paper, the effects of SiN_x passivation film on both two-dimensional electron gas characteristics and current collapse of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs are investigated. The SiN_x films are deposited by high- and low-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition, and they display different strains on the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure, which can explain the experiment results.     

The reliability of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors under step-electrical stresses

In spite of their extraordinary performance, AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) still lack solid reliability. Devices under accelerated DC stress tests (off-state, V_DS =0 state, and on-state step-stress) are investigated to help us identify the degradation mechanisms of the AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. All our findings are consistent with the degradation mechanism based on crystallographic-defect formation due to the inverse piezoelectric effects in Ref. [1] (Joh J and del Alamo J A 2006 IEEE IDEM Tech. Digest p. 415). However, under the on-state condition, the devices are suffering from both inverse piezoelectric effects and hot electron effects, and so to improve the reliability of the devices both effects should be taken into consideration.     

Theoretical analytic model for RESURF AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

In this paper, we propose a two-dimensional(2D) analytic model for the channel potential and electric field distribution of the RESURF AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors(HEMTs). The model is constructed by two-dimensional Poisson's equation with appropriate boundary conditions. In the RESURF AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, we utilize the RESURF effect generated by doped negative charge in the AlGaN layer and introduce new electric field peaks in the device channels,thus, homogenizing the distribution of electric field in channel and improving the breakdown voltage of the device. In order to reveal the influence of doped negative charge on the electric field distribution, we demonstrate in detail the influences of the charge doping density and doping position on the potential and electric field distribution of the RESURF AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with double low density drain(LDD). The validity of the model is verified by comparing the results obtained from the analytical model with the simulation results from the ISE software. This analysis method gives a physical insight into the mechanism of the AlGaN/GaN HEMTs and provides reference to modeling other AlGaN/GaN HEMTs device.     

阶梯AlGaN外延新型Al_(0.25)Ga_(0.75)N/GaNHEMTs击穿特性分析

为了优化AlGaN/GaN HEMTs器件表面电场,提高击穿电压,本文首次提出了一种新型阶梯AlGaN/GaN HEMTs结构.新结构利用AlGaN/GaN异质结形成的2DEG浓度随外延AlGaN层厚度降低而减小的规律,通过减薄靠近栅边缘外延的AlGaN层,使沟道2DEG浓度分区,形成栅边缘低浓度2DEG区,低的2DEG使阶梯AlGaN交界出现新的电场峰,新电场峰的出现有效降低了栅边缘的高峰电场,优化了AlGaN/GaN HEMTs器件的表面电场分布,使器件击穿电压从传统结构的446 V,提高到新结构的640 V.为了获得与实际测试结果一致的击穿曲线,本文在GaN缓冲层中设定了一定浓度的受主型缺陷,通过仿真分析验证了国际上外延GaN缓冲层时掺入受主型离子的原因,并通过仿真分析获得了与实际测试结果一致的击穿曲线.     

Fluorine-plasma treated AlGaN/GaN high electronic mobility transistors under off-state overdrive stress

Influences of off-state overdrive stress on the fluorine-plasma treated AlGaN/GaN high-electronic mobility transistors (HEMTs) are experimentally investigated. It is observed that the reverse leakage current between the gate and source decreases after the off-state stress, whereas the current between the gate and drain increases. By analyzing those changes of the reverse currents based on the Frenkel-Poole model, we realize that the ionization of fluorine ions occurs during the off-state stress. Furthermore, threshold voltage degradation is also observed after the off-state stress, but the degradations of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs treated with different F-plasma RF powers are different. By comparing the differences between those devices, we find that the F-ions incorporated in the GaN buffer layer play an important role in averting degradation. Lastly, suggestions to obtain a more stable fluorine-plasma treated AlGaN/GaN HEMT are put forwarded.     

High-electric-field-stress-induced degradation of SiN passivated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are fabricated by employing SiN passivation, this paper investigates the degradation due to the high-electric-field stress. After the stress, a recoverable degradation has been found, consisting of the decrease of saturation drain current I_Dsat, maximal transconductance g_m, and the positive shift of threshold voltage V_TH at high drain-source voltage V_DS. The high-electric-field stress degrades the electric characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs because the high field increases the electron trapping at the surface and in AlGaN barrier layer. The SiN passivation of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs decreases the surface trapping and 2DEG depletion a little during the high-electric-field stress. After the hot carrier stress with V_DS=20 V and V_GS=0 V applied to the device for 10⁴ sec, the SiN passivation decreases the stress-induced degradation of I_Dsat from 36% to 30%. Both on-state and pulse-state stresses produce comparative decrease of I_Dsat, which shows that although the passivation is effective in suppressing electron trapping in surface states, it does not protect the device from high-electric-field degradation in nature. So passivation in conjunction with other technological solutions like cap layer, prepassivation surface treatments, or field-plate gate to weaken high-electric-field degradation should be adopted.     

Enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN high electronic mobility transistors with thin barrier

An enhancement-mode (E-mode) AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMTs) was fabricated with 15-nm AlGaN barrier layer. E-mode operation was achieved by using fluorine plasma treatment and post-gate rapid thermal annealing. The thin barrier depletion-HEMTs with a threshold voltage typically around --1.7 V, which is higher than that of the 22-nm barrier depletion-mode HEMTs (--3.5 V). Therefore, the thin barrier is emerging as an excellent candidate to realize the enhancement-mode operation. With 0.6-μ m gate length, the devices treated by fluorine plasma for 150-W RF power at 150 s exhibited a threshold voltage of 1.3 V. The maximum drain current and maximum transconductance are 300 mA/mm, and 177 mS/mm, respectively. Compared with the 22-nm barrier E-mode devices, V_T of the thin barrier HEMTs is much more stable under the gate step-stress.     

Ni/Au Schottky gate oxidation and BCB passivation for high-breakdown-voltage AlGaN/GaN HEMT

A new AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) employing Ni/Au Schottky gate oxidation and benzocyclobutene (BCB) passivation is fabricated in order to increase a breakdown voltage and forward drain current. The Ni/Au Schottky gate metal with a thickness of 50/300 nm is oxidized under oxygen ambient at 500 C and the highly resistive NiO is formed at the gate edge. The leakage current of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs is decreased from 4.94 μA to 3.34 nA due to the formation of NiO. The BCB, which has a low dielectric constant, successfully passivates AlGaN/GaN HEMTs by suppressing electron injection into surface states. The BCB passivation layer has a low capacitance, so BCB passivation increases the switching speed of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs compared with silicon nitride passivation, which has a high dielectric constant. The forward drain current of a BCB-passivated device is 199 mA /mm, while that of an unpassivated device is 172 mA /mm due to the increase in two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) charge.     

基于GaN同质衬底的高迁移率AlGaN/GaNHEMT材料

研究了表面预处理对GaN同质外延的影响,获得了高电子迁移率AlGaN/GaN异质结材料.通过NH_3/H_2混合气体与H_2交替通入反应室的方法对GaN模板和GaN半绝缘衬底进行高温预处理.研究结果表明,NH_3/H_2能够抑制GaN的分解,避免粗糙表面,但不利于去除表面的杂质,黄光带峰相对强度较高;H_2促进GaN分解,随时间延长GaN分解加剧,导致模板表面粗糙不平,AlGaN/GaN HEMT材料二维电子气迁移率降低.采用NH_3/H_2混合气体与H_2交替气氛模式处理模板或衬底表面,能够清洁表面,去除表面杂质,获得平滑的生长表面和外延材料表面,有利于提高AlGaN/GaN HEMT材料电学性能.在GaN衬底上外延AlGaN/GaN HEMT材料,2DEG迁移率达到2113 cm~2/V·s,电学性能良好.     

场板结构AlGaN/GaN HEMT的电流崩塌机理

在不同的漏偏压下，研究了钝化和不同场板尺寸AlGaN/GaN HEMT对电流崩塌的抑制能力.实验结果表明，钝化器件对电流崩塌的抑制能力随着漏偏压的升高而显著下降；在高漏偏压下，场板的尺寸对器件抑制崩塌的能力有较大影响，而合适尺寸的场板结构在各个漏偏压下都能够很好的抑制电流崩塌.深入分析发现，场板结构不仅能够抑制虚栅的充电过程，而且提供了放电途径，有利于虚栅的放电，从而抑制电流崩塌.在此基础上，通过建立场板介质对虚栅放电的模型，解释了高漏偏压下场板的尺寸对器件抑制崩塌的能力有较大影响的原因.     

场板结构AlGaN/GaN HEMT的电流崩塌机理

在不同的漏偏压下,研究了钝化和不同场板尺寸AlGaN/GaN HEMT对电流崩塌的抑制能力.实验结果表明,钝化器件对电流崩塌的抑制能力随着漏偏压的升高而显著下降;在高漏偏压下,场板的尺寸对器件抑制崩塌的能力有较大影响,而合适尺寸的场板结构在各个漏偏压下都能够很好的抑制电流崩塌.深入分析发现,场板结构不仅能够抑制虚栅的充电过程,而且提供了放电途径,有利于虚栅的放电,从而抑制电流崩塌.在此基础上,通过建立场板介质对虚栅放电的模型,解释了高漏偏压下场板的尺寸对器件抑制崩塌的能力有较大影响的原因. 关键词： AlGaN/GaN HEMT 场板 电流崩塌