Comparison of electrical characteristic between AlN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN heterostructure Schottky diodes

Ni/Au Schottky contacts on AlN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN heterostructures are fabricated.Based on the measured current–voltage and capacitance–voltage curves,the electrical characteristics of AlN/GaN Schottky diode,such as Schottky barrier height,turn-on voltage,reverse breakdown voltage,ideal factor,and the current-transport mechanism,are analyzed and then compared with those of an AlGaN/GaN diode by self-consistently solving Schrdinger’s and Poisson’s equations.It is found that the dislocation-governed tunneling is dominant for both AlN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN Schottky diodes.However,more dislocation defects and a thinner barrier layer for AlN/GaN heterostructure results in a larger tunneling probability,and causes a larger leakage current and lower reverse breakdown voltage,even though the Schottky barrier height of AlN/GaN Schottky diode is calculated to be higher that of an AlGaN/GaN diode.     

复合漏电模型建立及阶梯场板GaN肖特基势垒二极管设计

准垂直GaN肖特基势垒二极管(SBD)因其低成本和高电流传输能力而备受关注.但其主要问题在于无法很好地估计器件的反向特性,从而影响二极管的设计.本文考虑了GaN材料的缺陷以及多种漏电机制,建立了复合漏电模型,对准垂直Ga N SBD的特性进行了模拟,仿真结果与实验结果吻合.基于此所提模型设计出具有高击穿电压的阶梯型场板结构准垂直GaN SBD.根据漏电流、温度和电场在反向电压下的相关性,分析了漏电机制和器件耐压特性,设计的阶梯型场板结构准垂直GaN SBD的Baliga优值BFOM达到73.81 MW/cm~2.     

AlGaN/GaN肖特基结参数分析与电流运输机理研究

通过对AlGaN/GaN HEMT器件肖特基栅电流输运机理的研究,在变温下采用I-V法对AlGaN/GaN上的Ni/Au肖特基势垒高度和理想因子进行了计算. 通过对不同电流机理的分立研究,得到了更为准确的势垒高度值_b. 通过分析温度在300—550K之间肖特基反向泄漏电流的特性,得出结论：AlGaN材料的表面漏电不是HEMT器件反向泄漏电流的主要来源. 关键词： AlGaN/GaN异质结 肖特基结 理想因子     

Numerical analysis of gate leakage current in AlGaN Schottky diodes

We studied theoretically the influence of the tunneling current on the leakage current in AlGaN Schottky diodes. It is shown that the most important conductance mechanism in these structures is the tunneling. The thermionic emission has lower influence on the total current practically throughout the whole reverse bias range and doping concentrations studied. For high doping concentrations we found very slow temperature dependence of the diode current.     

Mechanism and control of current transport in GaN and AlGaN Schottky barriers for chemical sensor applications

Strong interests are recently emerging for development of integrated high-performance chemical sensor chips. In this paper, the present status of understanding and controlling the current transport in the GaN and AlGaN Schottky diodes is discussed from the viewpoint of chemical sensor applications. For this purpose, a series of works recently carried out by our group are reviewed in addition to a general discussion. First, current transport in GaN and AlGaN Schottky barriers is discussed, introducing the thin surface barrier (TSB) model to explain the anomalously large leakage currents. Following this, attempts to reduce the leakage currents are presented and discussed. Then, as an example of gas-phase sensors using Schottky barriers, a Pd/AlGaN/GaN Schottky diode hydrogen sensor developed recently by our group is presented with a discussion on the sensing mechanism and related current transport. On the other hand, in liquid-phase sensors, contact is made between liquid and semiconductor which is regarded as a kind of Schottky barrier by electrochemists. As one of such liquid-phase sensors, open-gate AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field effect transistor (HFET) pH sensor developed recently by our group is presented. Finally, a brief summary is given together with some remarks for future research.     

Leakage current and sub-bandgap photo-response of oxygen-plasma treated GaN Schottky barrier diodes

The effect of oxygen plasma treatment on the performance of GaN Schottky barrier diodes is studied. The GaN surface is intentionally exposed to oxygen plasma generated in an inductively coupled plasma etching system before Schottky metal deposition. The reverse leakage current of the treated diodes is suppressed in low bias range with enhanced diode ideality factor and series resistance. However, in high bias range the treated diodes exhibit higher reverse leakage current and corresponding lower breakdown voltage. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis reveals the growth of a thin GaO_x layer on GaN surface during oxygen plasma treatment. Under sub-bandgap light illumination, the plasma-treated diodes show larger photovoltaic response compared with that of untreated diodes, suggesting that additional defect states at GaN surface are induced by the oxygen plasma treatment.     

AlGaN/GaN 高电子迁移率晶体管漏电流退化机理研究

本文首先制备了与AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管 (HEMT) 结构与特性等效的AlGaN/GaN异质结肖特基二极管, 采用步进应力测试比较了不同栅压下器件漏电流的变化情况, 然后基于电流-电压和电容-电压测试验证了退化前后漏电流的传输机理, 并使用失效分析技术光发射显微镜 (EMMI) 观测器件表面的光发射, 研究了漏电流的时间依赖退化机理. 实验结果表明: 在栅压高于某临界值后, 器件漏电流随时间开始增加, 同时伴有较大的噪声. 将极化电场引入电流与电场的依赖关系后, 器件退化前后的 log(I_FT/E)与√E 都遵循良好的线性关系, 表明漏电流均由电子Frenkel-Poole (FP) 发射主导. 退化后 log(I_FT/E)与√E 曲线斜率的减小, 以及利用EMMI在栅边缘直接观察到了与缺陷存在对应关系的“热点”, 证明了漏电流退化的机理是: 高电场在AlGaN层中诱发了新的缺陷, 而缺陷密度的增加导致了FP发射电流I_FT的增加. 关键词： AlGaN/GaN 高电子迁移率晶体管 漏电流 退化机理     

Directly extracting both threshold voltage and series resistance from the conductance-voltage curve of an AlGaN/GaN Schottky diode

An Ni/Au Schottky contact on an AlGaN/GaN heterostructure has been prepared. By using the peak-conductance model, the threshold voltage and the series resistance of the AlGaN/GaN diode are simultaneously extracted from the conductance-voltage (G-V) curve and found to be in good agreement with the ones obtained by using the capacitance-voltage (C-V) curve integration and the plot of dV/d(ln I) versus current I. Thus, a method of directly and simultaneously extracting both the threshold voltage and the series resistance from the conductance-voltage curve for the AlGaN/GaN Schottky diode is developed.     

n-GaN肖特基势垒二极管的高温电子辐照效应

本文研究了n-GaN肖特基势垒二极管的高温电子辐照效应。实验结果显示,高温下进行电子辐照,界面处辐照诱生缺陷会同时产生和被退火恢复;器件的击穿电压和反向漏电流受辐照影响减弱,其电学阈值增加;由辐照效应导致的可见光响应的影响仍然存在。     

GaN基肖特基势垒二极管结构优化研究进展

作为宽禁带半导体器件,GaN基肖特基势垒二极管(SBD)有耐高压、耐高温、导通电阻小等优良特性,这使得它在电力电子等领域有广泛应用。本文首先综述了SBD发展要解决的问题;然后,介绍了GaN SBD结构、工作原理及结构优化研究进展;接下来,总结了AlGaN/GaN SBD结构、工作原理及结构优化研究进展,并着重从AlGaN/GaN SBD的外延片结构、肖特基电极结构以及边缘终端结构等角度,阐述了这些结构的优化对AlGaN/GaN SBD性能的影响;最后,对器件进一步的发展方向进行了展望。     

Determination of the series resistance under the Schottky contacts of AlGaN/AlN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes

Rectangular AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) were fabricated, and the gate and the source of the HFETs consisted of AlGaN/AlN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs). Based on the measured forward current-voltage and the capacitance-voltage characteristics of the AlGaN/AlN/GaN SBDs, the series resistance under the Schottky contacts (R_S) was calculated using the method of power consumption, which has been proved to be valid. Finally, the method of power consumption for calculating R_S was successfully used to study the two-dimensional electron gas electron mobility for a series of circular AlGaN/AlN/GaN SBDs. It is shown that the series resistance under the Schottky contacts cannot be neglected and is important for analysing and characterizing the AlGaN/AlN/GaN SBDs and the AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs.     

Influence of Schottky drain contacts on the strained AlGaN barrier layer of AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors

Rectangular Schottky drain AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) with different gate contact areas and conventional AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs as control were both fabricated with same size. It was found there is a significant difference between Schottky drain AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs and the control group both in drain series resistance and in two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) electron mobility in the gate-drain channel. We attribute this to the different influence of Ohmic drain contacts and Schottky drain contacts on the strained AlGaN barrier layer. For conventional AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs, annealing drain Ohmic contacts gives rise to a strain variation in the AlGaN barrier layer between the gate contacts and the drain contacts, and results in strong polarization Coulomb field scattering in this region. In Schottky drain AlGaN/AlN/GaN HFETs, the strain in the AlGaN barrier layer is distributed more regularly.     

Different influences of Schottky metal on the strain and relative permittivity of barrier layer between AlN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN heterostructure Schottky diodes

Ni/Au Schottky contacts on AlN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN heterostructures are fabricated.Based on the measured current–voltage and capacitance-voltage curves,the polarization sheet charge density and relative permittivity are analyzed and calculated by self-consistently solving Schrdinger’s and Poisson’s equations.It is found that the values of relative permittivity and polarization sheet charge density of AlN/GaN diode are both much smaller than the ones of AlGaN/GaN diode,and also much lower than the theoretical values.Moreover,by fitting the measured forward I–V curves,the extracted dislocations existing in the barrier layer of the AlN/GaN diode are found to be much more than those of the AlGaN/GaN diode.As a result,the conclusion can be made that compared with AlGaN/GaN diode the Schottky metal has an enhanced influence on the strain of the extremely thinner AlN barrier layer,which is attributed to the more dislocations.     

AlGaN/GaN异质结Ni/Au肖特基表面处理及退火研究

采用O₂等离子体及HF溶液对AlGaN/GaN异质结材料进行表面处理后，Ni/Au肖特基接触特性比未处理有了明显改善，反向泄漏电流减小3个数量级.对制备的肖特基接触进行200—600℃ 5min的N₂气氛退火，发现退火冷却后肖特基反向泄漏电流随退火温度增大进一步减小.N₂气中600℃退火后肖特基二极管C-V特性曲线在不同频率下一致性变好，这表明退火中Ni向材料表面扩散减小了表面陷阱密度；C-V特性曲线随退火温度增大向右移动，从二维电子气耗尽电压绝对值减小反映了肖特基势垒的提高. 关键词： AlGaN/GaN 肖特基接触 表面处理 退火     

AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管肖特基高温退火机理研究

在不同应力条件下,研究了AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管高温退火前后的电流崩塌、栅泄漏电流以及击穿电压的变化.结果表明,AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管通过肖特基高温退火以后,器件的特性得到很大的改善.利用电镜扫描(SEM)和X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对高温退火前、后的肖特基接触界面进行深入分析,发现器件经过高温退火后,Ni和AlGaN层之间介质的去除,并且AlGaN材料表面附近的陷阱减少,使得肖特基有效势垒提高,从而提高器件的电学特性. 关键词： AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管 肖特基接触 界面陷阱     

Simulation studies of current transport in metal–insulator–semiconductor Schottky barrier diodes

The current–voltage characteristics of Schottky diodes with an interfacial insulator layer are analysed by numerical simulation. The current–voltage data of the metal–insulator–semiconductor Schottky diode are simulated using thermionic emission diffusion (TED) equation taking into account an interfacial layer parameter. The calculated current–voltage data are fitted into ideal TED equation to see the apparent effect of interfacial layer parameters on current transport. Results obtained from the simulation studies shows that with mere presence of an interfacial layer at the metal–semiconductor interface the Schottky contact behave as an ideal diode of apparently high barrier height (BH), but with same ideality factor and series resistance as considered for a pure Schottky contact without an interfacial layer. This apparent BH decreases linearly with decreasing temperature. The effects giving rise to high ideality factor in metal–insulator–semiconductor diode are analysed. Reasons for observed temperature dependence of ideality factor in experimentally fabricated metal–insulator–semiconductor diodes are analysed and possible mechanisms are discussed.     

Control of surfaces and heterointerfaces of AlGaN/GaN system for sensor devices and their on-chip integration on nanostructures

For successful construction of sensor devices and their future on-chip integration on nanostructures, this paper discusses the present status of understanding and control of surfaces and heterointerfaces of the AlGaN/GaN material system by reviewing a series of works recently carried out by the authors’ group.Leakage currents in Schottky contacts are explained by the authors’ thin surface barrier (TSB) model. An important role is played by oxygen shallow donors in leakage in AlGaN Schottky diodes. A large leakage reduction has been achieved by a novel surface control process for oxygen gettering. An unprecedented high sensitivity has been obtained in AlGaN/GaN Schottky diode hydrogen sensor by applying the surface control process. Liquid-phase AlGaN/GaN sensors having an open-gate HFET structure show a very good pH sensing capability as well as a good sensing capability of polar liquids. Finally, the selective MBE growth of AlGaN/GaN nanowire network is discussed as a basic hardware structure for the on-chip integration of sensors, paying attention to the heterointerface control.     

Edge termination study and fabrication of a 4Hben SiC junction barrier Schottky diode

The 4H-SiC junction barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes terminated by field guard rings and offset field plate are designed, fabricated and characterized. It is shown experimentally that a 3-μm P-type implantation window spacing gives an optimum trade-off between forward drop voltage and leakage current density for these diodes, yielding a specific on-resistance of 8.3 mΩ·cm². A JBS diode with a turn-on voltage of 0.65 V and a reverse current density less than 1 A/cm² under 500 V is fabricated, and the reverse recovery time is tested to be 80 ns, and the peak reverse current is 28.1 mA. Temperature-dependent characteristics are also studied in a temperature range of 75 ℃-200 ℃. The diode shows a stable Schottky barrier height of up to 200 ℃ and a stable operation under a continuous forward current of 100 A/cm².     

Thermal stability of tungsten and tungsten nitride Schottky contacts to AlGaN/GaN

Thin tungsten nitride (WNx) films were produced by reactive DC magnetron sputtering of tungsten in an Ar-N2 gas mixture. The films were used as Schottky contacts on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. The Schottky behaviours of WNx contact was investigated under various annealing conditions by current-voltage (I-V ) measurements. The results show that the gate leakage current was reduced to 10-6 A/cm2 when the N2 flow is 400 mL/min. The results also show that the WNx contact improved the thermal stability of Schottky contacts. Finally, the current transport mechanism in WNx/AlGaN/GaN Schottky diodes has been investigated by means of I-V characterisation technique at various temperatures between 300 K and 523 K. A TE model with a Gaussian distribution of Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) is thought to be responsible for the electrical behaviour at temperatures lower than 523 K.     

High-Power GaN Electronic Devices

Gallium Nitride (GaN) and related materials (especially AlGaN) recently have attracted a lot of interest for applications in high-power electronics capable of operation at elevated temperatures and high frequencies. The AlGaInN system offers numerous advantages. These include wide bandgaps, good transport properties, the availability of heterostructures (particularly AlGaN/GaN), the experience base gained by the commercialization of GaN-based laser and light-emitting diodes and the existence of a high growth rate epitaxial method (hydride vapor phase epitaxy, HVPE) for producing very thick layers or even quasisubstrates. These attributes have led to rapid progress in the realization of a broad range of GaN electronic devices. Al_xGa_1-xN (x=0 ～.25) Schottky rectifiers were fabricated in a lateral geometry employing p⁺-implanted guard rings and rectifying contact overlap onto an SiO₂ passivation layer. The reverse breakdown voltage (V_B) increased with the spacing between Schottky and ohmic metal contacts, reaching 9700 V for Al_0.25Ga_0.75N and 6350 V for GaN, respectively, for 100-µm gap spacing. Assuming lateral depletion, these values correspond to breakdown field strengths of <9.67×10⁵ Vcm^?2, which is roughly a factor of 5 lower than the theoretical maximum in bulk GaN. The figure of merit (V_B)²/R_ON, where RON is the on-state resistance, was in the range 94 to 268 MWcm^?2 for all the devices. Edge-terminated Schottky rectifiers were also fabricated on quasibulk GaN substrates grown by HVPE. For small-diameter (75?µm) Schottky contacts, Vs measured in the vertical geometry was ～700?V, with an on-state resistance (RON) of 3?mΩcm², producing a figure-of-merit V_B ²/R_ON of 162.8?MW-cm^?2. GaN p-i-n diodes were also fabricated. A direct comparison of GaN p-i-n and Schottky rectifiers fabricated on the same GaN wafer showed higher reverse breakdown voltage for the former (490?V vs. 347?V for the Schottky diodes), but lower forward turn-on voltages for the latter (～3.5?V vs. ～5?V for the p-i-n diodes). The forward I-V characteristics of the p-i-n rectifiers show behavior consistent with a multiple recombination center model. The reverse current in both types of rectifiers was dominated by surface perimeter leakage at moderate bias. Finally, all of the devices we fabricated showed negative temperature coefficients for reverse breakdown voltage, which is a clear disadvantage for elevated temperature operation. Bipolar devices are particularly interesting for high current applications such as microwave power amplifiers for radar, satellite, and communication in the l～5?GHz range, powers >l00?W, and operating temperatures >425°C. pnp Bipolar Junction Transistors and pnp Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors were demonstrated for the first time. For power microwave applications, small area self-aligned npn GaN/AlGaN HBTs were attempted. The devices showed very promising direct current characteristics.