Negative bias-induced threshold voltage instability and zener/interface trapping mechanism in GaN-based MIS-HEMTs

We investigate the instability of threshold voltage in D-mode MIS-HEMT with in-situ SiN as gate dielectric under different negative gate stresses.The complex non-monotonic evolution of threshold voltage under the negative stress and during the recovery process is induced by the combination effect of two mechanisms.The effect of trapping behavior of interface state at SiN/AlGaN interface and the effect of zener traps in AlGaN barrier layer on the threshold voltage instability are opposite to each other.The threshold voltage shifts negatively under the negative stress due to the detrapping of the electrons at SiN/AlGaN interface,and shifts positively due to zener trapping in AlGaN barrier layer.As the stress is removed,the threshold voltage shifts positively for the retrapping of interface states and negatively for the thermal detrapping in AlGaN.However,it is the trapping behavior in the AlGaN rather than the interface state that results in the change of transconductance in the D-mode MIS-HEMT.     

A novel Si-rich SiN bilayer passivation with thin-barrier AlGaN/GaN HEMTs for high performance millimeter-wave applications

We demonstrate a novel Si-rich SiN bilayer passivation technology for AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with thin-barrier to minimize surface leakage current to enhance the breakdown voltage. The bilayer SiN with 20-nm Si-rich SiN and 100-nm Si$_{3}$N$_{4}$ was deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) after removing 20-nm SiO$_{2}$ pre-deposition layer. Compared to traditional Si$_{3}$N$_{4}$ passivation for thin-barrier AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, Si-rich SiN bilayer passivation can suppress the current collapse ratio from 18.54% to 8.40%. However, Si-rich bilayer passivation leads to a severer surface leakage current, so that it has a low breakdown voltage. The 20-nm SiO$_{2}$ pre-deposition layer can protect the surface of HEMTs in fabrication process and decrease Ga-O bonds, resulting in a lower surface leakage current. In contrast to passivating Si-rich SiN directly, devices with the novel Si-rich SiN bilayer passivation increase the breakdown voltage from 29 V to 85 V. Radio frequency (RF) small-signal characteristics show that HEMTs with the novel bilayer SiN passivation leads to $f_{\rm T}/f_{\rm max}$ of 68 GHz/102 GHz. At 30 GHz and $V_{\rm DS} = 20$ V, devices achieve a maximum $P_{\rm out}$ of 5.2 W/mm and a peak power-added efficiency (PAE) of 42.2%. These results indicate that HEMTs with the novel bilayer SiN passivation can have potential applications in the millimeter-wave range.     

Transport mechanism of reverse surface leakage current in AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor with SiN passivation

The transport mechanism of reverse surface leakage current in the AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor(HEMT) becomes one of the most important reliability issues with the downscaling of feature size.In this paper,the research results show that the reverse surface leakage current in AlGaN/GaN HEMT with SiN passivation increases with the enhancement of temperature in the range from 298 K to 423 K.Three possible transport mechanisms are proposed and examined to explain the generation of reverse surface leakage current.By comparing the experimental data with the numerical transport models,it is found that neither Fowler-Nordheim tunneling nor Frenkel-Poole emission can describe the transport of reverse surface leakage current.However,good agreement is found between the experimental data and the two-dimensional variable range hopping(2D-VRH) model.Therefore,it is concluded that the reverse surface leakage current is dominated by the electron hopping through the surface states at the barrier layer.Moreover,the activation energy of surface leakage current is extracted,which is around 0.083 eV.Finally,the SiN passivated HEMT with a high Al composition and a thin AlGaN barrier layer is also studied.It is observed that 2D-VRH still dominates the reverse surface leakage current and the activation energy is around 0.10 eV,which demonstrates that the alteration of the AlGaN barrier layer does not affect the transport mechanism of reverse surface leakage current in this paper.     

High-frequency enhancement-mode millimeterwave AlGaN/GaN HEMT with an fT/fmax over 100 GHz/200 GHz

Ultra-thin barrier (UTB) 4-nm-AlGaN/GaN normally-off high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) having a high current gain cut-off frequency (f_T) are demonstrated by the stress-engineered compressive SiN trench technology. The compressive in-situ SiN guarantees the UTB-AlGaN/GaN heterostructure can operate a high electron density of 1.27×10¹³cm^-2, a high uniform sheet resistance of 312.8 Ω /□, but a negative threshold for the short-gate devices fabricated on it. With the lateral stress-engineering by full removing in-situ SiN in the 600-nm SiN trench, the short-gated (70 nm) devices obtain a threshold of 0.2 V, achieving the devices operating at enhancement-mode (E-mode). Meanwhile, the novel device also can operate a large current of 610 mA/mm and a high transconductance of 394 mS/mm for the E-mode devices. Most of all, a high f_T/f_max of 128 GHz/255 GHz is obtained, which is the highest value among the reported E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. Besides, being together with the 211 GHz/346 GHz of f_T/f_max for the D-mode HEMTs fabricated on the same materials, this design of E/D-mode with the realization of f_max over 200 GHz in this work is the first one that can be used in Q-band mixed-signal application with further optimization. And the minimized processing difference between the E- and D-mode designs the addition of the SiN trench, will promise an enormous competitive advantage in the fabricating costs.     

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.     

Impact of oxygen in electrical properties and hot-carrier stress-induced degradation of GaN high electron mobility transistors

The role of the oxygen in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) before and after semi-on state stress was discussed. Comparing with the electrical characteristics of the devices in vacuum, air, and oxygen atmosphere, it is revealed that the oxygen has significant influence on the electric characteristics and the hot-carrier-stress-induced degradation of the device. Comparing with the situation in vacuum, the gate leakage increased an order of magnitude in oxygen and air atmosphere. Double gate structure was used to separate the barrier leakage and surface leakage of AlGaN/GaN HEMT it is found that surface leakage is the major influencing factor in gate leakage of SiN-passivated devices before and after semi-on state stress. During semi-on state stress in the oxygen atmosphere, the electric-field-driven oxidation process promoted the oxidation of the nitride layer, and the oxidation layer in the SiN/AlGaN interface leads to the decreasing of the surface leakage.     

Performance Improvement of GaN Based Schottky Barrier Ultraviolet Photodetector by Adding a Thin A1GaN Window Layer

We propose a new structure of GaN based Schottky barrier ultraviolet photodetector, in which a thin n-type A1GaN window layer is added on the conventional n^--GaN/n^＋-GaN device structure. The performance of the Schottky barrier ultraviolet photodetector is found to be improved by the new structure. The simulation result shows that the new structure can reduce the negative effect of surface states on the performance of Schottky barrier GaN photodetectors, improving the quantum efficiency and decreasing the dark current. The investigations suggest that the new photodetector can exhibit a better responsivity by choosing a suitably high carrier concentration and thin thickness for the A1GaN window layer.     

Effects of the strain relaxation of an AlGaN barrier layer induced by various cap layers on the transport properties in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

The strain relaxation of an AlGaN barrier layer may be influenced by a thin cap layer above, and affects the transport properties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. Compared with the slight strain relaxation found in AlGaN barrier layer without cap layer, it is found that a thin cap layer can induce considerable changes of strain state in the AlGaN barrier layer. The degree of relaxation of the AlGaN layer significantly influences the transport properties of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. It is observed that electron mobility decreases with the increasing degree of relaxation of the AlGaN barrier, which is believed to be the main cause of the deterioration of crystalline quality and morphology on the AlGaN/GaN interface. On the other hand, both GaN and AlN cap layers lead to a decrease in 2DEG density. The reduction of 2DEG caused by the GaN cap layer may be attributed to the additional negative polarization charges formed at the interface between GaN and AlGaN, while the reduction of the piezoelectric effect in the AlGaN layer results in the decrease of 2DEG density in the case of AlN cap layer.     

Improved device performance of recessed-gate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs by using in-situ N2O radical treatment

The N₂O radicals in-situ treatment on gate region has been employed to improve device performance of recessed-gate AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). The samples after gate recess etching were treated by N₂O radicals without physical bombardment. After in-situ treatment (IST) processing, the gate leakage currents decreased by more than one order of magnitude compared to the sample without IST. The fabricated HEMTs with the IST process show a low reverse gate current of 10^-9 A/mm, high on/off current ratio of 10⁸, and high f_T×L_g of 13.44 GHz· μm. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging illustrates an oxide layer with a thickness of 1.8 nm exists at the AlGaN surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement shows that the content of the Al-O and Ga-O bonds elevated after IST, indicating that the Al-N and Ga-N bonds on the AlGaN surface were broken and meanwhile the Al-O and Ga-O bonds formed. The oxide formed by a chemical reaction between radicals and the surface of the AlGaN barrier layer is responsible for improved device characteristics.     

射频磁控溅射法制备氮化硅基ZnO薄膜的光致发光性能研究

氮化硅薄膜因其耐腐蚀性、高温稳定性和良好的机械强度等优点,被广泛用作透射电子显微镜(TEM)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、原子力显微镜(AFM)、X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)、能量色散X射线光谱仪(EDX)等的表征实验承载体。特别是,SiN可作为SEM观察时的低扰背景。然而SiN薄膜较差的荧光性制约了其进一步在荧光器件中的广泛应用。为了进一步提高SiN薄膜窗口的荧光效率,实验研究中采用了射频磁控溅射技术在SiN_x薄膜衬底上成功制备出系列ZnO薄膜,并分别进行了氮气氛非原位退火和原位退火处理。然后利用原子力显微镜(AFM)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、拉曼光谱仪(Raman)对薄膜的微结构和光致发光(PL)性能进行了研究,并系统研究了所制备薄膜的发光情况。实验研究结果表明,镀膜后荧光强度普遍提升, 退火促进晶粒进一步熟化生长、结晶性能大幅提升、晶界减少,且退火方式对射频磁控溅射法制备的ZnO/SiN复合薄膜的微结构和发光性能有显著影响。与SiN_x薄膜相比,未退火的ZnO/SiN_x薄膜和N₂气氛非原位退火的ZnO/SiN_x薄膜在380 nm附近的带边本征发射强度分别提高了7.7倍和34.0倍以上。与非原位退火处理的薄膜相比,原位退火处理的ZnO/SiN_x薄膜具有更多的氧空位缺陷,因此表现出更强的可见光波段PL强度,在425～600 nm的可见光波段表现出更高的光致发光能力。这些结果有助于优化氮化硅基ZnO荧光薄膜的制备参数。     

Groove-type channel enhancement-mode Al GaN/GaN MIS HEMT with combined polar and nonpolar AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

A novel groove-type channel enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN MIS high electron mobility transistor(GTCE-HEMT)with a combined polar and nonpolar AlGaN/GaN heterostucture is presented. The device simulation shows a threshold voltage of 1.24 V, peak transconductance of 182 m S/mm, and subthreshold slope of 85 m V/dec, which are obtained by adjusting the device parameters. Interestingly, it is possible to control the threshold voltage accurately without precisely controlling the etching depth in fabrication by adopting this structure. Besides, the breakdown voltage(VB) is significantly increased by 78% in comparison with the value of the conventional MIS-HEMT. Moreover, the fabrication process of the novel device is entirely compatible with that of the conventional depletion-mode(D-mode) polar AlGaN/GaN HEMT. It presents a promising way to realize the switch application and the E/D-mode logic circuits.     

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.     

Recessed-gate quasi-enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors with oxygen plasma treatment

In this paper,the enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT combined with the low damage recessed-gate etching and the optimized oxygen plasma treatment was fabricated.Scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectrometer(SEM/EDS) method and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) method were used to confirm the formation of oxides.Based on the experimental results,the obtained enhancement-mode HEMT exhibited a threshold voltage of 0.5 V,a high peak transconductance of 210 mS/mm,and a maximum drain current of 610 mA/mm at the gate bias of 4 V.Meanwhile,the on/off current ratio of enhancement-mode HEMT was as high as 10~8,drain induced barrier lowering(DIBL) was as low as 5 raV/V,and subthreshold swing(SS) of 80 mV/decade was obtained.Compared with the conventional HEMT,the Schottky reverse current of enhancement-mode HEMT was three orders of magnitude lower,and the off-state breakdown voltage of which was higher.In addition,a power gain cutoff frequency(/max) of the enhancement-mode HEMT was larger than that of the conventional one.     

In-situ thin film growth/etch measurement and control by laser light reflectance analysis

In this article, I report in-situ thin film growth and etching measurement and control with ultra high precision. A stack of thin film layers of AlAs/Al_0.1Ga_0.9As to form Bragg reflector for the surface emitting semi-conductor laser was grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy on a rotating wafer and the growth process was monitored with inclined incident polarized He–Ne laser light reflectance measurement. The multiple thin film layers were preferred to increase the visibility of the oscillating intensity variation signal for feasibility experiments. The inferred growth rate from the reflectance analysis was found to be 0.15 nm/s which remained in agreement with set growth parameters. The laser light reflectance analysis method was also employed for in-situ control and measurement of thin film etching process. The inferred etching rate was found to be 0.75 nm/s by the chemical etchant H₃PO₄:H₂O₂:H₂O::3:1:100. Calibrated optical reflectance signal for growth and etching process is proposed for measuring and control their respective thickness and depth with very high accuracy and precision.     

C-V characterization of Schottky- and MIS-gate SiGe/Si HEMT structures

Electrical properties of Schottky- and metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS)-gate SiGe/Si high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were investigated with capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. The MIS-gate HEMT structure was fabricated using a SiN gate insulator formed by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD). The Cat-CVD SiN thin film (5 nm) was found to be an effective gate insulator with good gate controllability and dielectric properties. We previously investigated device characteristics of sub-100-nm-gate-length Schottky- and MIS-gate HEMTs, and reported that the MIS-gate device had larger maximum drain current density and transconductance (g_m) than the Schottky-gate device. The radio frequency (RF) measurement of the MIS-gate device, however, showed a relatively lower current gain cutoff frequency f_T compared with that of the Schottky-gate device. In this study, C-V characterization of the MIS-gate HEMT structure demonstrated that two electron transport channels existed, one at the SiGe/Si buried channel and the other at the SiN/Si surface channel.     

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.     

具有部分本征GaN帽层新型AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管特性分析

为了优化传统Al GaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管(high electron mobility transistors,HEMTs)器件的表面电场,提高击穿电压,本文提出了一种具有部分本征GaN帽层的新型Al GaN/GaN HEMTs器件结构.新型结构通过在Al GaN势垒层顶部、栅电极到漏电极的漂移区之间引入部分本征GaN帽层,由于本征GaN帽层和Al GaN势垒层界面处的极化效应,降低了沟道二维电子气(two dimensional electron gas,2DEG)的浓度,形成了栅边缘低浓度2DEG区域,使得沟道2DEG浓度分区,由均匀分布变为阶梯分布.通过调制沟道2DEG的浓度分布,从而调制了Al GaN/GaN HEMTs器件的表面电场.利用电场调制效应,产生了新的电场峰,且有效降低了栅边缘的高峰电场,Al GaN/GaN HEMTs器件的表面电场分布更加均匀.利用ISE-TCAD软件仿真分析得出:通过设计一定厚度和长度的本征GaN帽层,Al GaN/GaN HEMTs器件的击穿电压从传统结构的427 V提高到新型结构的960 V.由于沟道2DEG浓度减小,沟道电阻增加,使得新型Al GaN/GaN HEMTs器件的最大输出电流减小了9.2%,截止频率几乎保持不变,而最大振荡频率提高了12%.     

Surface Leakage Currents in SiN and Al_2O_3 Passivated AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Surface leakage currents of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors are investigated by utihzing a circular double-gate structure to eliminate the influence of mesa leakage current.Different mechanisms are found under various passivation conditions.The mechanism of the surface leakage current with Al_2O_3 passivation follows the two-dimensional variable range hopping model,while the mechanism of the surface leakage current with SiN passivation follows the Frenkel-Poole trap assisted emission.Two trap levels are found in the trap-assisted emission.One trap level has a barrier height of 0.22 eV for the high electric Geld,and the other trap level has a barrier height of 0.12 eV for the low electric field.     

Surface and interface electronic properties of AlGaN(0001) epitaxial layers

AlGaN layers with Al content varying over the whole range of compositions were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on n-6H-SiC substrates. The band gap energy is obtained from the vanishing of Fabry–Pérot oscillations in a fit to optical reflection spectra near the band gap absorption edge. The surface potential was determined by in-situ X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and is found to increase as a function of the Al content from (0.5±0.1) eV to (1.3±0.1) eV, from GaN to AlN. A Si₃N₄ thin passivation layer was formed in-situ onto a 2DEG AlGaN/GaN structure. The mechanism underlying the passivation of high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures is suggested to be based on the formation of interface states, which keep the Fermi level fixed at a position close to that of the free AlGaN surface. PACS 73.20.-r; 73.40.-c; 73.40.Kp     

Non-recessed-gate quasi-E-mode double heterojunction AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor with high breakdown voltage

A non-recessed-gate quasi-E-mode double heterojunction AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor(quasi-EDHEMT) with a thin barrier, high breakdown voltage and good performance of drain induced barrier lowering(DIBL)was presented. Due to the metal organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD) grown 9-nm undoped AlGaN barrier, the effect that the gate metal depleted the two-dimensiomal electron gas(2DEG) was greatly impressed. Therefore, the density of carriers in the channel was nearly zero. Hence, the threshold voltage was above 0 V. Quasi-E-DHEMT with 4.1-μm source-to-drain distance, 2.6-μm gate-to-drain distance, and 0.5-μm gate length showed a drain current of 260 mA/mm.The threshold voltage of this device was 0.165 V when the drain voltage was 10 V and the DIBL was 5.26 mV/V. The quasi-E-DHEMT drain leakage current at a drain voltage of 146 V and a gate voltage of-6 V was below 1 mA/mm. This indicated that the hard breakdown voltage was more than 146 V.