An AlGaN/GaN HEMT with a reduced surface electric field and an improved breakdown voltage

A reduced surface electric field in an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor(HEMT) is investigated by employing a localized Mg-doped layer under the two-dimensional electron gas(2-DEG) channel as an electric field shaping layer.The electric field strength around the gate edge is effectively relieved and the surface electric field is distributed evenly as compared with those of HEMTs with conventional source-connected field plate and double field plate structures with the same device physical dimensions.Compared with the HEMTs with conventional sourceconnected field plates and double field plates,the HEMT with a Mg-doped layer also shows that the breakdown location shifts from the surface of the gate edge to the bulk Mg-doped layer edge.By optimizing both the length of Mg-doped layer,L m,and the doping concentration,a 5.5 times and 3 times the reduction in the peak electric field near the drain side gate edge is observed as compared with those of the HEMTs with source-connected field plate structure and double field plate structure,respectively.In a device with V GS = -5 V,L m = 1.5 μm,a peak Mg doping concentration of 8×10 17cm-3 and a drift region length of 10 μm,the breakdown voltage is observed to increase from 560 V in a conventional device without field plate structure to over 900 V without any area overhead penalty.     

An AlGaN/GaN HEMT with enhanced breakdown and near-zero breakdown voltage temperature coefficient

An AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with a novel source-connected air-bridge field plate (AFP) is experimentally verified. The device features a metal field plate that jumps from the source over the gate region and lands between the gate and drain. When compared to a similar size HEMT device with conventional field plate (CFP) structure, the AFP not only minimizes the parasitic gate to source capacitance, but also exhibits higher OFF-state breakdown voltage and one order of magnitude lower drain leakage current. In a device with a gate to drain distance of 6 μm and a gate length of 0.8 μm, three times higher forward blocking voltage of 375 V was obtained at V_GS=-5 V. In contrast, a similar sized HEMT with CFP can only achieve a breakdown voltage no higher than 125 V using this process, regardless of device dimensions. Moreover, a temperature coefficient of 0 V/K for the breakdown voltage is observed. However, devices without field plate (no FP) and with optimized conventional field plate (CFP) exhibit breakdown voltage temperature coefficients of -0.113 V/K and -0.065 V/K, respectively.     

An AlGaN/GaN HEMT with enhanced breakdown and a near-zero breakdown voltage temperature coefficient

An AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor(HEMT) with a novel source-connected air-bridge field plate(AFP) is experimentally verified.The device features a metal field plate that jumps from the source over the gate region and lands between the gate and drain.When compared to a similar size HEMT device with a conventional field plate(CFP) structure,the AFP not only minimizes the parasitic gate to source capacitance,but also exhibits higher OFF-state breakdown voltage and one order of magnitude lower drain leakage current.In a device with a gate to drain distance of 6 μm and a gate length of 0.8 μm,three times higher forward blocking voltage of 375 V was obtained at VGS =-5 V.In contrast,a similar sized HEMT with a CFP can only achieve a breakdown voltage no higher than 125 V using this process,regardless of device dimensions.Moreover,a temperature coefficient of 0 V/K for the breakdown voltage is observed.However,devices without a field plate(no FP) and with an optimized conventional field plate(CFP) exhibit breakdown voltage temperature coefficients of-0.113 V/K and-0.065 V/K,respectively.     

Analysis of the modulation mechanisms of the electric field and breakdown performance in AlGaN/GaN HEMT with a T-shaped field-plate

A novel Al Ga N/Ga N high electron mobility transistor(HEMT) with a source-connected T-shaped field-plate(ST-FP HEMT) is proposed for the first time in this paper. The source-connected T-shaped field-plate(ST-FP) is composed of a source-connected field-plate(S-FP) and a trench metal. The physical intrinsic mechanisms of the ST-FP to improve the breakdown voltage and the FP efficiency and to modulate the distributions of channel electric field and potential are studied in detail by means of two-dimensional numerical simulations with Silvaco-ATLAS. A comparison to the HEMT and the HEMT with an S-FP(S-FP HEMT) shows that the ST-FP HEMT could achieve a broader and more uniform channel electric field distribution with the help of a trench metal, which could increase the breakdown voltage and the FP efficiency remarkably. In addition, the relationship between the structure of the ST-FP, the channel electric field, the breakdown voltage as well as the FP efficiency in ST-FP HEMT is analyzed. These results could open up a new effective method to fabricate high voltage power devices for the power electronic applications.     

Reverse blocking characteristics and mechanisms in Schottky-drain AlGaN/GaN HEMT with a drain field plate and floating field plates

In this paper, a novel Al Ga N/Ga N HEMT with a Schottky drain and a compound field plate(SD-CFP HEMT) is presented for the purpose of better reverse blocking capability. The compound field plate(CFP) consists of a drain field plate(DFP) and several floating field plates(FFPs). The physical mechanisms of the CFP to improve the reverse breakdown voltage and to modulate the distributions of channel electric field and potential are investigated by two-dimensional numerical simulations with Silvaco-ATLAS. Compared with the HEMT with a Schottky drain(SD HEMT) and the HEMT with a Schottky drain and a DFP(SD-FP HEMT), the superiorities of SD-CFP HEMT lie in the continuous improvement of the reverse breakdown voltage by increasing the number of FFPs and in the same fabrication procedure as the SD-FP HEMT.Two useful optimization laws for the SD-CFP HEMTs are found and extracted from simulation results. The relationship between the number of the FFPs and the reverse breakdown voltage as well as the FP efficiency in SD-CFP HEMTs are discussed. The results in this paper demonstrate a great potential of CFP for enhancing the reverse blocking ability in Al Ga N/Ga N HEMT and may be of great value and significance in the design and actual manufacture of SD-CFP HEMTs.     

高击穿电压的AlGaN/GaN FP-HEMT研究与分析

就蓝宝石衬底上制备的AlGaN/GaN场板(field plate)HEMT器件、常规HEMT器件性能进行了分析对比.结果证明两种结构的器件直流参数变化不大，但是采用场板后器件的击穿电压从52V提高到了142V.在此基础上利用Sivaco软件对两种器件进行模拟仿真，深入分析了FP对器件击穿电压的影响.     

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.     

具有p-GaN岛状埋层耐压结构的横向AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管

GaN基高电子迁移率晶体管(HEMT)相对较低的击穿电压严重限制了其大功率应用.为了进一步改善器件的击穿特性,通过在n-GaN外延缓冲层中引入六个等间距p-GaN岛掩埋缓冲层(PIBL)构成p-n结,提出一种基于p-GaN埋层结构的新型高耐压AlGaN/GaN HEMT器件结构.Sentaurus TCAD仿真结果表明,在关态高漏极电压状态下,p-GaN埋层引入的多个反向p-n结不仅能够有效调制PIBL AlGaN/GaN HEMT的表面电场和体电场分布,而且对于缓冲层泄漏电流有一定的抑制作用,这保证了栅漏间距为10μm的PIBL HEMT能够达到超过1700 V的高击穿电压(BV),是常规结构AlGaN/GaN HEMT击穿电压(580 V)的3倍.同时,PIBL结构AlGaN/GaN HEMT的特征导通电阻仅为1.47 m?·cm~2,因此获得了高达1966 MW·cm~(-2)的品质因数(FOM=BV~2/R_(on,sp)).相比于常规的AlGaN/GaN HEMT,基于新型p-GaN埋岛结构的HEMT器件在保持较低特征导通电阻的同时具有更高的击穿电压,这使得该结构在高功率电力电子器件领域具有很好的应用前景.     

An improved EEHEMT model for kink effect on AlGaN/GaN HEMT

In this paper, a new current expression based on both the direct currect(DC) characteristics of the AlGaN/GaN high election mobility transistor(HEMT) and the hyperbolic tangent function tanh is proposed, by which we can describe the kink effect of the AlGaN/GaN HEMT well. Then, an improved EEHEMT model including the proposed current expression is presented. The simulated and measured results of I–V, S-parameter, and radio frequency(RF) large-signal characteristics are compared for a self-developed on-wafer AlGaN/GaN HEMT with ten gate fingers each being 0.4-μm long and 125-μm wide(Such an AlGaN/GaN HEMT is denoted as AlGaN/GaN HEMT(10 × 125 μm)). The improved large signal model simulates the I–V characteristic much more accurately than the original one, and its transconductance and RF characteristics are also in excellent agreement with the measured data.     

F离子注入新型Al0．25Ga0．75N／GaNHEMT器件耐压分析

为了缓解AlGaN／GaNhighelectronmobilitytransistors（HEMT）器件n型GaN缓冲层高的泄漏电流,本文提出了具有氟离子注入新型Al0．25Ga0．75N／GaNHEMT器件新结构．首先分析得出n型GaN缓冲层没有受主型陷阱时,器件输出特性为欧姆特性,这样就从理论和仿真方面解释了文献生长GaN缓冲层掺杂Fe,Mg等离子的原因．利用器件输出特性分别分析了栅边缘有和没有低掺杂漏极时,氟离子分别注入源区、栅极区域和漏区的情况,得出当氟离子注入源区时,形成的受主型陷阱能有效俘获源极发射的电子而减小GaN缓冲层的泄漏电流,击穿电压达到262v通过减小GaN缓冲层体泄漏电流,提高器件击穿电压,设计具有一定输出功率新型A1GaN／GaNHEMT提供了科学依据．     

Effect of gate length on breakdown voltage in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor

The effects of gate length L_G on breakdown voltage VBRare investigated in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors(HEMTs) with L_G= 1 μm~20 μm. With the increase of L_G, VBRis first increased, and then saturated at LG= 3 μm. For the HEMT with L_G= 1 μm, breakdown voltage VBRis 117 V, and it can be enhanced to 148 V for the HEMT with L-_G= 3 μm. The gate length of 3 μm can alleviate the buffer-leakage-induced impact ionization compared with the gate length of 1 μm, and the suppression of the impact ionization is the reason for improving the breakdown voltage.A similar suppression of the impact ionization exists in the HEMTs with LG 3 μm. As a result, there is no obvious difference in breakdown voltage among the HEMTs with LG= 3 μm~20 μm, and their breakdown voltages are in a range of 140 V–156 V.     

AlGaN表面坑状缺陷及GaN缓冲层位错缺陷对AlGaN/GaN HEMT电流崩塌效应的影响

利用金属有机气相外延(MOVPE)技术生长了具有不同AlGaN表面坑状缺陷和GaN缓冲层位错缺陷密度的AlGaN/GaN 高电子迁移率晶体管(HEMT)样品,并对比研究了两种缺陷对器件栅、漏延迟电流崩塌效应的影响.栅延迟测试表明,AlGaN表面坑状缺陷会引起栅延迟电流崩塌效应和源漏电阻的增加,而且表面坑状缺陷越多,栅延迟电流崩塌程度和源漏电阻的增加越明显.漏延迟测试显示,AlGaN表面坑状缺陷对漏延迟电流崩塌影响不大,而GaN缓冲层位错缺陷主要影响漏延迟电流崩塌.研究结果表明,AlGaN表面坑状缺陷和Ga 关键词： AlGaN/GaN HEMT 电流崩塌 坑状缺陷 位错缺陷     

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.     

Photoresponse and trap characteristics of transparent AZO-gated AlGaN/GaN HEMT

AZO-gated and Ni/Au-gated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs are fabricated successfully,and an excellent transparency of AZOgated electrode is achieved.After a negative gate bias stress acts on two kinds of the devices,their photoresponse characteristics are investigated by using laser sources with different wavelengths.The effect of photoresponse on AZO-gated electrode device is more obvious than on Ni/Au-gated electrodes device.The electrons are trapped in the AlGaN barrier of AZO-gated HEMT after it has experienced negative gate bias stress,and then the electrons can be excited effectively after it has been illuminated by the light with certain wavelengths.Furthermore,the trap state density D_T and the time constantτ_T of the AZO-gated Schottky contact are extracted by fitting the measured parallel conductance in a frequency range from10 kHz to 10 MHz.The constants of the trap range from about 0.35 μs to 20.35 μs,and the trap state density increased from1.93×l0~(13)eV 1·cm~2 at an energy of 0.33 eV to 3.07×10~(11) eV~1·cm~2 at an energy of 0.40 eV.Moreover,the capacitance and conductance measurements are used to characterize the trapping effects under different illumination conditions in AZO-gated HEMTs.Reduced deep trap states' density is confirmed under the illumination of short wavelength light.     

Improvement of breakdown characteristics of an A1GaN/GaN HEMT with a U-type gate foot for millimeter-wave power application

<正>In this study,the physics-based device simulation tool Silvaco ATLAS is used to characterize the electrical properties of an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor(HEMT) with a U-type gate foot.The U-gate AlGaN/GaN HEMT mainly features a gradually changed sidewall angle,which effectively mitigates the electric field in the channel, thus obtaining enhanced off-state breakdown characteristics.At the same time,only a small additional gate capacitance and decreased gate resistance ensure excellent RF characteristics for the U-gate device.U-gate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs are feasible through adjusting the etching conditions of an inductively coupled plasma system,without introducing any extra process steps.The simulation results are confirmed by experimental measurements.These features indicate that U-gate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs might be promising candidates for use in miltimeter-wave power applications.     

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.     

Operational improvement of AlGaN/GaN HEMT on SiC substrate with the amended depletion region

In this paper, a high performance AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) on SiC substrates is presented to improve the electrical operation with the amended depletion region using a multiple recessed gate (MRG–HEMT). The basic idea is to change the gate depletion region and a better distribution of the electric field in the channel and improve the device breakdown voltage. The proposed gate consists of lower and upper gate to control the channel thickness. Also, the charge of the depletion region will change due to the optimized gate. In addition, a metal between the gate and drain including the horizontal and vertical parts is used to better control the thickness of the channel. The breakdown voltage, maximum output power density, cut-off frequency, maximum oscillation frequency, minimum noise figure, maximum available gain (MAG), and maximum stable gain (MSG) are some parameters for designers which are considered and are improved in this paper.     

High-field-induced electron detrapping in An AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor

A step stress test is carried out to study the reliability characteristics of an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor(HEMT).An anomalous critical drain-to-gate voltage with a negative temperature coefficient is observed in the stress sequence,beyond which the HEMT device starts to recover from degradation induced by early lower voltage stress.While the performance degradation featuring the drain current slump stems from electron trapping in the surface or bulk states during low-to-medium bias stress,the recovery is attributed to high field induced electron detrapping.The carrier detrapping mechanism could be helpful for lessening the trapping-related performance degradation of a GaN-based HEMT.     

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