IEEE transactions on computer-aided design of integrated circuits and systems : a publication of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society

技術解説 IEEE Computer

AlGaN-based materials own direct transition energy bands and wide bandgap and thus can be used in high-efficiency ultraviolet (UV) emitters and detectors. Over the past two decades, AlGaN-based materials and devices experienced rapid development. Deep ultraviolet AlGaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with improved efficiency of 20.3% (at 275 nm) have been produced. An electron beam (EB)-pumped AlGaN-based UV light source at 238 nm, output power of 100 mW, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 40% has also been fabricated. UV stimulated emission from AlGaN multiple-quantum-wells laser diodes (LDs) using electrical pumping at room temperature has also been achieved at a wavelength of 336 nm. Compared with GaN-based blue and green LEDs and LDs, the efficiency of AlGaN-based UV LEDs and LDs is lower. Further optimization and improvements in both structure and fabrication are required to realize high-performance devices. In AlGaN-based UV photodetectors (PDs), gain as high as 104 orders of magnitude has been reported using the separated absorption and multiplication region avalanche photodiode structure but is still far from detecting the weak signal, and thus UV single-photon detectors with high detectivity is challenging. Recently, there has been extensive work in the nonlinear optical properties of AlGaN and AlGaN-based passive devices, such as waveguides and resonators. However, how to minimize the scattering and defect-related absorption needs to be further studied. In this review, first, approaches used to grow an AlGaN epilayer and p-type doping are introduced. Second, progress in AlGaN-based UV LEDs, EB-pumped light sources, LDs, PDs, passive devices, and the nonlinear optical properties are presented. Finally, an overview of potential future trends in AlGaN-based materials and UV devices is given.

AlGaN photonics: recent advances in materials and ultraviolet devices

New developments in theoretical studies of defects and impurities in III-Nitrides as pertinent to compensation and recombination in these materials are discussed. New results on experimental studies on defect states of Si, O, Mg, C, Fe in GaN, InGaN, and AlGaN are surveyed. Deep electron and hole traps data reported for GaN and AlGaN are critically assessed. The role of deep defects in trapping in AlGaN/GaN, InAlN/GaN structures and transistors and in degradation of transistor parameters during electrical stress tests and after irradiation is discussed. The recent data on deep traps influence on luminescent efficiency and degradation of characteristics of III-Nitride light emitting devices and laser diodes are reviewed.

Deep traps in GaN-based structures as affecting the performance of GaN devices

GaN and AlGaN have shown great potential in next-generation high-power electronic devices; however, they are plagued by a high density of interface states that affect device reliability and performance, resulting in large leakage current and current collapse. In this review, the authors summarize the current understanding of the gate leakage current and current collapse mechanisms, where awareness of the surface defects is the key to controlling and improving device performance. With this in mind, they present the current research on surface states on GaN and AlGaN and interface states on GaN and AlGaN-based heterostructures. Since GaN and AlGaN are polar materials, both are characterized by a large bound polarization charge on the order of 1013 charges/cm2 that requires compensation. The key is therefore to control the compensation charge such that the electronic states do not serve as electron traps or affect device performance and reliability. Band alignment modeling and measurement can help to determi...

Electronic surface and dielectric interface states on GaN and AlGaN

We report a GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistor (MOS-HEMT) with atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3 gate dielectric. Based on the previous work [Appl. Phys. Lett. 86 (2005) 063501] of Ye et al. by decreasing the thickness of the gate oxide to 3.5 nm and optimizing the device fabrication process, the device with maximum transconductance of 150 mS/mm is produced and discussed in comparison with the result of 100 mS/mm of Ye et al. The corresponding drain current density in the 0.8-μm-gate-length MOS-HEMT is 800 mA/mm at the gate bias of 3.0 V. The gate leakage is two orders of magnitude lower than that of the conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMT. The excellent characteristics of this novel MOS-HEMT device structure with ALD Al2O3 gate dielectric are presented.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0256-307X/24/8/072/pdf

GaN MOS-HEMT Using Ultra-Thin Al 2 O 3 Dielectric Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition

We studied the performance of AlGaN/GaN double heterojunction high electron mobility transistors (DH-HEMTs) with an AlGaN buffer layer, which leads to a higher potential barrier at the backside of the two-dimensional electron gas channel and better carrier confinement. This, remarkably, reduces the drain leakage current and improves the device breakdown voltage. The breakdown voltage of AlGaN/GaN double heterojunction HEMTs (~100 V) was significantly improved compared to that of conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMTs (~50 V) for the device with gate dimensions of 0.5 × 100 μm and a gate—drain distance of 1 μm. The DH-HEMTs also demonstrated a maximum output power of 7.78 W/mm, a maximum power-added efficiency of 62.3% and a linear gain of 23 dB at the drain supply voltage of 35 V at 4 GHz.

/pdf/characteristics-of-algan-gan-algan-double-heterojunction-12prxhdf4f.pdf

Characteristics of AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN double heterojunction HEMTs with an improved breakdown voltage

This paper studies systematically the drain current collapse in AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor high electron mobility transistors (MOS-HEMTs) by applying pulsed stress to the device. Low-temperature layer of Al2O3 ultrathin film used as both gate dielectric and surface passivation layer was deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). For HEMT, gate turn-on pulses induced large current collapse. However, for MOS-HEMT, no significant current collapse was found in the gate turn-on pulsing mode with different pulse widths, indicating the good passivation effect of ALD Al2O3. A small increase in Id in the drain pulsing mode is due to the relieving of self-heating effect. The comparison of synchronously dynamic pulsed Id - Vds characteristics of HEMT and MOS-HEMT further demonstrated the good passivation effect of ALD A12O3.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1674-1056/17/4/042/pdf

A study on Al2O3 passivation in GaN MOS-HEMT by pulsed stress

The mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN hetero- structures changes significantly with Al content in the AlGaN barrier layer, while few mechanism analyses focus on it. Theoretical calculation and analysis of the 2DEG mobility in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with varied Al content are carried out based on the recently reported experimental data. The 2DEG mobility is modeled analytically as the total effects of the scattering mechanisms including acoustic deformation-potential, piezoelectric, polar optic phonon, alloy disorder, interface roughness, dislocation and remote modulation doping scattering. We show that the increase of the 2DEG density, caused by the ascension of the Al content in the barrier layer, is a dominant factor that leads to the changes of the individual scat- tering processes. The change of the 2DEG mobility with Al content are mainly de- termined by the interface roughness scattering and the alloy disorder scattering at 77 K, and the polar optic phonon scattering and the interface roughness scattering at the room temperature. The calculated function of the interface roughness pa- rameters on the Al content shows that the stress caused AlGaN/GaN interface degradation at higher Al content is an important factor in the limitation of the in- terface roughness scattering on the 2DEG mobility in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with high Al content.

/pdf/the-mobility-of-two-dimensional-electron-gas-in-algan-gan-4sz9czrr3l.pdf

The mobility of two-dimensional electron gas in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with varied Al content

This paper investigates the impact of electrical degradation and current collapse on different thickness SiNx passivated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors. It finds that higher thickness SiNx passivation can significantly improve the high-electric-field reliability of a device. The degradation mechanism of the SiNx passivation layer under ON-state stress has also been discussed in detail. Under the ON-state stress, the strong electric-field led to degradation of SiNx passivation located in the gate-drain region. As the thickness of SiNx passivation increases, the density of the surface state will be increased to some extent. Meanwhile, it is found that the high NH3 flow in the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition process could reduce the surface state and suppress the current collapse.

/pdf/electric-stress-reliability-and-current-collapse-of-c8d52le00r.pdf

Hao Yue

Papers

GaN MOS-HEMT Using Ultra-Thin Al 2 O 3 Dielectric Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition

Characteristics of AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN double heterojunction HEMTs with an improved breakdown voltage

A study on Al2O3 passivation in GaN MOS-HEMT by pulsed stress

The mobility of two-dimensional electron gas in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures with varied Al content

Electric-stress reliability and current collapse of different thickness SiN x passivated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors