Benjamin Reuters

Dielectric function and optical properties of quaternary AlInGaN alloys

The optical properties of quaternary Alx Iny Ga1-x-yN alloy films with 0.16< x<0.64 and 0.02< y<0.13 are presented. The (0001)-oriented AlInGaN layers were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy on thick GaN/sapphire templates. High-resolution x-ray diffraction measurements revealed the pseudomorphic growth of the AlInGaN films on the GaN buffer. Rutherford backscattering and wavelength-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis were used in order to determine the composition of the alloys. The ordinary dielectric function (DF) of the AlInGaN samples was determined in the range of 1–10 eV by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) at room temperature (synchrotron radiation: BESSY II). The sharp onset of the imaginary part of the DF defines the direct absorption edge of the alloys. At higher photon energies, pronounced peaks are observed in the DF indicating a promising optical quality of the material. These features are correlated to the critical points of the band structure (van Hove singularities). An analytica...

p-Channel Enhancement and Depletion Mode GaN-Based HFETs With Quaternary Backbarriers

Within the last years, III-nitride-based devices have been demonstrated with exceptional performance. There is, however, a severe lack of knowledge when it comes fabrication of p-channel devices. p-Channel heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) could open the way for nitride-based complementary logic. Here, a comprehensive study of enhancement and depletion mode p-channel GaN/AlInGaN HFETs is performed. The influence of a highly p-doped GaN cap layer on device performance is investigated. Gate recessing and changes in composition of the backbarrier are analyzed. ON/OFF ratios of up to 108 and subthreshold swings of about 75 mV/decade are achieved.

Fabrication of p-channel heterostructure field effect transistors with polarization-induced two-dimensional hole gases at metal-polar GaN/AlInGaN interfaces

Novel nitride-based heterostructures have been fabricated demonstrating two-dimensional hole gases as the basis for p-channel transistors. The carrier density in the 2DHG is adjusted between very high values of 2 × 1013 cm−2 and low values of 6 × 1011 cm−2 by the polarization difference, ΔP, between quaternary AlInGaN backbarriers and a GaN channel on top. Record mobilities for holes in GaN of 43 cm2 V−1 s−1 (median 30 cm2 V−1 s−1) are observed for a moderate 2DHG density of 1.3 × 1012 cm−2 (median 2.2 × 1012 cm−2).Heterostructures with different backbarrier compositions are processed to field effect transistors and show a systematic threshold voltage shift from positive to negative values according to the corresponding 2DHG density. It is shown for the first time that by appropriate polarization-engineering through changing the AlInGaN composition, both depletion and enhancement mode behaviour can be achieved for p-channel devices.Drain current densities |Id| above 40 mA mm−1 at a drain source voltage Vds of −10 V are achieved for heterostructures with high polarization differences, ΔP, between AlInGaN backbarrier and GaN channel. Reducing ΔP leads to decreasing on-state drain currents |Id| with a simultaneous reduction in off-state current. This results in very large on/off ratios of up to 108 for enhancement mode devices, demonstrating record performances and great potential for future applications.

Relaxation and critical strain for maximum In incorporation in AlInGaN on GaN grown by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy

Quaternary AlInGaN layers were grown on conventional GaN buffer layers on sapphire by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy at different surface temperatures and different reactor pressures with constant precursor flow conditions. A wide range in compositions within 30–62% Al, 5–29% In, and 23–53% Ga was covered, which leads to different strain states from high tensile to high compressive. From high-resolution x-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, we determined the compositions, strain states, and crystal quality of the AlInGaN layers. Atomic force microscopy measurements were performed to characterize the surface morphology. A critical strain value for maximum In incorporation near the AlInGaN/GaN interface is presented. For compressively strained layers, In incorporation is limited at the interface as residual strain cannot exceed an empirical critical value of about 1.1%. Relaxation occurs at about 15 nm thickness accompanied by strong In pulling. Tensile strained layers can be gro...

Charge balancing in GaN-based 2-D electron gas devices employing an additional 2-D hole gas and its influence on dynamic behaviour of GaN-based heterostructure field effect transistors

GaN-based heterostructure FETs (HFETs) featuring a 2-D electron gas (2DEG) can offer very attractive device performance for power-switching applications. This performance can be assessed by evaluation of the dynamic on-resistance Ron,dyn vs. the breakdown voltage Vbd. In literature, it has been shown that with a high Vbd, Ron,dyn is deteriorated. The impairment of Ron,dyn is mainly driven by electron injection into surface, barrier, and buffer traps. Electron injection itself depends on the electric field which typically peaks at the gate edge towards the drain. A concept suitable to circumvent this issue is the charge-balancing concept which employs a 2-D hole gas (2DHG) on top of the 2DEG allowing for the electric field peak to be suppressed. Furthermore, the 2DEG concentration in the active channel cannot decrease by a change of the surface potential. Hence, beside an improvement in breakdown voltage, also an improvement in dynamic behaviour can be expected. Whereas the first aspect has already been de...

Polarization-reduced quaternary InAlGaN/GaN HFET and MISHFET devices

The reduction of the polarization charge in a GaN-based single-heterostructure field-effect transistor (HFET) by polarization engineering is proposed as a method for achieving normally off operation. The concept minimizes the dependence of the threshold voltage on the barrier layer thickness. Therefore, thicker gate dielectrics for suppression of gate leakage currents can be applied without a shift in threshold voltage. A polarization-reduced enhancement-mode (E-mode) InAlGaN/GaN HFET is presented and demonstrates the basic working principle. Also an insulated-gate device with only minor shift in threshold voltage compared to the HFET validates the new concept and demonstrates the advantages compared to commonly applied concepts for E-mode operation.

Strong charge carrier localization interacting with extensive nonradiative recombination in heteroepitaxially grown m-plane GaInN quantum wells

The development of GaInN quantum well structures with nonpolar crystal orientation for light-emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers is currently one of the main foci of III-nitride-based optoelectronics research. One of the advantages of nonpolar orientations is the absence of polarization fields perpendicular to the quantum well plane. As a consequence, radiative recombination rates are higher compared to quantum wells on polar surfaces. However, due to high densities of threading dislocations and basal plane stacking faults in the case of heteroepitaxially grown nonpolar layers, and due to band gap inhomogeneities in the GaInN quantum wells, characterization of radiative and nonradiative recombination mechanisms is a complex challenge. So far, most published data about band gap fluctuations, charge carrier localization and internal quantum efficiency in nonpolar quantum wells are ambiguous. Here, we present temperature and excitation power density-dependent photoluminescence data featuring multiple characteristics related to strong charge carrier localization in m-plane (1–100) GaInN quantum wells. Thermally activated redistribution of charge carriers between localization sites in these quantum wells is weaker than in polar c-plane ones. The localization strength increases with higher indium concentration in the quantum wells. In the heteroepitaxially grown quantum well structures, the internal quantum efficiency is reduced even at low temperatures (T = 10 K) and especially for m-plane quantum wells with high indium mole fractions.

First Small-Signal Data of GaN-Based p-Channel Heterostructure Field Effect Transistors

p-Channel heterostructure field effect transistors (HFETs) have recently attracted increasing interest. They open up the possibility of fabricating nitride-based low-power complementary logic for operation in environments not accessible to other semiconductors. To date, several publications have dealt with DC data of p-channel GaN-based HFETs. However, small-signal data, which is important in terms of accessible operation frequencies, is missing. In this brief note, we report for the first time the small-signal characteristics and cut-off frequencies of a p-channel device.

Quaternary nitride enhancement mode HFET with 260 mS/mm and a threshold voltage of +0.5 V

A new approach for the heterostructure design following the idea to reduce the interface charge itself by applying a quaternary barrier layer with rather low polarization is demonstrated. The enhancement mode (e-mode) heterostructure field effect transistors (HFET) is consist of a GaN buffer and a quarternary barrier layers, whose composition and thickness are chosen carefully to result in an e-mode device. The devices is passivated with 120 nm SiN by plasma enhanced CVD. An increase in gate and drain leakage can be observed and finds its origin in surface or interface conductivity of the not fully optimized SiN. Nevertheless, for all devices the extrinsic transconductance has increased due to further carrier concentration enhancement in the access region by the passivation, and the best performance is achieved with maximum extrinsic transconductance of 260 mS/mm, which is among the highest reported for a 1 11m gate length e-mode HFET.

First monolithic integration of GaN-based enhancement mode n-channel and p-channel heterostructure field effect transistors

GaN-based devices have shown to be promising alternatives to Si-based devices in a wide range of applications. After covering several frequency bands in RF power amplification, GaN-based devices also penetrate into the power-switching market. Owing to the high carrier density and the high mobility in a 2-D electron gas (2DEG) and a large bandgap, GaN-based devices have shown great performance. These properties may also be exploited in digital logic applications, for which complementary logic offers the lowest power consumption. Hence, p-channel devices which employ a 2-D hole gas (2DHG) have attracted increasing research interest lately [1,2]. The recent progress of p-channel device characteristics [1] finally enables the monolithic integration of p- and n-channel transistors. Hence, complementary logic on basis of GaN (C-GaN) is within reach. As a first step towards C-GaN, the first report on the integration of enhancement mode (e-mode) n- and p-channel devices on a single wafer is presented. Challenges encountered are discussed and a first voltage transfer characteristic of an inverter structure is shown.