Search for: All records

An extreme bandgap Al0.64Ga0.36N quantum channel HEMT with Al0.87Ga0.13N top and back barriers, grown by MOCVD on a bulk AlN substrate, demonstrated a critical breakdown field of 11.37 MV/cm—higher than the 9.8 MV/cm expected for the channel’s Al0.64Ga0.36N material. We show that the fraction of this increase is due to the quantization of the 2D electron gas. The polarization field maintains electron quantization in the quantum channel even at low sheet densities, in contrast to conventional HEMT designs. An additional increase in the breakdown field is due to quantum-enabled real space transfer of energetic electrons into high-Al barrier layers in high electric fields. These results show the advantages of the quantum channel design for achieving record-high breakdown voltages and allowing for superior power HEMT devices. 

State-of-the-art semiconducting aluminum nitride (AlN) films were characterized by cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy in the range of 200–500 nm in an attempt to identify the energy levels within the bandgap and their associated defects. Near-band edge emission (around 206 nm) and high-intensity peaks centered in the near UV range (around 325 nm) are observed for both n- and p-type AlN films. The near UV peaks are potentially associated with oxygen contamination in the films. The p-type AlN films contain at least two unidentified peaks above 400 nm. Assuming that the dopant concentration is independent of compensation (i.e., in the perfect doping limit), three effective donor states are found from Fermi–Dirac statistics for Si-doped AlN, at ∼0.035, ∼0.05, and ∼0.11 eV. Similarly, a single effective acceptor energy of ∼0.03–0.05 eV (depending on the degeneracy factory considered) was found for Be doped AlN. CL investigation of doped AlN films supports claims that AlN may be a promising optoelectronic material, but also points to contaminant mitigation and defect theory as major areas for future study. 

Abstract We report threshold voltage (V_TH) control in ultrawide bandgap Al_0.4Ga_0.6N-channel metal oxide semiconductor heterostructure field-effect transistors using a high-temperature (300 °C) anneal of the high-kZrO₂gate-insulator. Annealing switched the polarity of the fixed charges at the ZrO₂/AlGaN interface from +5.5 × 10¹³cm⁻²to −4.2 × 10¹³cm⁻², pinningV_THat ∼ (−12 V), reducing gate leakage by ∼10³, and improving subthreshold swing 2× (116 mV decade⁻¹). It also enabled the gate to repeatedly withstand voltages from −40 to +18 V, allowing the channel to be overdriven doubling the peak currents to ∼0.5 A mm⁻¹. 

Abstract We demonstrate fully fabricated AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) transferred from sapphire to copper tape on flexible polyethylene terephthalate using 193 nm excimer laser liftoff (LLO). The heterojunction is structurally intact after LLO, leading to preserved electron mobility μ n ∼1630 cm 2 V −1 s −1 and carrier concentration n s ∼10 13 cm −2 . The maximum drain saturation current decreased by ∼18% after transfer, which is a lower reduction than other reported transfer methods. The drain current of this flexible HEMT increased monotonically under tensile stress applied using a convex-shaped plate, while the threshold voltage shifted more negative in quantitative agreement with the expected piezoelectric charge for an intact heterojunction.