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GaN-on-Diamond HEMTs with 11W/mm Output Power at10GHz

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2016

P.C. Chao*
Affiliation:
BAE Systems, Nashua, NH 03061, U.S.A.
Kanin Chu
Affiliation:
BAE Systems, Nashua, NH 03061, U.S.A.
Jose Diaz
Affiliation:
BAE Systems, Nashua, NH 03061, U.S.A.
Carlton Creamer
Affiliation:
BAE Systems, Nashua, NH 03061, U.S.A.
Scott Sweetland
Affiliation:
BAE Systems, Nashua, NH 03061, U.S.A.
Ray Kallaher
Affiliation:
Modern Microsystems, Inc., Silver Spring, MD 20904, U.S.A.
Craig McGray
Affiliation:
Modern Microsystems, Inc., Silver Spring, MD 20904, U.S.A.
Glen D. Via
Affiliation:
AFRL/RYDD, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433, U.S.A.
John Blevins
Affiliation:
AFRL/RYDD, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433, U.S.A.
*
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Abstract

A new device-first low-temperature bonded gallium nitride (GaN)-on-diamondhigh-electronic mobility transistor (HEMT) technology with state-of-the-art,radio frequency (RF) power performance is described. In this process, thedevices were first fabricated on a GaN-on-silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxial waferand were subsequently separated from the SiC and bonded onto ahigh-thermal-conductivity diamond substrate. Thermal measurements showed thatthe GaN-on-diamond devices maintained equivalent or lower junction temperaturesthan their GaN-on-SiC counterparts while delivering more than three-times higherRF power within the same active area. Such results demonstrate that the GaNdevice transfer process is capable of preserving intrinsic transistor electricalperformance while taking advantage of the excellent thermal properties ofdiamond substrates. Preliminary step-stress and room-temperature, steady-statelife testing shows that the low-temperature bonded GaN-on-diamond device has noinherently reliability limiting factor. GaN-on-diamond is ideally suited towideband electronic warfare (EW) power amplifiers as they are the most thermallychallenging due to continuous wave (CW) operation and the reduced power-addedefficiency obtained with ultra-wide bandwidth circuit implementations.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016 

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References

REFERENCES

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