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AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field-Effect Transistors with Back-Doping Design for High-Power Applications: High Current Density with High Transconductance Characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

Narihiko Maeda
Affiliation:
NTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT Corporation 3–1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa, 243–0198, Japan
Kotaro Tsubaki
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe-shi, Saitama, 350–8585, Japan
Tadashi Saitoh
Affiliation:
NTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT Corporation 3–1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa, 243–0198, Japan
Takehiko Tawara
Affiliation:
NTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT Corporation 3–1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa, 243–0198, Japan
Naoki Kobayashi
Affiliation:
NTT Basic Research Laboratories, NTT Corporation 3–1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa, 243–0198, Japan
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Abstract

Electron transport properties and DC device characteristics have been examined in the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) with back-doping design that makes it possible to obtain high two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) densities even for the devices with thin AlGaN barrier layers. In the back-doping design, an asymmetric double-heterostructure is employed, and donor atoms are doped not only in the surface-side AlGaN layer but also in the underlying AlGaN layer. In this structure, electrons are efficiently supplied also from the back-doped AlGaN barrier layer to the GaN channel and merged into a single 2DEG layer, with the help of the negative polarization charges at the heterointerface between the GaN channel and the underlying AlGaN barrier layer. By using back-doping design, very high 2DEG densities around 3×1013 cm−2 has been achieved in the Al0.3Ga0.7N/GaN HFET whose barrier layer (Al0.3Ga0.7N) is designed to be as thin as 120 Å. An HFET with the gate-length of 1.5 μm has exhibited a high current density of 1.2 A/mm and a high transconductance of 200 mS/mm, which is ascribed to high 2DEG densities and thin barrier layers in these devices. HFETs with the back-doping design are thus promising for high-power applications.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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References

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