III-nitride HEMT Heterostructures with an Ultrathin AlN Barrier: Fabrication and Experimental Application

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Abstract

Using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) with plasma-activated nitrogen, III-nitride HEMT heterostructures with an ultrathin AlN barrier were obtained. The effects of nucleation and buffer layer growth conditions on the crystalline quality, surface morphology, and electrophysical properties of the experimental heterostructures were studied. The sheet resistance of the optimized heterostructure was less than 230 Ω/□. Test microwave transistor samples with Schottky gates were fabricated. A parametric model of the HEMT based on the AlN/GaN heterostructure was proposed.

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About the authors

A. S. Gusev

National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

Author for correspondence.
Email: ASGusev@mephi.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

A. O. Sultanov

National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

Email: ASGusev@mephi.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

R. V. Ryzhuk

National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

Email: ASGusev@mephi.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

T. N. Nevolina

National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

Email: ASGusev@mephi.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

D. Tsunvaza

National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

Email: ASGusev@mephi.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

G. K. Safaraliev

National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

Email: ASGusev@mephi.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

N. I. Kargin

National Research Nuclear University MEPhI

Email: ASGusev@mephi.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Dependence of ρs on ns for HS with barrier layers of different compositions: AlxGa1-xN (0.18 ≤ x ≤ 0.36) - brown markers; InxAl1-xN (x = 0.17-0.18) - red markers; InAlGaN with different mole fraction of In - gray markers; AlN - blue markers [2, 3, 6, 9-11, 13-39].

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3. Fig. 2. Typical DOBE patterns from the initial substrate (a) and experimental GS in the direction at the nucleation stage (b); during GaN buffer formation (c); in the case of stopping the GaN growth process and reducing the Ts parameter to 600°C (d).

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4. Fig. 3. (a) dependence of 2DEG mobility on parameter ; (b) dependence of layer resistance of full GS on parameter .

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5. Fig. 4. (a) topology of the test structure, (b) experimental dependence of the average (per sample) leakage current through the mesa-isolation test on the parameter .

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6. Fig. 5. (a) SEM image of the topology of the test transistor; (b) SEM image of the cross-section (FIP) of its gate part (T-shaped gate)

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7. Fig. 6. Family of output (DC) characteristics of one of the test transistors (when the UGS gate voltage is varied from - 7.0 to + 2.5 V) (a); typical frequency dependences of the modulus of current gain (|h21|) and maximum achievable/stable power gain (MAG/MSG) of the test transistor (b).

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8. Fig. 7. Topology of 4-section (a) and 6-section (b) transistors with air-bridge interconnects (images obtained by optical microscopy).

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9. Fig. 8. S-parameters of AlN/GaN HEMT in the frequency range of 0.5-25.5 GHz at UGS = -2.75 V and UDS = 5 V (solid lines depict measured characteristics, dashed lines depict simulation results).

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