access icon free High-frequency InAlN/GaN HFET with f max over 400 GHz

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 23/01/2018, Published 08/05/2018

Ultra-thin InAlN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) having high maximum oscillation frequency (f max) are fabricated by scaling lateral dimensions. A 3 nm GaN cap layer is adopted to reduce the electron density and suppress the short-channel effects. Non-alloyed regrown n+-GaN ohmic contacts with total ohmic resistance (R tot) of 0.13 Ω.mm is also introduced into the device, in which the virtual source-to-drain distance is 600 nm. T-shaped gate with 40 nm length is formed in the centre of the source-to-drain region by self-aligned e-beam lithography. The peak extrinsic transconductance (g m) reaches 956 mS/mm. Most of all, a high f max of 405 GHz is obtained, which is the highest value among the reported InAlN/GaN HFETs. These obtained results mean that the InAlN/GaN HFETs having reliability should be still suitable for G-band (140–220 GHz) power-amplifier application with further optimisation.

Inspec keywords: semiconductor heterojunctions; electron density; electron beam lithography; UHF power amplifiers; indium compounds; aluminium compounds; submillimetre wave transistors; high electron mobility transistors; wide band gap semiconductors; gallium compounds; III-V semiconductors; ohmic contacts; millimetre wave field effect transistors

Other keywords: ultra-thin InAlN-GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors; frequency 140.0 GHz to 220.0 GHz; resistivity 0.13 ohmm; self-aligned e-beam lithography; T-shaped gate; virtual source-to-drain distance; size 40.0 nm; total ohmic resistance; short-channel effects; GaN cap layer; high-frequency InAlN-GaN HFET; size 3.0 nm; InAlN-GaN; size 600.0 nm; G-band power-amplifier application; peak extrinsic transconductance; high maximum oscillation frequency; lateral dimension scaling; nonalloyed regrown ohmic contacts; electron density

Subjects: Lithography (semiconductor technology); Solid-state microwave circuits and devices; Other field effect devices

References

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      • 6. Yue, Y.Z., H., Z.Y., Guo, J., et al: ‘Ultra scaled InAlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors with cutoff frequency of 400 GHz’, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 2010, 31, (3), pp. 08JN14-1–08JN14-2, doi: 10.7567/JJAP.52.08JN14.
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