354
5, MAY 2007
RF Power Measurements of InAlN/GaN Unstrained
HEMTs on SiC Substrates at 10 GHz
G. H. Jessen, J. K. Gillespie, G. D. Via, A. Crespo, D. Langley, M. E. Aumer, C. S. Ward,
H. G. Henry, Member, IEEE, D. B. Thomson, and D. P. Partlow
Abstract—Unstrained high-electron mobility transistors
(HEMTs) were fabricated from InAlN/GaN on semi-insulating
SiC substrates. The devices had 0.24-µm T-gates with a total
width of 2 × 150 µm. Final passivated performance values for
these devices are Imax = 1279 mA/mm, IDSS = 1182 mA/mm,
Rc = 0.43 Ω · mm, ρs = 315 Ω/sq, fT = 45 GHz,
fmax(MAG) = 64 GHz, and gm = 268 mS/mm. Continuous-
wave power measurements at 10 GHz produced Psat =
3.8 W/mm, Gt = 8.6 dB, and PAE = 30% at VDS = 20 V
at 25% IDSS . To our knowledge, these are the first power
measurements reported at 10 GHz for this material.
Index Terms—AlInN, GaN, high-electron mobility transistor
(HEMT), InAlN, power.
I. I NTRODUCTION
A lGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs)
have been pursued as a solution for high-power elec-
tronics for wide-band, X-band, and Ka-band electronics. To
date, these III-Nitride systems have achieved impressive per-
formance metrics such as very high current densities and high
breakdown voltages [1]–[4]. However, AlGaN/GaN HEMTs
currently use a strained layer to improve sheet charge densities
to ∼ 2E13 cm−2 by taking advantage of both the piezoelectric
and spontaneous polarization. Additional structural improve-
ments such as AlN interlayers and InGaN back barriers add
complexity to the growth structures. Relying on the inherent
strain in these devices impacts the ability to reproduce struc-
tures, as well as long term reliability.
It is has been predicted from theory that other III-Nitride
materials such as InAlN/GaN can achieve much higher current
densities than existing AlGaN/GaN technologies [5]. However,
one of the primary advantages of this system is the ability to
grow InAlN compounds that are lattice matched to GaN without
strain and maintain current densities on par with or exceeding
the highest achievable current densities from AlGaN to date
[6]–[12]. Very recent results by Higashiwaki on short-gate
InAlN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor HEMTs show
record small-signal performance and demonstrate the availabil-
ity of high-quality materials [13]. However, there have been
no reports of RF power measurements at X-band frequencies
or higher from any group. With no structural optimization
Manuscript received January 3, 2007; revised February 26, 2007. The review
of this letter was arranged by Editor G. Meneghess.
G. H. Jessen, J. K. Gillespie, G. D. Via, A. Crespo, and D. Langley are with
the Sensors Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air
Force Base, OH 45433 USA.
M. E. Aumer, C. S. Ward, H. G. Henry, D. B. Thomson, and D. P. Partlow are
with the Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, Baltimore, MD 21030 USA.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/LED.2007.895417
0741-3106/$25.00 © 2007 IEEE
IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS, VOL. 28, NO.
and using a simple In0.15 Al0.85 N 22.7 nm/AlN 0.5 nm/GaN
2.0 µm structure on a silicon carbide substrate, we demonstrate
materials with very low sheet resistance. In this letter, we
report on the first X-band RF power measurements for these
unstrained InAlN/GaN HEMTs showing the vast potential of
these materials.
II. F ABRICATION AND M EASUREMENTS
The devices used in this experiment were InAlN/GaN grown
on 6H-SiC by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition in a
close-coupled showerhead reactor by Aixtron/Thomas Swan.
The epilayers consist of 22.7-nm In0.15 Al0.85 N on 2.0-µm
GaN all unintentionally doped. Room temperature mobility
and sheet charge density were measured from on-wafer Van
der Pauw structures. The room temperature mobility of this
wafer ranges from 996–1330 cm2 /V · s, and the sheet charge
density ranges from 2.03–1.52 × 1013 cm−2 from the center
of the wafer to the edge. Mesa isolation was performed with a
two-step Cl2 /BCl3 /Ar inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etch
followed by Cl2 /Ar reactive ion etch to 870 Å. Ohmic contacts
were formed with Ti/Al/Ti/Au (200/1000/450/550 Å) annealed
at 850 ◦ C for 30 s in a nitrogen ambient. The source–drain
spacing of these devices was 4.0 µm. T-gates with 0.24-µm gate
lengths were formed by using a bilayer PMMA/MMA-MAA
resist scheme. The gates were formed with Ni/Au (200/3800 Å)
and centered between source and drain. The devices were
passivated with a target thickness of 1000-Å plasma-enhanced
chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) SiNx deposited at 300 ◦ C.
Full wafer dc and RF characterization was performed on
process control monitor (PCM) structures and the e-beam
devices. PCM structures were measured on a Keithley 450
with a standard 24 pin probe card. dc/RF data were taken with
an HP4142 using bias tees and Cascade probes. Small signal
S-parameters were measured with an HP8510 from 1–26 GHz.
Frequency response was determined by extrapolating the h21
and frequency product for each frequency to the single pole
unity current gain and taking the average. The same values
for fT are obtained by fitting a straight line through the h21
versus log10 (frequency) data. Load pull measurements were
performed on selected sites using a Maury Automated Tuner,
Agilent E4413A power sensors, and an HP8564E spectrum
analyzer.
III. R ESULTS AND D ISCUSSION
Transfer length method (TLM) measurements of the wafer
showed low contact resistance values of 0.43 ± 0.03 Ω · mm
JESSEN et al.: RF POWER MEASUREMENTS OF InAlN/GaN UNSTRAINED HEMTs ON SiC SUBSTRATES
Fig. 1. Typical drain I–V characteristics of a 0.24 × 2 × 150-µm
InAlN/GaN HEMT on SiC. The gate voltage was swept from +1 to −8 V
in 1-V steps.
Fig. 2. Transfer characteristics of the same 0.24 × 2 × 150-µm InAlN/GaN
HEMT. The drain was biased at 10 V. Transfer characteristics are shown pre-
and postpassivation.
after passivation and pad metallization. The sheet resistance
of this sample was measured at 315 ± 10 Ω/sq during the
same TLM measurements. This value compares well with
309 Ω/sq measured with the Van der Pauw structures. The
contact uniformity is very good.
Fig. 1 shows representative dc current–voltage (I–V ) curves
for one device with VGS stepping from +1.0 to −8.0 V in 1.0 V
increments. The drain voltage was swept out to 20.0 V. Heating
effects were evident at higher voltages. The devices pinched off
at VDS > 20.0 V (IDS < 1% IDSS for VGS = −7.0 V) and had
high drain–current densities.
Fig. 2 shows the transfer characteristics of the same device
with VDS = 10.0 V. The gate voltage was swept from −10.0
to +1.0 V for the forward sweep and from +1.0 to −10.0 V
for the reverse sweep. The hysteresis in the forward and reverse
curves indicates dispersion effects. These effects are not well
understood for this material system, but our standard PECVD
SiNx deposition significantly improved the device character-
istics causing the forward and reverse sweeps of the transfer
characteristics to converge and drain–current to increase.
355
Fig. 3. HEMT power characteristics with 3.8 W/mm at VDS = 25 V at 25%
IDSS . Pout , PAE, and Gt are shown.
Statistical measurements of dc and small signal de-
vice parameters for 25 devices include: gm-peak = 272 ±
9 mS/mm, fT at gm-peak = 45.0 ± 1.5 GHz, fmax (MAG)
at gm-peak = 66.6 ± 2.8 GHz, VTH = −5.9 ± 0.3 V, IDSS =
1182 ± 29 mA/mm, and Imax = 1280 ± 28 mA/mm. These
measurements were taken at VDS = 10.0 V with Imax and IDSS
at VGS = +1.0 and 0.0 V, respectively. The fT∗ LG product of
10.8 GHz · µm is lower compared with other device quality
AlGaN/GaN materials that we have processed. This indicates
that some short channel effects are present in the devices, as
shown in the dc I–V curves. Additional material improvements
may also increase this product. Three terminal breakdown
voltage measurements were performed by biasing the gate at
VGS = VT − 2 V and sweeping VDS until IG = 1 mA/mm.
This resulted in VBK values of 17 ± 2 V. The breakdown test
revealed a slow leakage turn-on that did not result in avalanche
breakdown. Therefore, these values are not indicative of the
maximum operation voltage.
Large-signal power measurements at 10-GHz continuous
wave on selected devices showed reasonable performance. To
our knowledge, these are the first publicly reported power
measurements on unstrained InAlN/GaN devices at 10 GHz.
The best Pout obtained was 30.6 dBm (3.8 W/mm) with PAE =
30.0% and Gt = 8.6 dB. Fig. 3 shows a typical large-signal
measurement of the HEMT with the highest power density
measured. The drain was biased at 25 V at 25% IDSS and
matched for power. The devices failed at the drain when driven
beyond Pin > 23 dBm, because the quick-turn mask set used
for rapid materials evaluation only allowed for thin drain metal
deposition, which was unsuitable for higher power densities.
No data are available for greater input power on these particular
devices.
IV. C ONCLUSION
We have demonstrated the first X-band power measure-
ments on InAlN/GaN unstrained HEMTs on silicon carbide
substrates. The performance of these devices at this early stage
in material development shows that material quality is sufficient
to begin making high-performance HEMTs. These materials
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can take advantage of strained layers for maximum power and
current densities, as well as novel unstrained device structures
with very thin layers, while retaining power densities equivalent
to AlGaN/GaN HEMTs.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank P. Cassity and J. Breedlove
for ICP etching and metal depositions.
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