Surface-Charge Controlled AIGaNlGaN-Power HFET

without Current Collapse and Gm Dispersion

T.Kikkawa', M.Nagaharaz, N.Okamoto', Y.Tateno2,Y.Yamaguchi2,N.Hara', KJoshin', and P.M.Asbe&
'Fujitsu LaboratonesLtd.,10-1 Morinosaro-Wakamiya, AtsUgi Kanagawa, 243-01!X', Japan
TEL:+8146-250-8243, FAX:+8146-250-4337, E-mail:Md<awatoshi@p.fUjitsLLcom
%ujitsuQuantum Devicg Nakakoma-Gun,Yamamshi,Japan
3UniversityofCalifornia, San Diego, La Job, CA, U.S.A

Abstract
We demonsirate the high voltage HFJX operationwith suppression
of gm m i o n and current collapse using n-type thin GaN cap
layer combined with SINpassivation and recessed ohmic structure.
Polarization-induced surhce charge was controlled. Oft-state and
on-state breakdown voltages were 140V and 7OV. We obtained
power HFET with high CW operation voltage of 35V without any
heatsmkingmethod.
Introduction
AlGNGaN-based HFETs are pmmising for microwave power
applications, including Lband wh.eless base stations. There are
manyreportstelatedtofi'ecIuencydepe€ldentccharacteristi cs, such as
large transconductance (gm) -=ion and current collapse [l-31.
These phenomena must be suppressed to obtain high power
-C ' *cs.In this paper, we demonshatethe high voltage HFET
operation with suppression of gm dispersion and cwent collapse
using a novel structure with n-type thin GaN cap layer combined
with SiN passivation and recessed ohmic structure. We controlled
the polariTaton-indu& surlice charge by n-type dopii m a thin
GaN cap on AlGaN and stabilized n-GaN-swhce between
electmdes using strongty stressed S N . This structure exhiiits high
off-state and on-state breakdown voltages of 14OV and 70V. 70V-
on-state breakdown voltage is one of the highest values. We
obtained power HFET with high CW qmation voltage of 35V and
~onpowerof2.1Whnmwithout~yheatsinkingattheinitial
stage, ahbough the heat sinking is generally required over 20V CW
operation. We also measlrredon-wafii distomon characteristics. At
Vds of 2OV, We Obtain& IM3 Of -30 to 4 0 dEk without perfect
impedancematch.
were Ti/M and NYAu Strongly stressed SiN was deposited on the
nGaN cap layer using plasma CVD after forminga gate electrode.
Results and Discussions
A. S d a e Charge ControlledStnrcture on Sapphire
The n-typed GaN cap layer on Ab,@,N/GaN HFET layer screens
the polarirationcharge at GaN/AIGaN inkdice by 25% as shown in
Fig2 The conduction band in the near surhce tegion is almost flat
compami with the mdoped GaN cap case. Several researchers
investigated undoped thin GaN cap layers to decrease gate leakage
by the eff'ect of piezoelectric and spontaneous polarization at
GaN/AIGaN interhe [4]. Maximum drain current density was,
however, low co@ with the conventional structures due to
reducedchannel charge. In addition, it is relatively difficult to obtain
good ohmic contact for un-doped thin GaN cap layer, Here we
suppress the s& charge effect on AlGaN and can obtain good
ohmic contactwith the n-type doped thin GaN cap layer. In addition,
we also mvestigakd recessed ohmic shuctures as shown in Fig.3.
BC13 is used for this contmUed etching. Only 5nm etching is
suflicient for good ohmic contact We obtained off-state gakdmin
breakdown voltage (BVgd-off) of 140V, defined as a gate-dmin
i-AIGaN t o m
i-GaN

Sapphire
Experimental procedure

Figure 1 shows the devke structures mv&gated (using MOCVD

Ga-fBce material ~n e substrates). M e ~ aetching
using BC&is used for isolation. S o d - and gate electrodes

0-7803-7050-3/01/$10.00 02001 IEEE 25.4.1 IEDM 01-585

voltage (Vds) at a gate current of SOOuA/mm. &-state breakdown
voltage (BVgd-on), deked at a gate voltage (Vgs) of OV, was 50V.
Using recessed ohmic structures, BVgd-on was increased to 70V.
This is because recessed etching blocks leakage currents through
surfice @on. When we tried to use low stress SiON passivation on
GaN cap layer, BVgd-on became less than 20V.
B. Dc Churacteristics
Figure 4 shows I-V characteristics measured by a 100% curve-
tracer for thin nGaN cap layer structures with and without SiN
passivation. Without SiN passivation, knee voltage becomes larger
with increasing sweeping voltage of Vds, c o q n d i n g to large
c m t collapse.'These phenomena became larger with increasing
gateQain length (Lgd) and were affected by light illumination. With
SiN passivation on the n-GaN thin cap layer, we obtained large
current density without current collapse for the maximum current of
7 5 W m on a reproducible basis. piezoelectric polariration due
to the strain of the SiN may play a role in this effect.
C. Frequency Dep&e of Tramconductance
We investigated the fkpency dependence of gm at dnain-source
voltages of 5-1OV to clariQ the mechanism of n-GaN cap e f f i
With S N passivation on conventional NGaN cap simctum, we
observed large negative gm m i o n &n(RF&p(DC)) in the
fkquency mnge of 100-10kHz (Fig.S(a)). Positive gm dispersion
(gmmgm(DC))was also observed in the fkquency range of
IOkI-Iz-IMHz Using thin mdopedGaN cap layer, large positive
gm dispersion (gm(RFpgm(DC))was observed (FigJ(b)). Using
thin n-type doped GaN cap layer, we obtained no gm dispersion
(Fig.S(c)). Thus, we concluded that iiquency independent
-C ' 'cs could be obtained easily using n-typedoped thin GaN
cap layer with SiN. We also studied Lgd dependence on gm
dispersion as shown in Fig.6. When increasing Lg4 negative gm
dtspersion increases in AlGaN cap stmctue. This is similar to the

0 10 20 30 40
Depth from surface (nm)

Fig2 Simulatedbind sbudw of (a) medonal AlGaN cap shuchne, @) un-

doped GaN cap sbudm and (c) newslmdm with thin nGaNcap layer. NGaN
layais5nmthidc

Source Gate
n n

n-AIGaN 25nm Nd=2x1O1*emJ

.......................................
i-AIGaN 2om

i-GaN

Sapphire

Fig4. Ids-Vds cham&&ics of thin nGaN cap shudura (a) wilhout SiN
p i v a t i n and @)withSiNpasivation Vertical and- division is
5mAand2V.Gatestep is 1 V . Wlength is 1.5m Gate width is4Oum

586-IEDM 01 25.4.2
 1.2 c Vds=loV
(b) Uo-doped GaN cap".,.-'*.''.
....
......
.....I source s~ Gate
high electronic field intensity

!
h

with SiN ......

2
E 1.1 - \ .....
I n-AIGaN I

.............................. dispersion
i-GaN

U_
I Sapphire I
102 103 104 105 io6

Fig7. M d a n k m of gm dispersion in this study.

Fig S. Fresuency dependenceof Gm m respectivesQwhnt%.[(a) converdional
AlGaN cap smdure, (b)thin undo@GaN cap-, and@) thin nGaN cap
SlNdUE]. VdS=lOV.V@V.

(b) AIGaN-cap
e with SIN
..

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Duration time (ms)

FigS. Drain a m n t bmsient by gate pulse I-V m e a s m t m respechve stmdum. [(a)

102 103 104 105 106
Frequency(&) ConventionalA I G a " StNCture and @) thm nGaN cap layer s t ~ u a ]Vds
. is IOV.
Vg is MI@ between [threshold ~ 0 m -SJV
l and OV.
Fig6. Fresuency dependaKzof Gm at d&mt Lgd m respective sbucium.
[(a) ccnventionalAlGaN cap shuchoe and(b)thin UkQPedGaNcap layer
eliminates gm dispaion.
1-.

dependence of current collapse. On the contrary, positive gm D.Pukred I- V Meanrrements

dispersion decreases in undoped GaN cap struchm with increasing
Lgd. These results suggest that there are mainly two di&mt traps
(Fig.7). Negative gm m i o n could originale from traps which
exists above the fermi level at V@ in the region between gate and
drain electrodes (Fig.7). Positive gn m i o n in un-doped GaN
cap layer structure may be aHriiuted to electron traps which exist
below fermi level at V@ in the region from drain side end of gate
electrode (Fig7).Using n-type doping for GaN cap with SiN, we
We also investigated pulsed I-V measmments, cOrreSpOnding to
large signal performance by varying Vgs h m pinched off state to
OV. In the conventional AlGaN cap structure,large gate lag occurred
as shown in Fig.8(a). This result indicates that drain current
decl-eased during power measurement. This is the reason why
conventional AlGaNcap structures without passivation showed
poorpowercharactensh ' 'cs.SiN passivation on AlGaN cap improved

can derrease the electric field intensity near gate electrode, because the gate lag (Fig.8P)). However, drain current decreased when
band structm of nGaN is almost flat perpendicular to the s& as duration time became longer than 2OOms. Using nGaN thin cap and
shown in Fig.2, which suppresses the increase in electronicfield and S N passivation, we observedno gate lag between microsecond and

25.4.3 IEDM 01-587

 second order (Fiil(c)). Using und+ GaN cap, current ovepshoot most p m i s i i for power applications.
protile was observed in the range of microsecond order, which
mmzsponds to positive gm dspersion. Using n-GaN and SiN, we
can suppress the surfkm trap effects for a wide range of kquencies
under small signal (gm dispersion) and large slgnal (pulse I-V). This [I] l.Daumdkr,D.lbtm, C.Cagmae,AVacm,R M & AW- H.Leier,IEEE
is most hqmbnt for base stationapplications. E l m .DRrices22 (2001) 62.
[2] S . C S i KIkossi, JARcusm,W.Kruppa,D.Pa& HB.Di&& D.D.Koleske,
E. Power Characteristia Devices.48(2001)465.
AE.Wickeaden,andRLHenry,IEEETmElcxbm
[3] RVetury, N.Q2hang, S.Kek,andU.KMishm, IEEETmnsEleC(r0n Devices. 48
We hbriicatedpower HFETs on sapphire using air-bridges. Figure 9 (2001) 560.
shows on-wafer power -c * 'csat 22GHz as a fimction of [4]XZ.Dang,RJ.Welty, D.Qla0, PMAbeck, S . S . mE . T . Y u , K S . m a n d
Vds. We could operate " E T with 35V (Fig 10). CW power J . M M IEEE Electron Lea 35 (1999) 7.
density harases till 35V without any heat sinking m e t h d We
obtained W o n power (Psat) of 2.1W/mm at 35V.'Ibis high
voltage operation was obtained only for nGaN thin cap stmctu~.
We also investigated on-wafm distortion clxmck&ics such as
IM3asshowninFi~ll.Inthiscase,lmpedancematchattheon-
. Mathigher
wafer measurements was insufficientto characterize
drain voltage. Thus, we examined 20V opemiion case.IM3 aat 20V
is between -3OdEk and -4OdE3c for lodB back off h m Psat at
20v operation

Summary
0' '0
In summary, we investigated nGaN thin cap effect with SIN on -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Pin(dBm/mm)
AlGaN/GaN HFET. We demonstrate high voltage CW operation
without current collapse and gm dispersion. These results ver@
that c o m b d o n of n-GaN thin cap layer and S N passivation is Fig 10.(3rrwatkCWpowa1mxummtat35Va
alimctim ofpin Meaawd
fkauencv is22GHz Gate len& is 1 . 5 Gate
~ width is 5ooUm

34 -22
Vds=2OV

L
-50
27'
5
"

10
"

15 20 25
"

30 35
'
40
15

Vds (V) 0 5 10 15 20 25
Pout@two tone measurement [dBm]

me;surementinthisfigure.Gatelengthis l.5m.Gate width is (a) 1.0mmand@) 1 . M

588-IEDM 01 25.4.4