0.23 mu m gate length MODFETs on InAlAs/InGaAs/InP heterostructure grown by MOVPE

Modulation-doped field effect transistors (MODFETs) with 0.23 mu m gate lengths have been fabricated on an InAlAs/InGaAs/InP heterostructure grown by metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE/MOCVD). Extrinsic DC transconductance as high as 800 mS/mm, and unity current gain cutoff frequency f/sub t/ of over 120 GHz at room temperature have been achieved. These g/sub m/ and f/sub t/ values compare favourably with the best devices of similar gate length grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) and are the highest values reported for any device grown by MOVPE.<>     

InAlAs/InGaAs/InP MODFET's with uniform threshold voltage obtainedby selective wet gate recess

Excellent uniformity in the threshold voltage, transconductance, and current-gain cutoff frequency of InAlAs/InGaAs/InP MODFETs has been achieved using a selective wet gate recess process. An etch rate ratio of 25 was achieved for InGaAs over InAlAs using a 1:1 citric acid:H₂O₂ solution. By using this solution for gate recessing, the authors have achieved a threshold voltage standard deviation of 15 mV and a transconductance standard deviation of 15 mS/mm for devices across a quarter of a 2-in-diameter wafer. The average threshold voltage, transconductance, and current-gain cutoff frequency of 1.0-μm gate-length devices were -234 mV, 355 mS/mm, and 32 GHz, respectively     

Al/sub 0.25/Ga/sub 0.75/As/In/sub 0.25/Ga/sub 0.75/As pseudomorphic MODFET with high DC and RF performance

AlGaAs/InGaAs MODFETs having 25% indium in the channel and L/sub G/=0.35 mu m have been fabricated. From DC device characterisation, a maximum saturation current of 670 mA/mm and an extrinsic transconductance of 500 mS/mm have been measured. A maximum unilateral gain cutoff frequency of f/sub c/=205 GHz and a maximum current gain cutoff frequency of f/sub T/=86 GHz have been achieved. Bias dependence of f/sub c/ and f/sub T/ has been measured. At 12 GHz a minimum noise figure of NF=0.8 dB and an associated gain of 11 dB have been measured.<>     

Microwave performance of 0.4 mu m gate metamorphic In/sub 0.29/Al/sub 0.71/As/In/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/As HEMT on GaAs substrate

MBE grown metamorphic In/sub 0.29/Al/sub 0.71/As/In/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/As/GaAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been successfully fabricated. A 0.4 mu m triangular gate device showed transconductance as high as 700 mS/mm at a current density of 230 mA/mm. The measured f/sub T/ was 45 GHz and f/sub max/ was 115 GHz. These high values are, to the authors knowledge, the first reported for submicrometre metamorphic InAlAs/InGaAs/GaAs HEMTs with an indium content of 30%.<>     

Planar-doped n-type InAlAs/InGaAs MODFETs on InP(311)A substratesby molecular beam epitaxy

N-type doping of silicon in InAlAs/InGaAs/InP modulation-doped field effect transistor (MODFET) structures grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) for the (311)A orientation has been achieved by using the planar-doping technique. An electron mobility as high as 50000 cm² V-s with a sheet carrier concentration of 1.9×10¹²/cm² at 77 K is reported. MODFETs with 1.2-μm gate length exhibit an extrinsic transconductance of 400 mS/mm and a maximum drain current of 485 mA/mm. The results are comparable to those of MODFETs grown on (100) InP substrates. The results point to the possibility of making p-n multi layer structures with all-silicon doping     

Electrochemically induced asymmetrical etching in InAlAs/InGaAs heterostructures for MODFET gate-groove fabrication

We have achieved a self-controlled asymmetrical etching in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition-grown InAlAs/InGaAs heterostructures, which can be suitable for fabricating modulation-doped field-effect transistors (MODFETs) with gate-groove profiles for improved performance. The technology is based on electrochemical etching phenomena, which can be effectively controlled by using different surface metals for ohmic electrodes. When surface metals of Pt and Ni are deposited on the source and the drain, respectively, the higher electrode potential of Pt results in slower etching on the source side than on the drain side. Thus, asymmetry of gate grooves can be formed by wet-chemical etching with citric-acid-based etchant. This represents a new possibility to conduct “recess engineering” for InAlAs/InGaAs MODFETs.     

High-performance double-modulation-doped InAlAs/InGaAs/InAs HFETs

We demonstrate the improvement of double-sided-doped InAlAs/InGaAs MODFETs by inserting a thin InAs layer in the center of the conventional InGaAs channel. A maximum extrinsic transconductance of 1.4 S/mm is achieved for 0.13-μm devices. The current gain cutoff frequency of this device is as high as 265 GHz. Delay time analysis shows a significant improvement in the effective saturated velocity, from 2.4×10⁷ cm/s for LM devices to 3.1×10⁷ cm/s for InAs devices. We believe the superior performance of this device is primarily due to the reduction of scattering from donor layers, especially under the channel, and the interface roughness, which is achieved by inserting a 4-nm InAs layer in the channel     

Modulation-doped field-effect transistors with an 8-nmInGaAs/InAs/InGaAs quantum well

We show that the channel thickness of modulation-doped field-effect transistors (MODFETs) based on an InAlAs/InGaAs heterojunction can be reduced from 15 to 8 nm without any degradation of the main DC and RF figures of merits. Furthermore, short-channel effects, which are pronounced in sub-0.1-μm devices, can be effectively suppressed by this thin-channel design. The retainment of high performance and alleviation of short-channel effects are attributed to the excellent two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) confinement by the inserted InAs layer. The successful channel thinning opens up the possibility of employing high-quality thin-channel structures for MODFETs with gate lengths below 0.05 μm     

Gate length electric parameter dependences of ultra-submicrometre delta -doped pseudomorphic HEMTs

AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs MODFETs having 20% indium in the channel and Si planar doping (5*10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/) have been fabricated with gate lengths of 0.1-0.7 mu m and a width of 100 mu m. Gates that are longer than 0.2 mu m are T-shaped and the narrower gates (0.1 and 0.15 mu m) are triangular. From DC measurement a maximum G/sub m/ of 1100 mS/mm has been obtained. The current gain cutoff frequency F/sub t/ corrected for the access resistances is 145 GHz, corresponding to an intrinsic transition frequency of 220 GHz.<>     

High transconductance of 2.25 S/mm observed at 16 K for 195-nm-gate In/sub 0.75/Ga/sub 0.25/As/In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As HEMT fabricated on [411]A-oriented InP substrate

We achieved a maximum transconductance (g/sub m/) of 2.25 S/mm at 16 K for a 195-nm-gate In/sub 0.75/Ga/sub 0.25/As/In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) fabricated on a [411]A-oriented InP substrate, which is the highest value ever reported for HEMTs. This PHEMT also showed a much enhanced cutoff frequency (f/sub T/) of 310 GHz at 16 K, compared with its room temperature value (245 GHz). The significantly enhanced g/sub m/ and f/sub T/ at 16 K can be attributed to the higher saturation velocity in the region "under the gate," which is caused not only by suppressing the phonon scattering, but also by suppressing the interface roughness scattering due to the "(411)A super-flat InGaAs/InAlAs interfaces" (effectively atomically flat heterointerfaces over a wafer-size area).     

InGaAs/InGaAlAs/InAlAs/InP SCH-MQW laser diodes grown by molecular-beam epitaxy

InGaAs/InGaAlAs/InAlAs/InP separate-confinement hetero-structure-multiquantum-well (SCH-MQW) laser diodes have been fabricated by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE), and room-temperature pulsed operation at 1.57 ?m has been achieved. This SCH-MQW laser is composed of InGaAs well layers, InGaAlAs quaternary barrier layers, and InAlAs and InP cladding layers.     

InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMTs with high breakdown voltages using double-recess gate process

The DC and RF performance of InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMTs fabricated using a double-recess gate process are reported. A gate-drain breakdown voltage as high as 16 V was observed. The HEMTs also exhibited a high source-drain breakdown voltage near pinchoff of 16 V and a low RF output conductance of 6 mS/mm. For a 1.4 mu m gate length, an intrinsic transconductance of 560 mS/mm and f/sub T/ and f/sub max/ values of 16 and 40 GHz, respectively, were achieved.<>     

InGaAs/InP DHBTs with 120-nm collector having simultaneously high f/sub /spl tau//, f/sub max//spl ges/450 GHz

InP/In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBT) have been designed for increased bandwidth digital and analog circuits, and fabricated using a conventional mesa structure. These devices exhibit a maximum 450 GHz f/sub /spl tau// and 490 GHz f/sub max/, which is the highest simultaneous f/sub /spl tau// and f/sub max/ for any HBT. The devices have been scaled vertically for reduced electron collector transit time and aggressively scaled laterally to minimize the base-collector capacitance associated with thinner collectors. The dc current gain /spl beta/ is /spl ap/ 40 and V/sub BR,CEO/=3.9 V. The devices operate up to 25 mW//spl mu/m/sup 2/ dissipation (failing at J/sub e/=10 mA//spl mu/m/sup 2/, V/sub ce/=2.5 V, /spl Delta/T/sub failure/=301 K) and there is no evidence of current blocking up to J/sub e//spl ges/12 mA//spl mu/m/sup 2/ at V/sub ce/=2.0 V from the base-collector grade. The devices reported here employ a 30-nm highly doped InGaAs base, and a 120-nm collector containing an InGaAs/InAlAs superlattice grade at the base-collector junction.     

High performance double-doped InAlAs/InGaAs/InP heterojunction FET with potential for millimetre-wave power applications

Lattice matched InAlAs/InGaAs/InP heterojunction field-effect transistors (HJFETs), which have carrier supplying layers on and beneath the undoped InGaAs channel layer, have been successfully fabricated. A selective recess of the InGaAs channel edge at a mesa sidewall together with the use of a wide recess gate structure leads to a 5.7 V gate-drain breakdown voltage without kink effects. The fabricated HJFET with a 0.15*100 mu m/sup 2/ T-shaped gate exhibits a 700 mA/mm maximum drain current, a voltage gain of 14, and a 345 GHz maximum frequency of oscillation.<>     

High-performance In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As HFET compatible with optical-detectorintegration

The authors report the successful demonstration of a 1.0-μm gate InAlAs/InGaAs heterojunction FET (HFET) on top of thick InGaAs layers using lattice-matched molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). This scheme is compatible with metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector fabrication. The authors measured the performance of InAlAs/InGaAs HFETs from 0 to 40 GHz. Device performance is characterized by peak extrinsic transconductances of 390 mS/mm and as-measured cutoff frequencies up to 30 GHz for a nominal 1.0-μm-gate-length HFET. HFET device measurements are compared for samples growth with and without the thick underlying InGaAs optical-detector absorbing layer     

InP-based enhancement-mode pseudomorphic HEMT with strainedIn0.45Al0.55As barrier andIn0.75Ga0.25As channel layers

Using strained aluminum-rich In_0.45Al_0.55As as Schottky contact materials to enhance the barrier height and indium-rich In_0.75Ga_0.25As as channel material to enhance the channel performance, we have developed InP-based enhancement-mode pseudomorphic InAlAs/InGaAs high electron mobility transistors (E-PHEMT's) with threshold voltage of about 170 mv. A maximum extrinsic transconductance of 675 mS/mm and output conductance of 15 mS/mm are measured respectively at room temperature for 1 μm-gate-length devices, with an associated maximum drain current density of 420 mA/mm at gate voltage of 0.9 V. The devices also show excellent rf performance with cutoff frequency of 55 GHz and maximum oscillation frequency of 62 GHz. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that InP-based E-PHEMT's with strained InAlAs barrier layer have been demonstrated     

Extremely high gain 0.15 mu m gate-length InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMTs

High electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) based on the InAlAs/InGaAs heterojunction grown lattice matched to InP were fabricated with 0.15 mu m T-shaped gates. The use of an undoped InGaAs cap layer in the epitaxial structure leads to excellent gate characteristics and very high transistor gain. At 95 GHz, a maximum available gain of 13.6 dB was measured. A maximum frequency of oscillation f/sub max/ of 455 GHz was obtained by extrapolating from 95 GHz at -6 dB/octave. This is the best reported gain performance for any transistor.<>     

A high-current pseudomorphic AlGaAs/InGaAs double quantum-wellMODFET

Double quantum-well modulation-doped field-effect transistors (MODFETs) with planar-doped lattice-strained AlGaAs/InGaAs structure have been fabricated and characterized at DC and microwave frequencies. At 300 K the 0.3-μm gate devices show a full channel current of 1100 mA/mm with a constant extrinsic transconductance of 350 mS/mm over a broad gate voltage range of 1.6 V. Excellent microwave performance is also achieved with a maximum available gain cutoff frequency f _mag of 110 GHz and a current gain cutoff frequency f _r of 52 GHz. A maximum output power of 0.7 W/mm with 30% efficiency is obtained at 18 GHz     

Highly uniform N-InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT's on a 3-in InP substrate usingphotochemical selective dry recess etching

Large-area photochemical selective dry etching has been developed for use in InGaAs/InAlAs heterojunction fabrication involving CH₃ Br gas and a low-pressure mercury lamp. The etch rate of the InGaAs layer was 17 nm/min and the etch ratio of InGaAs to InAlAs was around 25 to 1. The dry recess was performed for N-InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT's on a 3-in wafer using photochemical etching. The standard deviation of the threshold voltage across the wafer was 18 mV at a threshold voltage of -0.95 V, and the transconductance of 456 mS/mm was obtained for a 1.1-μm-long gate within a standard deviation of 14.9 mS/mm     

Selective photochemical dry etching of GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/InAlAs heterostructures

Selective photochemical dry etching of GaAs layers on AlGaAs using HCl gas and InGaAs layers on InAlAs using CH/sub 3/Br gas is studied. A low pressure mercury lamp was used as the deep UV light source. A selectivity of more than 150 for GaAs over AlGaAs and more than 60 for InGaAs over InAlAs was obtained.<>