DC, RF, and microwave noise performances of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on sapphire substrates

High-performance AlGaN/GaN high electron-mobility transistors with 0.18-/spl mu/m gate length have been fabricated on a sapphire substrate. The devices exhibited an extrinsic transconductance of 212 mS/mm, a unity current gain cutoff frequency (f/sub T/) of 101 GHz, and a maximum oscillation frequency (f/sub MAX/) of 140 GHz. At V/sub ds/=4 V and I/sub ds/=39.4 mA/mm, the devices exhibited a minimum noise figure (NF/sub min/) of 0.48 dB and an associated gain (Ga) of 11.16 dB at 12 GHz. Also, at a fixed drain bias of 4 V with the drain current swept, the lowest NFmin of 0.48 dB at 12 GHz was obtained at I/sub ds/=40 mA/mm, and a peak G/sub a/ of 11.71 dB at 12 GHz was obtained at I/sub ds/=60 mA/mm. With the drain current held at 40 mA/mm and drain bias swept, the NF/sub min/,, increased almost linearly with the increase of drain bias. Meanwhile, the Ga values decreased linearly with the increase of drain bias. At a fixed bias condition (V/sub ds/=4 V and I/sub ds/=40 mA/mm), the NF/sub min/ values at 12 GHz increased from 0.32 dB at -55/spl deg/C to 2.78 dB at 200/spl deg/C. To our knowledge, these data represent the highest f/sub T/ and f/sub MAX/, and the best microwave noise performance of any GaN-based FETs on sapphire substrates ever reported.     

Laterally scaled Si-Si/sub 0.7/Ge/sub 0.3/ n-MODFETs with f/sub max/>200 GHz and low operating bias

We report on the dc and RF characterization of laterally scaled, Si-SiGe n-MODFETs. Devices with gate length, L/sub g/, of 80 nm had f/sub T/=79 GHz and f/sub max/=212 GHz, while devices with L/sub g/=70 nm had f/sub T/ as high as 92 GHz. The MODFETs displayed enhanced f/sub T/ at reduced drain-to-source voltage, V/sub ds/, compared to Si MOSFETs with similar f/sub T/ at high V/sub ds/.     

High microwave and noise performance of 0.17-/spl mu/m AlGaN-GaN HEMTs on high-resistivity silicon substrates

AlGaN-GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) based on high-resistivity silicon substrate with a 0.17-/spl mu/m T-shape gate length are fabricated. The device exhibits a high drain current density of 550 mA/mm at V/sub GS/=1 V and V/sub DS/=10 V with an intrinsic transconductance (g/sub m/) of 215 mS/mm. A unity current gain cutoff frequency (f/sub t/) of 46 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency (f/sub max/) of 92 GHz are measured at V/sub DS/=10 V and I/sub DS/=171 mA/mm. The radio-frequency microwave noise performance of the device is obtained at 10 GHz for different drain currents. At V/sub DS/=10 V and I/sub DS/=92 mA/mm, the device exhibits a minimum-noise figure (NF/sub min/) of 1.1 dB and an associated gain (G/sub ass/) of 12 dB. To our knowledge, these results are the best f/sub t/, f/sub max/ and microwave noise performance ever reported on GaN HEMT grown on Silicon substrate.     

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.<>     

High-performance enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs using fluoride-based plasma treatment

We report a novel approach in fabricating high-performance enhancement mode (E-mode) AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. The fabrication technique is based on fluoride-based plasma treatment of the gate region in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs and post-gate rapid thermal annealing with an annealing temperature lower than 500/spl deg/C. Starting with a conventional depletion-mode HEMT sample, we found that fluoride-based plasma treatment can effectively shift the threshold voltage from -4.0 to 0.9 V. Most importantly, a zero transconductance (g/sub m/) was obtained at V/sub gs/=0 V, demonstrating for the first time true E-mode operation in an AlGaN/GaN HEMT. At V/sub gs/=0 V, the off-state drain leakage current is 28 /spl mu/A/mm at a drain-source bias of 6 V. The fabricated E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with 1 /spl mu/m-long gate exhibit a maximum drain current density of 310 mA/mm, a peak g/sub m/ of 148 mS/mm, a current gain cutoff frequency f/sub T/ of 10.1 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency f/sub max/ of 34.3 GHz.     

50-nm T-gate metamorphic GaAs HEMTs with f/sub T/ of 440 GHz and noise figure of 0.7 dB at 26 GHz

GaAs-based transistors with the highest f/sub T/ and lowest noise figure reported to date are presented in this letter. A 50-nm T-gate In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As/In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As metamorphic high-electron mobility transistors (mHEMTs) on a GaAs substrate show f/sub T/ of 440 GHz, f/sub max/ of 400 GHz, a minimum noise figure of 0.7 dB and an associated gain of 13 dB at 26 GHz, the latter at a drain current of 185 mA/mm and g/sub m/ of 950 mS/mm. In addition, a noise figure of below 1.2 dB with 10.5 dB or higher associated gain at 26 GHz was demonstrated for drain currents in the range 40 to 470 mA/mm at a drain bias of 0.8 V. These devices are ideal for low noise and medium power applications at millimeter-wave frequencies.     

MOVPE grown InAlAs/InGaAs/InP MODFETs with very high f/sub T/

High-performance 0.15 mu m gate length modulation-doped field-effect transistors (MODFETs) have been fabricated on a lattice-matched InAlAs/InGaAs heterostructure grown by organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE). Excellent 'kink-free' DC characteristics with extrinsic transconductance g/sub m/ of 1080 mS/mm at a drain current of 508 mA/mm have been achieved. A unity current-gain cutoff frequency f/sub T/ of 187 GHz at room temperature has been measured, which is the highest value reported for MOVPE-grown lattice-matched InAlAs/InGaAs MODFETs.<>     

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.     

Diamond FET using high-quality polycrystalline diamond with f/sub T/ of 45 GHz and f/sub max/ of 120 GHz

Using high-quality polycrystalline chemical-vapor-deposited diamond films with large grains (/spl sim/100 /spl mu/m), field effect transistors (FETs) with gate lengths of 0.1 /spl mu/m were fabricated. From the RF characteristics, the maximum transition frequency f/sub T/ and the maximum frequency of oscillation f/sub max/ were /spl sim/ 45 and /spl sim/ 120 GHz, respectively. The f/sub T/ and f/sub max/ values are much higher than the highest values for single-crystalline diamond FETs. The dc characteristics of the FET showed a drain-current density I/sub DS/ of 550 mA/mm at gate-source voltage V/sub GS/ of -3.5 V and a maximum transconductance g/sub m/ of 143 mS/mm at drain voltage V/sub DS/ of -8 V. These results indicate that the high-quality polycrystalline diamond film, whose maximum size is 4 in at present, is a most promising substrate for diamond electronic devices.     

High breakdown voltage (Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/)/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P/InGaAs quasi-enhancement-mode pHEMT with field-plate technology

A high breakdown voltage and a high turn-on voltage (Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/)/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P/InGaAs quasi-enhancement-mode (E-mode) pseudomorphic HEMT (pHEMTs) with field-plate (FP) process is reported for the first time. Between gate and drain terminal, the transistor has a FP metal of 1 /spl mu/m, which is connected to a source terminal. The fabricated 0.5/spl times/150 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ device can be operated with gate voltage up to 1.6 V owing to its high Schottky turn-on voltage (V/sub ON/=0.85 V), which corresponds to a high drain-to-source current (I/sub ds/) of 420 mA/mm when drain-to-source voltage (V/sub ds/) is 3.5 V. By adopting the FP technology and large barrier height (Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/)/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P layer design, the device achieved a high breakdown voltage of -47 V. The measured maximum transconductance, current gain cutoff frequency and maximum oscillation frequency are 370 mS/mm, 22 GHz , and 85 GHz, respectively. Under 5.2-GHz operation, a 15.2 dBm (220 mW/mm) and a 17.8 dBm (405 mW/mm) saturated output power can be achieved when drain voltage are 3.5 and 20 V. These characteristics demonstrate that the field-plated (Al/sub 0.3/Ga/sub 0.7/)/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P E-mode pHEMTs have great potential for microwave power device applications.     

Influences of sulfur passivation on temperature-dependent characteristics of an AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs PHEMT

The influences of (NH/sub 4/)/sub 2/S/sub x/ treatment on an AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) are studied and demonstrated. Upon the sulfur passivation, the studied device exhibits better temperature-dependent dc and microwave characteristics. Experimentally, for a 1/spl times/100 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ gate/dimension PHEMT with sulfur passivation, the higher gate/drain breakdown voltage of 36.4 (21.5) V, higher turn-on voltage of 0.994 (0.69) V, lower gate leakage current of 0.6 (571) /spl mu/A/mm at V/sub GD/=-22 V, improved threshold voltage of -1.62 (-1.71) V, higher maximum transconductance of 240 (211) mS/mm with 348 (242) mA/mm broad operating regime (>0.9g/sub m,max/), and lower output conductance of 0.51 (0.53) mS/mm are obtained, respectively, at 300 (510) K. The corresponding unity current gain cutoff frequency f/sub T/ (maximum oscillation frequency f/sub max/) are 22.2 (87.9) and 19.5 (59.3) GHz at 250 and 400 K, respectively, with considerably broad operating regimes (>0.8f/sub T/,f/sub max/) larger than 455 mA/mm. Moreover, the relatively lower variations of device performances over wide temperature range (300/spl sim/510 K) are observed.     

DC and RF characteristics of E-mode Ga/sub 0.51/In/sub 0.49/P-In/sub 0.15/Ga/sub 0.85/As pseudomorphic HEMTs

The DC and RF characteristics of Ga/sub 0.49/In/sub 0.51/P-In/sub 0.15/Ga/sub 0.85/As enhancement- mode pseudomorphic HEMTs (pHEMTs) are reported for the first time. The transistor has a gate length of 0.8 /spl mu/m and a gate width of 200 /spl mu/m. It is found that the device can be operated with gate voltage up to 1.6 V, which corresponds to a high drain-source current (I/sub DS/) of 340 mA/mm when the drain-source voltage (V/sub DS/) is 4.0 V. The measured maximum transconductance, current gain cut-off frequency, and maximum oscillation frequency are 255.2 mS/mm, 20.6 GHz, and 40 GHz, respectively. When this device is operated at 1.9 GHz under class-AB bias condition, a 14.7-dBm (148.6 mW/mm) saturated power with a power-added efficiency of 50% is achieved when the drain voltage is 3.5 V. The measured F/sub min/ is 0.74 dB under I/sub DS/=15 mA and V/sub DS/=2 V.     

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on SiC with f/sub T/ of over 120 GHz

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown on semi-insulating SiC substrates with a 0.12 /spl mu/m gate length have been fabricated. These 0.12-/spl mu/m gate-length devices exhibited maximum drain current density as high as 1.23 A/mm and peak extrinsic transconductance of 314 mS/mm. The threshold voltage was -5.2 V. A unity current gain cutoff frequency (f/sub T/) of 121 GHz and maximum frequency of oscillation (f/sub max/) of 162 GHz were measured on these devices. These f/sub T/ and f/sub max/ values are the highest ever reported values for GaN-based HEMTs.     

InGaAs-InP mesa DHBTs with simultaneously high f/sub /spl tau// and f/sub max/ and low C/sub cb//I/sub c/ ratio

We report an InP-InGaAs-InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor (DHBT), fabricated using a conventional triple mesa structure, exhibiting a 370-GHz f/sub /spl tau// and 459-GHz f/sub max/, which is to our knowledge the highest f/sub /spl tau// reported for a mesa InP DHBT-as well as the highest simultaneous f/sub /spl tau// and f/sub max/ for any mesa HBT. The collector semiconductor was undercut to reduce the base-collector capacitance, producing a C/sub cb//I/sub c/ ratio of 0.28 ps/V at V/sub cb/=0.5 V. The V/sub BR,CEO/ is 5.6 V and the devices fail thermally only at >18 mW//spl mu/m/sup 2/, allowing dc bias from J/sub e/=4.8 mA//spl mu/m/sup 2/ at V/sub ce/=3.9 V to J/sub e/=12.5 mA//spl mu/m/sup 2/ at V/sub ce/=1.5 V. The device employs a 30 nm carbon-doped InGaAs base with graded base doping, and an InGaAs-InAlAs superlattice grade in the base-collector junction that contributes to a total depleted collector thickness of 150 nm.     

AlGaN-GaN HEMTs on Si with power density performance of 1.9 W/mm at 10 GHz

AlGaN-GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on silicon substrate are fabricated. The device with a gate length of 0.3-/spl mu/m and a total gate periphery of 300 /spl mu/m, exhibits a maximum drain current density of 925 mA/mm at V/sub GS/=0 V and V/sub DS/=5 V with an extrinsic transconductance (g/sub m/) of about 250 mS/mm. At 10 GHz, an output power density of 1.9 W/mm associated to a power-added efficiency of 18% and a linear gain of 16 dB are achieved at a drain bias of 30 V. To our knowledge, these power results represent the highest output power density ever reported at this frequency on GaN HEMT grown on silicon substrates.     

Millimeter-wave high-power 0.25-/spl mu/m gate-length AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on SiC substrates

Reports on the CW power performance at 20 and 30 GHz of 0.25 /spl mu/m /spl times/ 100 /spl mu/m AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown by MOCVD on semi-insulating SiC substrates. The devices exhibited current density of 1300 mA/mm, peak dc extrinsic transconductance of 275 mS/mm, unity current gain cutoff (f/sub T/) of 65 GHz, and maximum frequency of oscillation (f/sub max/) of 110 GHz. Saturated output power at 20 GHz was 6.4 W/mm with 16% power added efficiency (PAE), and output power at 1-dB compression at 30 GHz was 4.0 W/mm with 20% PAE. This is the highest power reported for 0.25-/spl mu/m gate-length devices at 20 GHz, and the 30 GHz results represent the highest frequency power data published to date on GaN-based devices.     

DC and RF performance of GaAs MESFET fabricated on silicon substrate using epitaxial lift-off technique

GaAs MESFETs have been fabricated on a silicon substrate using a molecular beam epitaxy grown film detached from its growth substrate and attached on a silicon substrate covered with a dielectric. The device processing is done on the silicon substrate. The MESFETs exhibit I/sub DSS/=130 mA/mm, g/sub m/=135 mS/mm and for 1.3 mu m gate length unity current gain cut-off frequency f/sub T/ of 12 GHz. Excellent device isolation with subpicoampere leakage currents is obtained.<>     

High DC and microwave characteristics of subhalf-micrometre gate ion-implanted GaAs MESFETs using trilayer deep UV lithography

Subhalf-micrometre gate length ion-implanted GaAs MESFETs have been fabricated on 3 inch diameter substrates using trilayer deep UV lithography. Implanted MESFETs with 0.3 mu m gate lengths exhibit a maximum extrinsic transconductance of 205 mS/mm at a drain current of 600 mA/mm. From S-parameter measurements, a current gain cutoff frequency f/sub t/ of 56 GHz and a maximum available gain cutoff frequency f/sub max/ greater than 90 GHz are achieved. The gate-to-drain diode characteristics of the devices show a sharp breakdown voltage of 13-15 V. The high drain current-drain voltage and microwave characteristics indicate that ion-implanted technology with trilayer deep UV lithography has potential for the manufacture of power devices and amplifiers for Q-band communication applications. This is the first reported result using trilayer deep UV lithography to demonstrate both f/sub t/ over 56 GHz and 13-15 V gate-to-drain breakdown on 0.3 mu m gate-length ion-implanted GaAs MESFETs.<>     

The effects of isoelectronic Al doping and process optimization for the fabrication of high-power AlGaN-GaN HEMTs

In order to improve the electrical characteristics of AlGaN-GaN heterostructures for applications in high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), high-quality AlGaN-GaN was grown by way of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on sapphire. We applied isoelectronic Al doping into the GaN-channel layers of modified AlGaN-Al-doped GaN channel-GaN heterostructures. We then compared the electrical performance of the fabricated heterostructures with those of conventional AlGaN-GaN heterostructures. The AlGaN-GaN HEMTs that were fabricated achieved power densities of up to 4.2 W/mm, some of the highest values ever reported for 0.25-/spl mu/m gate length AlGaN-GaN HEMTs. These devices exhibited a maximum drain current density of 1370 mA/mm, a high transconductance of 230 mS/mm, a short-circuit current gain cutoff frequency (f/sub T/) of 67 GHz, and a maximum frequency of oscillation (f/sub max/) of 102 GHz.     

InAlAs-InGaAs double-gate HEMTs on transferred substrate

We report the fabrication and the dc characterization of the first In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As-In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As long double-gate (DG) high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). These devices have been obtained using a transferred substrate technique. Although the layer structure has not been optimized, a maximum extrinsic transconductance gm of 450 mS/mm is obtained. At the same bias voltage, the drain current I/sub d/ is 120 mA/mm, which gives a large ratio gm/I/sub d/ of 3.8 V/sup -/, indicating the improvement of the charge control efficiency due to the DG structure.