A novel SOI MESFET by \uppi -shaped gate for improving the driving current

This paper introduces a novel silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MESFET) with \(\uppi \) -shaped gate with triple workfunction ( \(\uppi \) -SOI MESFET) to improve the DC and radio frequency characteristics. The DC and radio frequency characteristics of the proposed structure are analyzed by 2-D ATLAS international simulator and compared with a conventional SOI MESFET (C-SOI MESFET). The simulated results show that the proposed SOI MESFET has excellent effect on the breakdown voltage and the driving current. The breakdown voltage of the \(\uppi \) -SOI MESFET structure gets 54 % enhancement compared with that of the C-SOI MESFET structure and also the driving current of the \(\uppi \) -SOI MESFET structure gets 66.66 % enhancement compared with that of the C-SOI MESFET structure. Other main characteristics such as maximum output power density, maximum oscillation frequency and maximum available gain have been evaluated and improved in the proposed structure.     

Employing reduced surface field technique by a P‐type region in 4H‐SiC metal semiconductor field effect transistors for increasing breakdown voltage

In this paper, we employ the Reduced Surface Field technique in metal semiconductor field effect transistors (MESFETs) by a P‐type region above the active layer near gate (PR‐MESFET). Electric field distribution can be made more uniform by a new depletion region in the active layer of the proposed structure that is created by a P‐type region. ‏‏Therefore, the electric field peak at the gate edge decreases, and the breakdown voltage increases. On the basis of our simulation results, the breakdown voltage increases as compared with the conventional bulk 4H‐SiC MESFET (CB‐MESFET) and the spacer bulk 4H‐SiC MESFET (SB‐MESFET). Detailed numerical simulations demonstrate that for proposed structure due to decrease in parasitic gate‐to‐drain capacitor, maximum oscillation frequency increases with respect to SB‐MESFET. Our simulation results show that output current slightly decreases in comparison with CB‐MESFET. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Full hydrodynamic simulation of GaAs MESFETs

A finite difference upwind discretization scheme in two dimensions is presented in detail for the transient simulation of the highly coupled non‐linear partial differential equations of the full hydrodynamic model, providing thereby a practical engineering tool for improved charge carrier transport simulations at high electric fields and frequencies. The discretization scheme preserves the conservation and transportive properties of the equations. The hydrodynamic model is able to describe inertia effects which play an increasing role in different fields of micro‐ and optoelectronics, where simplified charge transport models like the drift–diffusion model and the energy balance model are no longer applicable. Results of extensive numerical simulations are shown for a two‐dimensional MESFET device. A comparison of the hydrodynamic model to the commonly used energy balance model is given and the accuracy of the results is discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A novel efficiency‐enhancement topology: GaN high‐electron mobility transistors with waveform‐modulation structure composed of Schottky diodes

To improve the power‐added efficiency (PAE) of the gallium nitride (GaN) high‐electron mobility transistor (HEMT) in radio frequency applications, this paper studies the relationship between the nonlinearity of the gate capacitance and the PAE of the GaN HEMTs. The theoretical analysis and simulation results demonstrate that the nonlinearity of the gate capacitance modulates the signal phase at the GaN HEMT input and increases the average drain current, leading to increased power consumption and reduced PAE. Then, an efficiency‐enhancement topology for GaN HEMTs that employs the waveform‐modulation effect of Schottky diodes to reduce power consumption and improve efficiency is presented. The efficiency‐enhancement topology for a 4 × 100‐μm GaN HEMT with waveform‐modulation diodes is then fabricated. Results of load‐pull test demonstrate that the novel topology can increase the PAE of the 4 × 100‐μm GaN HEMT by more than 5% at 8 GHz. The novel efficiency‐enhancement topology for GaN HEMTs proposed in this paper will be suitable for applications that demand high‐efficiency GaN HEMTs or circuits.     

Modeling and comparative analysis of DC characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMT and MOSHEMT devices

In this paper, a charge control model is developed for AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) and Metal Oxide Semiconductor High Electron Mobility Transistor (MOSHEMT) by considering the triangular potential well in the two‐dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and simulated with matlab . The obtained results from the developed model are compared with the experimental data for drain current, transconductance, gate capacitance and threshold voltage of both devices. The physics‐based models for 2DEG charge density, threshold voltage and gate capacitance have been developed. By using these developed models, the drain current for both linear and saturation modes is derived. The predicted threshold voltage with the variation of barrier thickness has been plotted. A positive threshold voltage can be obtained by decreasing the barrier thickness that builds up the foundation for enhancement mode MOSHEMTs. The predicted C‐V, I_d‐V_gs, I_d‐V_ds and transconductance characteristics show an excellent agreement with the experimental results from the literature and hence validate the developed model. The results clearly establish the potential of using AlGaN/GaN MOSHEMT approach for high power microwave and switching applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new rule for MESFET gate charge division based on the energy conservation principle

The energy conservation problem in the MESFET gate charge model is presented. The energy conservation requirement leads to symmetrical transcapacitances in contradiction to the commonly accepted approaches. The transcapacitance symmetry is completely independent of device symmetry. The resulting small‐signal capacitances are reciprocal. Reciprocal capacitances are often considered charge non‐conservative because they do not contain transcapacitances, but in this approach reciprocity is the result of transcapacitance symmetry and the charge conservation problem is avoided since the charge‐based model includes the transcapacitances. A method for dividing the MESFET gate charge into gate‐drain and gate‐source portions based on the energy conservation rule is developed, and the method is applied to the well‐known Statz gate charge as an example. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The push toward low voltage devices

Since the early 1980s, increasing attention has been focused on the development and manufacture of low voltage and low power electronics. The motivation for this trend is multifaceted. For RF and microwave circuitry, the constraints implied by the low voltage imperative can be examined as they apply to every aspect of RF/microwave component development. The ultimate success of a low voltage and low power RF product strategy is affected by all of the following issues: materials technology (GaAs, Si, epitaxy, implant, heterojunctions); device technology (BJT, HBT, MESFET, MOSFET, HEMT); circuit technology (topology challenges for low voltage); and radio system design issues (architecture trends and low voltage). Of these factors, system architecture has the greatest potential impact     

A tabular source approach to modelling and simulating device and circuit noise in the time domain

Simulation of device and circuit noise at low frequencies is often carried out as part of a small‐signal ac analysis. Moreover, circuit simulators with rf analysis capabilities usually specify circuit performance in terms of S parameters and model high‐frequency noise in terms of noise waves and correlation matrices. It is also unusual to find circuit simulators that extend noise simulation to the time domain. This is particularly true for software packages developed from SPICE 2g6 or 3f5. This paper introduces a simple tabular noise source technique, which adds time‐domain noise to semiconductor device models and integrated circuit macromodels. The proposed technique is suitable for use with any general purpose circuit simulator. To demonstrate the power of the suggested approach the text describes time‐domain noise extensions to the SPICE diode, BJT, JFET, MOSFET and MESFET models. These noise extensions have been implemented and tested with the ‘Quite universal circuit simulator’ (Qucs). Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new two-dimensional analytical subthreshold behavior model for submicron Triple Material Gate (TM) GaN MESFET

A new two-dimensional (2D) analytical model for a Triple Material Gate (TM) GaN MESFET has been proposed and modeled to suppress the short channel effects and improve the subthreshold behavior. The analytical model is based on a two-dimensional analysis of the channel potential, threshold voltage and subthreshold swing factor for TM GaN MESFET is developed. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the improved subthreshold electrical performances exhibited by TM GaN MESFET over dual material gate and conventional single material gate MESFET. The results so obtained are verified and validated by the good agreement found with the 2D numerical simulations using the ATLAS device simulation software. The models developed in this paper will be very helpful to understand the device behavior in subthreshold regime for future circuit applications.     

Double aperture double-gate vertical high-electron-mobility transistor

In this paper, we propose a double aperture double-gate AlGaN/GaN vertical high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) to improve the device characteristics, such as the current and the ON resistance (\(\hbox {\textit{R}}_{\mathrm{ON}}\)). The proposed vertical HEMT results are compared to the conventional single aperture single-gate vertical HEMT of equal dimensions, and increased drain current and lower \(\hbox {\textit{R}}_{\mathrm{ON}}\) are shown. A comprehensive simulation study has also been carried out for the proposed device, to analyse the impact of thickness and doping concentration of aperture, drift region, and current blocking layer. In addition, the effect of different materials in current blocking layer on device characteristics is also studied. The obtained results and their effect on device characteristics have been thoroughly analysed and explained accordingly.     

Frequency Analysis of 3D GaAs MESFET Structures Using Full-Band Particle-Based Simulations

The goal of this contribution is to use a three dimensional (3D) full-band particle-based simulator to investigate 3D scaling effects of static and dynamic current-voltage characteristics of GaAs MESFET structures. The full-band particle-based simulator is also applied to a novel dual-gate GaAs MESFET structure.     

A novel symmetrical 4H–SiC MESFET: an effective way to improve the breakdown voltage

In this paper, a novel symmetrical structure (SS) of 4H–SiC metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) as an effective way to improve the breakdown voltage is presented. The key idea in this work is to improve the breakdown voltage, maximum output power density, and frequency parameters of the device using a symmetrical structure with recessed gate. The SS-MESFET modifies the electric field in the drift layer significantly. The influence of the SS-MESFET on the saturation current, breakdown voltage \((\hbox {V}_{\mathrm{BR}})\), and small-signal characteristics of the SS-MESFET are studied by numerical device simulation. Using two-dimensional device simulation, we demonstrate that the breakdown voltage \((\hbox {V}_{\mathrm{BR}})\) improved by factors 2.5 and 3.3 in comparison with an asymmetrical conventional MESFET structure (AC-MESFET) and a symmetrical conventional MESFET structure (SC-MESFET), respectively. Also, the maximum output power density \((\hbox {P}_{\mathrm{max}})\) improved about by 93 and 250 % in comparison with the AC-MESFET and SC-MESFET structures, respectively. So, the SS-MESFET shows the superior maximum available gain (MAG), unilateral power gain (U), and current gain \((\hbox {h}_{12})\) which is presenting the proposed structure is more suitable device for high power microwave applications.     

Off-state breakdown of GaAs PHEMTs: review and new data

This paper reviews the literature dealing with off-state gate-drain breakdown in MESFET and HEMT structures, with particular emphasis on GaAs PHEMTs, in terms of: 1) the physics of the breakdown phenomenon; 2) the breakdown walkout effect; 3) the impact of design and process choices on the breakdown behavior; and 4) the experimental techniques used for breakdown characterization. A thorough temperature-dependent breakdown characterization of commercial PHEMTs is also shown and discussed. It is found that different physical mechanisms may dominate the gate-drain leakage depending on the reverse bias and temperature range considered, and the particular PHEMT technology. The main results shown here tell us the following. 1) The breakdown voltages are decreasing functions of temperature between room temperature and 160/spl deg/C. 2) Between room temperature and 90-100/spl deg/C, thermionic-field emission seems be dominant, with low activation energies below 0.15 eV; as a consequence, the temperature dependence of the breakdown voltage is weak. 3) Between 110/spl deg/C and 160/spl deg/C, higher activation energy mechanisms (possibly trap-assisted tunneling and thermionic emission over a field-dependent barrier) tend to dominate, and the temperature dependence of the breakdown voltages is stronger.     

New Dynamic Self‐Consistent Mathematical Model and Torque Characteristics of Permanent‐Magnet Synchronous Motors with Magnetic Cross‐Coupling

This paper proposes a new dynamic mathematical model of permanent‐magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) with magnetic cross‐coupling and presents a new analysis of the torque characteristics of the motors. Generally speaking, dynamic mathematical models used for the design and analysis of PMSM control systems must consist of three basic equations that describe the main motor characteristics as an electrical circuit, torque generator, and electromechanical energy converter. In order to obtain reasonably compact models, some characteristics have to be approximated. However, in the case where the approximations used in the three basic equations are different from each other, the dynamic mathematical model often loses self‐consistency and becomes self‐contradictory. The proposed model, which takes the magnetic cross‐coupling into account, is self‐consistent and compact, and its effectiveness is validated by experimental data. Using the self‐consistency and compactness, this study presents a new analysis of the torque characteristics of PMSMs, focusing on efficient torque generation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 184(1): 42–55, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.22382     

Modifications of the DC Raytheon–Statz model for SiC MESFETs

In the paper the problem of modelling DC characteristics of SiC MESFETs is presented. Some modifications of the popular Raytheon–Statz model built‐in in SPICE are proposed. The original and the modified models are verified experimentally by comparison of the measured and simulated device characteristics. One of the two available today on the market SiC MESFETs–the transistor CRF24010 offered by Cree, Inc. is chosen for investigations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Statistical study of the effect of interface charge fluctuations in HEMTs using a 3D simulator

The intrinsic parameter fluctuations associated with the discreteness of charge and matter become an important factor when the semiconductor devices are scaled to nanometre dimensions. The interface charge in the recess regions of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) has a considerable effect on the overall device performance. We have employed a 3D parallel drift-diffusion device simulator to study the impact of interface charge fluctuations on the I-V characteristics of nanometre HEMTs. For this purpose, two devices have been analysed, a 120 nm gate length pseudomorphic HEMT with an In_0.2Ga_0.8As channel and a 50 nm gate length InP HEMT with an In_0.7Ga_0.3As channel.     

Integral evaluation in semiconductor device modelling using simulated annealing with Bose–Einstein statistics

Fermi integrals arise in the mathematical and numerical modelling of microwave semiconductor devices. In particular, associated Fermi integrals involving two arguments arise in the modelling of HEMTs, in which quantum wells form at the material interfaces. The numerical evaluation of these associated integrals is time consuming. In this paper, these associated integrals are replaced by simpler functions which depend on a small number of optimal parameters. These parameters are found by optimizing a suitable cost function using a genetic algorithm with simulated annealing. A new method is introduced whereby the transition probabilities of the simulated annealing process are based on the Bose–Einstein distribution function, rather than on the more usual Maxwell–Boltzmann statistics or Tsallis statistics. Results are presented for the simulation of a four‐layer HEMT, and show the effect of the approximation for the associated Fermi integrals. A comparison is made of the convergence properties of the three different statistics used in the simulated annealing process. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transient analysis of multi‐state dc–dc converters using system energy characteristics

The study of multi‐state dc–dc power conversion techniques is restricted by the complicated inner switching behaviors. This paper presents a general and unified transient analysis for various sorts of multi‐state dc–dc converters from a viewpoint of their system energy characteristics. With the applications to the boost converters, the proposed analytical method has indicated its advantages of high convenience and practicability to the multi‐state converters. The generalized concepts of system energy parameters of dc–dc converters are introduced and applied to the transient analysis. Consequently, the expressions of system model parameters of multi‐state dc–dc converters are deduced. The new 2nd order transfer functions are obtained to describe the large‐ and small‐signal mathematical models accurately. The model simulation and experimental results are provided to support the theoretical analysis. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on dependence of AC transport current losses in YBCO‐coated conductors on distribution of critical current density and n value

We measured AC transport current losses in three kinds of thin‐film YBCO‐coated conductors made by different processes. The results showed that the loss characteristics were different and that some of the conductors did not follow the Norris strip model which is generally believed to well explain the loss characteristics of YBCO conductors. In the paper, an analytical model in which distribution of critical current density and n value of the conductor are taken into consideration is proposed to describe the AC transport current loss characteristics more generally than the Norris strip and elliptical models. It is shown that the analytical model explains well the measured loss characteristics of the three kinds of conductors. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 152(2): 26–38, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20056     

Comparison of HEMT non‐linear model extraction approaches based on small signal and on large signal measurements

In this paper the extraction of a non‐linear model for a HEMT is undertaken by means of two different approaches. The first approach is the classical procedure that consists of using the small signal data to fully generate a non‐linear model. The second alternative is developed following a different tactics that uses directly the response of the device to a large signal stimulus. Both approaches are compared in terms of required extraction measurements and limits of application. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.