We studied the performance of AlGaN/GaN double heterojunction high electron mobility transistors （DH-HEMTs） with an AlGaN buffer layer, which leads to a higher potential barrier at the backside of the two- dimensional electron gas channel and better carrier confinement. This, remarkably, reduces the drain leakage current and improves the device breakdown voltage. The breakdown voltage of AlGaN/GaN double heterojunction HEMTs （-100 V） was significantly improved compared to that of conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMTs （-50 V） for the device with gate dimensions of 0.5 - 100μm and a gate-drain distance of 1μm. The DH-HEMTs also demonstrated a maximum output power of 7.78 W/mm, a maximum power-added efficiency of 62.3% and a linear gain of 23 dB at the drain supply voltage of 35 V at 4 GHz.
Ma JuncaiZhang JinchengXue JunshuaiLin ZhiyuLiu ZiyangXue XiaoyongMa XiaohuaHao Yue
Nonpolar a-plane GaN epilayers are grown on several r-plane sapphire substrates by metal organic chemical vapour deposition using different nucleation layers： （A） a CaN nucleation layer deposited at low temperature （LT）; （B） an A1N nucleation layer deposited at high temperature; or （C） an LT thin AIN nucleation layer with an AIN layer and an A1N/A1CaN superlattice both subsequently deposited at high temperature. The samples have been characterized by Xray diffraction （XRD）, atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence. The GaN layers grown using nucleation layers B and C show narrower XRD rocking curves than that using nucleation layer A, indicating a reduction in crystal defect density. Furthermore, the GaN layer grown using nucleation layer C exhibits a surface morphology with triangular defect pits eliminated completely. The improved optical property, corresponding to the enhanced crystal quality, is also confirmed by temperature-dependent and excitation power-dependent photoluminescence measurements.
The strain relaxation of an A1GaN barrier layer may be influenced by a thin cap layer above, and affects the transport properties of A1GaN/GaN heterostructures. Compared with the slight strain relaxation found in A1GaN barrier layer without cap layer, it is found that a thin cap layer can induce considerable changes of strain state in the A1GaN barrier layer. The degree of relaxation of the A1GaN layer significantly influences the transport properties of the two-dimensional electron gas （2DEG） in A1GaN/GaN heterostructures. It is observed that electron mobility decreases with the increasing degree of relaxation of the A1GaN barrier, which is believed to be the main cause of the deterioration of crystalline quality and morphology on the A1GaN/GaN interface. On the other hand, both GaN and A1N cap layers lead to a decrease in 2DEC density. The reduction of 2DEG caused by the GaN cap layer may be attributed to the additional negative polarization charges formed at the interface between CaN and A1GaN, while the reduction of the piezoelectric effect in the A1GaN layer results in the decrease of 2DEC density in the case of A1N cap layer.
