Temperature-dependence and microscopic origin of low frequency 1/f noise in GaN/AlGaN high electron mobility transistors

We have performed low frequency 1/f noise measurements from 85 K to 450 K to investigate the energy distribution of defects in GaN/AlGaN high electron mobility transistors fabricated in three different processes. The noise is well described by the model of P. Dutta and P. M. Horn, Rev. Mod. Phys. 53, 497 (1981). A peak in the defect energy distribution is observed at ∼0.2 eV for all device types investigated, which we attribute to the reconfiguration of an oxygen DX-like center in AlGaN. An additional peak at an energy >1 eV is observed for devices grown under nitrogen-rich conditions, which we attribute to the reconfiguration energy of negatively charged nitrogen antisites.

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