Temperature dependence and thermal stability of planar-integrated enhancement/depletion-mode AlGan/GaN HEMTs and digital circuits

Abstract We report detailed results on the temperature dependence and thermal stability of the planar-integrated enhancement/depletion-mode (E/D-mode) AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Compared to the standard mesa etching technique, the plasma treatment can achieve the same device isolation results. The E/D-mode HEMTs and the corresponding digital integrated circuits fabricated by the planar process exhibit stable operation from room temperature up to 350 °C. No degradation in device performance was observed after a 140-h thermal stress at 350 °C, implying excellent thermal stability of the planar process. The direct-coupled FET logic inverter, realized by planar-integration of E/D-mode HEMTs, presents larger noise margins (NM S ) at high temperatures than the previously reported work, demonstrating promising potential for GaN-based high-temperature digital ICs. The NM improvement can be attributed to the higher threshold voltage and the improved gate turn-on voltage of the E-mode HEMTs that is achieved with larger plasma treatment dose.

[1]  I. Adesida,et al.  Fabrication and characterization of an InAlAs/InGaAs/InP ring oscillator using integrated enhancement- and depletion-mode high-electron mobility transistors , 1997, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[2]  R. Zucca,et al.  Planar GaAs IC technology: Applications for digital LSI , 1978 .

[3]  Baoshun Zhang,et al.  Enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on silicon substrate , 2006 .

[4]  K. Lau,et al.  Monolithic integration of enhancement-and depletion-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs for GaN digital integrated circuits , 2005, IEEE InternationalElectron Devices Meeting, 2005. IEDM Technical Digest..

[5]  Zhenchuan Yang,et al.  High-Temperature Operation of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Direct-Coupled FET Logic (DCFL) Integrated Circuits , 2007, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[6]  E. Kohn,et al.  Evaluation of the temperature stability of AlGaN/GaN heterostructure FETs , 1999, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[7]  Yugang Zhou,et al.  High-performance enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs using fluoride-based plasma treatment , 2005, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[8]  T. Egawa,et al.  Characterizations of recessed gate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on sapphire , 2001 .

[9]  Adele E. Schmitz,et al.  GaN enhancement/depletion-mode FET logic for mixed signal applications , 2005 .

[10]  F. Ren,et al.  Oxygen implant isolation of n-GaN field-effect transistor structures , 1999 .

[11]  Steven C. Binari,et al.  H, He, and N implant isolation of n‐type GaN , 1995 .

[12]  John C. Zolper,et al.  Ion implantation doping and isolation of GaN , 1995 .

[13]  T. Egawa,et al.  Highly resistive GaN layers formed by ion implantation of Zn along the c axis , 2003 .

[14]  P. Neudeck,et al.  High-temperature electronics - a role for wide bandgap semiconductors? , 2002, Proc. IEEE.

[15]  C. Gaquiere,et al.  Can InAlN/GaN be an alternative to high power / high temperature AlGaN/GaN devices? , 2006, 2006 International Electron Devices Meeting.

[16]  Yugang Zhou,et al.  Control of Threshold Voltage of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs by Fluoride-Based Plasma Treatment: From Depletion Mode to Enhancement Mode , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[17]  J. Zolper.  Ion implantation in group III-nitride semiconductors: a tool for doping and defect studies , 1997 .

[18]  J. M. Mikkelson,et al.  High-density GaAs integrated circuit manufacturing , 2003 .

[19]  P. M. Asbeck,et al.  P/He ion implant isolation technology for AlGaN/GaN HFETs , 1998 .

[20]  Naoki Kobayashi,et al.  High-temperature electron transport properties in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures , 2001 .

[21]  Yong Cai,et al.  Monolithically Integrated Enhancement/Depletion-Mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT Inverters and Ring Oscillators Using$hboxCF_4$Plasma Treatment , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[22]  Stephen I. Long,et al.  Gallium arsenide digital integrated circuit design , 1990 .

[23]  R. Kirschman,et al.  High temperature electronics , 1998 .

[24]  Yong Cai,et al.  Enhancement-Mode$hboxSi_3hboxN_4hbox/AlGaN/GaN$MISHFETs , 2006, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[25]  A. Vescan,et al.  12 W/mm AlGaN-GaN HFETs on silicon substrates , 2004, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[26]  Raman characterization of Mg+ ion-implanted GaN , 2004 .

[27]  Kevin J. Chen,et al.  Persistent photoconductivity and carrier transport in AlGaN∕GaN heterostructures treated by fluorine plasma , 2008 .

[28]  Yong Cai,et al.  Planar integration of E/D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs using fluoride-based plasma treatment , 2006, IEEE Electron Device Letters.