Recent progress of GaN electronic devices for wireless communication system

We report a current status of high-power GaN HEMTs for high-power and high-efficiency amplifiers with higher efficiency by 5% especially at a backed-off region than the conventional GaN HEMTs. First, we introduce our specific device structure GaN HEMT with dispersion-free I-V characteristics, low Idsq-drift and high reliability. Record average drain efficiency of over 50% and linear gain of 17.2 dB were obtained at an output power of 45 dBm and 2.5 GHz. Next, we discuss their reliability with high-temperature life tests resulting in their estimated life of over 1 x 106 hours at Tj of 200 °C. High-k insulated gate HEMTs using Ta2O5 were also developed. Finally, we describe the next generation GaN HEMTs for millimeter-wave applications.

[1]  Naoki Hara,et al.  AlGaN/GaN Power HEMTs Using Surface-Charge-Controlled Structure with Recessed Ohmic Technique , 2003 .

[2]  Naoki Hara,et al.  High‐fmax GaN HEMT with high breakdown voltage over 100 V for millimeter‐wave applications , 2007 .

[3]  M. Kanamura,et al.  Highly uniform AlGaN/GaN power HEMT on a 3-inch conductive N-SiC substrate for wireless base station application , 2005, IEEE Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symposium, 2005. CSIC '05..

[4]  M. Kanamura,et al.  An over 100 W n-GaN/n-AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT power amplifier for wireless base station applications , 2005, IEEE InternationalElectron Devices Meeting, 2005. IEDM Technical Digest..

[5]  N. Hara,et al.  Surface-charge controlled AlGaN/GaN-power HFET without current collapse and gm dispersion , 2001, International Electron Devices Meeting. Technical Digest (Cat. No.01CH37224).

[6]  K. Joshin,et al.  High power and high gain AlGaN/GaN MIS‐HEMTs with high‐k dielectric layer , 2008 .

[7]  Y.-F. Wu,et al.  8-watt GaN HEMTs at millimeter-wave frequencies , 2005, IEEE InternationalElectron Devices Meeting, 2005. IEDM Technical Digest..

[8]  Toshiaki Matsui,et al.  30-nm-gate AlGaN/GaN MIS-HFETs with 180 GHz fT , 2006, 2006 64th Device Research Conference.

[9]  Andrei Vescan,et al.  Field-Plated 0.25-μm Gate-Length AlGaN/GaN HEMTs With Varying Field-Plate Length , 2006 .

[10]  T. Suzuki,et al.  Improvement of circuit-speed of HEMTs IC by reducing the parasitic capacitance , 2003, IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting 2003.

[11]  M. Kanamura.  An Over 100 W n-GaN/n-AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT Power Amplifier for W-CDMA Base Station Applications , 2005 .

[12]  K. Makiyama,et al.  Degradation-Mode Analysis for Highly Reliable GaN-HEMT , 2007, 2007 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[13]  Y. Okamoto,et al.  30-GHz-band over 5-W power performance of short-channel AlGaN/GaN heterojunction FETs , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.