Heterostructures of the materials system GaN/AlGaN/GaN were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on 6H-SiC substrates and high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were fabricated. For devices with large gate periphery an air bridge technology was developed for the drain contacts of the finger structure. The devices showed DC drain currents of more than 1 A/mm and values of the transconductance between 120 and 140 mS/mm. A power added efficiency of 41 % was measured on devices with a gate length of 1 µm at 2 GHz and 45 V drain bias. Power values of 8 W/mm were obtained. Devices with submicron gates exhibited power values of 6.1 W/mm (7 GHz) and 3.16 W/mm (25 GHz) respectively. The rf dispersion of the drain current is very low, although the devices were not passivated. / Heterostrukturen im Materialsystem GaN/AlGaN/GaN wurden mittels Molekularstrahlepitaxie auf 6H-SiC-Substraten gewachsen und High-Electron-Mobility-Transistoren (HEMTs) daraus hergestellt. Für Bauelemente mit großer Gateperipherie wurde eine Air-Bridge-Technik entwickelt, um die Drainkontakte der Fingerstruktur zu verbinden. Die Bauelemente zeigten Drainströme von mehr als 1 A/mm und Steilheiten zwischen 120 und 140 mS/mm. An Transistoren mit Gatelängen von 1 µm konnten Leistungswirkungsgrade (Power Added Efficiency) von 41 % (bei 2 GHz und 45 V Drain-Source-Spannung) sowie eine Leistung von 8 W/mm erzielt werden. Bauelemente mit Gatelängen im Submikrometerbereich zeigten Leistungswerte von 6,1 W/mm (7 GHz) bzw. 3,16 W/mm (25 GHz). Die Drainstromdispersion ist sehr gering, obwohl die Bauelemente nicht passiviert wurden.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第18948号 / 工博第3990号 / 新制||工||1614(附属図書館) / 31899 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科電子工学専攻 / (主査)教授 川上 養一, 教授 野田 進, 教授 木本 恒暢 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

III-Nitride semiconductor materials have garnered significant attention among researchers due to their diverse applications stemming from their remarkable electrical and optical properties. This present thesis encompasses theoretical investigations conducted on InAlN and AlGaN for the purpose of designing light-emitting diodes (LEDs), along with experimental characterization experiments on BGaN thin films. The primary objective of this research is to delve deeply into the optoelectronic applications of InAlN and analyze the current state of BGaN. Theoretical studies were carried out on InAlN-based deep-ultraviolet (DUV) LEDs, with a particular focus on elucidating the polarization properties exhibited by this material when combined with AlGaN. Additionally, an estimation of the band alignment of this system was included, taking into account the available reported data. The intention behind this work is to underscore the importance of designing novel optoelectronic devices that incorporate ternary-to-ternary heterointerfaces. However, it is crucial to carefully consider both the advantages and disadvantages of such interfaces in terms of carrier injection efficiency and radiative efficiency. The experimental section of this thesis entailed the fabrication and characterization of BGaN thin films. A comprehensive understanding and development of this material are essential, as boron-alloys have garnered attention due to their unique properties. Nevertheless, there have been reports of epitaxial complications and theoretical limits associated with these alloys. In this section, we present the characteristics of the first conductive memory-effect-obtained p-type BGaN, doped with magnesium. Although the characterization of the reported samples includes techniques such as HRXRD, AFM, SEM, Hall, CTLM, SIMS, and CL, it is important to note that a more profound fundamental study is still underway. The relevance of this work can be summarized into two key aspects: Firstly, it provides valuable insights and descriptions of novel heterojunctions for ultraviolet LEDs from a physics perspective. Secondly, it contributes to material advancements in the pursuit of developing new ternary-alloys, offering a material science perspective.

Zur Ermittlung der Zuverlässigkeit von leistungselektronischen Bauelementen sind eine Reihe von Testverfahren etabliert. In Lastwechseltests ist die Temperatur der dominierende Parameter für bekannte Lebensdauermodelle. Aufgrund des Aufbaus und der Eigenschaften von AlGaN/GaN-Bauelementen ist es notwendig, neue Methoden zur Temperaturbestimmung zu etablieren. Die Untersuchungen berücksichtigen dabei verschiedene Bauteilkonzepte. Dazu gehören High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT) mit Schottky/p-Gate, für die eine Verwendung des Gateleckstromes als temperatursensitiver elektrischer Parameter (TSEP) untersucht und zur Temperaturbestimmung empfohlen wird. Für Gate Injection Transistors (GIT) wird ein ähnlicher Ansatz verfolgt. Aufgrund der Gatestruktur dieser stromgesteuerten Bauelemente wird vorgeschlagen, den vorhandenen pn-Übergang am Gate des GIT HEMT unter Verwendung der Gate-Source-Spannung als TSEP zu nutzen. In beiden Fällen erreichen die temperatursensitiven Parameter eine Messauflösung, die mindestens der des pn-Übergangs bei Si-Bauelementen entspricht. Im Lastwechseltest bestimmt im Wesentlichen die verwendete Aufbau- und Verbindungstechnik außerhalb des diskreten Packages die mögliche Zyklenzahl. Werden SMD-Bauelemente auf PCB gelötet, dominiert die Lotverbindung zwischen Bauteil und PCB den Ausfall. Durch ein neues Aufbaukonzept mit in Module gesinterten AlGaN/GaN Packages sind Zyklenzahlen möglich, die bis Faktor 10 über dem Erwartungswert für vergleichbare Si-Bauelemente mit Standard AVT liegen.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Les HEMT à base de nitrure de gallium sont des composants très prometteurs en termes de performances en puissance et de fréquence de travail. L'enjeu est donc de développer des technologies performantes et fiables, afin d'intégrer ces transistors aux systèmes hyperfréquences, notamment dans le domaine des télécommunications, et en milieu durci. Les travaux ont été focalisés sur l'étude de la localisation des sources de bruit en excès aux basses fréquences, et de leur évolution suite aux phases de tests de vieillissement accéléré. Les caractérisations électriques ont été réalisées sur des structures fabriquées sur quatre plaques, dont trois sont basées sur une hétérostructure AlGaN/GaN, et la quatrième sur l'hétérostructure AlInN/AlN/GaN. Les résultats obtenus ont permis de valider une méthode de modélisation des sources de bruit en 1/f, localisées dans les zones d'accès aux contacts ohmiques et dans le canal. Des tests de vieillissement accéléré sous contraintes électriques ont permis de détecter des dégradations des performances statiques et du niveau de bruit en excès. Les effets combinés de piégeage et des effets thermiques expliquent ces dégradations, la température s'en étant révélée un facteur d'accélération. / The HEMT based on GaN materials are very promising, speaking of performance in power and frequency. The challenge is to develop efficient and reliable GaN based technologies, to intagrate these transistors to power microwave circuits, especially in the telecommunications field and on harsh environment. The work was focused on the study of the location of low frequency noise sources, and their evolution after accelerated life tests. The electrical characterizations were performed on structures made on four different wafers, three based on the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure, and the fourth based on the AlInN/AlN/GaN heterostructure. Thanks to the achieved results, a method for modeling 1/f noise sources, located in the channel and in the ohmic contacts access areas, has been validated. Life tests under electrical stress have been performed to detect DC and excess noise degradation. These degradations are explained by combined effects of trapping and thermal phenomena, with the temperature as an acceleration factor of degradation.

Designs for deep ultraviolet (DUV) edge emitting laser diodes (LDs) based on the wurtzite III-nitride (III-N) material system are presented. A combination of proprietary and commercial advanced semiconductor LD simulation software is used to study the operation of III-N based DUV LDs theoretically. Critical factors limiting device performance are identified based on an extensive literature survey. A comprehensive design parameter space is investigated thoroughly with the help of advanced scripting capabilities. Several design strategies are proposed to eliminate the critical problems completely or partially. A DUV LD design is proposed based exclusively on AlInN active layers grown epitaxially on bulk AlN substrates because AlInN offers a promising alternative to AlGaN for the realization of LDs and LEDs operating in the DUV regime. The proposed AlInN-based design also features a tapered electron blocking layer (EBL) instead of a homogeneous one. Tapered EBLs redistribute the interfacial polarization charge volumetrically throughout the entire EBL thickness via compositional grading, and eliminate the parasitic inversion layer charge. AlGaN based DUV LD designs are explored also because at present, it may be difficult to grow AlInN epitaxially with superior crystalline quality. Polarization charge matching is proposed to improve electron and hole wavefunction overlap within the active region. Although the strategy of polarization charge matching has already been proposed in the literature to enhance performance of visible wavelength LEDs and LDs, the proposed design presents the first demonstration that polarization charge matching is also feasible for DUV LDs operating at sub-300 nm wavelengths. A lateral current injection (LCI) LD design is proposed featuring polarization-charge-matched barriers and regrown Ohmic contacts to avoid a group of issues related to the highly inefficient p-type doping of wide bandgap III-N materials in vertical injection designs. The proposed design partially decouples the problem of electrical injection from that of optical confinement. Although the idea of an LCI LD design has been proposed in the literature in the 90s to be used as longer wavelength active sources in optoelectronic integrated circuits using GaInAsP/InP and related material systems, the proposed design is the first theoretical demonstration that this concept can be applied to DUV LDs based on III-N material system. To solve the problem of hole transport in vertical injection designs, a DUV LD design based exclusively on AlGaN material system is presented, featuring an inverse-tapered p-waveguide layer instead of an EBL. Several EBL designs are investigated, and compared with conventionally-tapered EBL design. Through judicious volumetric redistribution of fixed negative polarization charge, inverse tapering may be exploited to achieve nearly flat valence band profiles free from barriers to hole injection into the active region, in contrast to conventional designs. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the inverse tapered strategy is a viable solution for efficient hole injection in vertical injection DUV LDs operating at shorter wavelengths (< 290 nm).