Monte Carlo modelling is a common technique in numerous fields, and is widely used in semiconductor device simulation. This thesis describes the application of Monte Carlo modelling to the simulation of Gunn diode devices, focusing on devices composed of Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Gallium Nitride (GaN). Gunn diodes are simple structures that take advantage of negative differential resistance to act as a source of high frequency radiation, from 10 GHz to over 100 GHz in GaAs devices. It has been theorised that GaN should exhibit negative differential resistance and a GaN Gunn diode could produce radiation of even higher frequency, within the terahertz band. Gunn diodes have the advantage of being cheap and portable, and so are worth exploring as such a source. Unfortunately, GaN devices have a high electron density and so they tend to generate heat quickly. It therefore becomes important to include modelling of heat generation and flow in simulations of these devices. This is uncommon in Monte Carlo models of Gunn diodes, as in less highly doped devices thermal effects can usually be assumed to result in the device reaching an equilibrium temperature of about 100 K above the ambient. This thesis describes the creation of a model to track the generation and distribution of heat during operation of a GaN device. Simulations found that thermal effects within the device were significant. Heat generation occurred to the extent that the device could only be operated in pulsed mode, with on pulses of 2 ns requiring 50 ns of cooling for sustainable operation. The increased temperature within the device also lead to deleterious changes in the Gunn diode's operating frequency. In the simulated device, a 150 K change in temperature lead to a decrease in operating frequency of 40 GHz, from an initial frequency of 280 GHz. At the end of 2 ns of operation, the mean temperature within the device had increased by 120 K. The high accidental doping level in GaN also means the use of a doping notch to act as a nucleation point for dipoles within a Gunn diode, a common technique in other materials, becomes less feasible. As an alternative to a notch, a device was simulated incorporating a doping spike to nucleate the dipole. The use of a doping spike is not novel, however its use in GaN has not been previously explored. Simulations found that a fully-depleted p-type doping notch of length 2.1 nm, doped at 1x1024 m-3 would act as a nucleation point for dipole operation. The device was compared to a simulated device incorporating a doping notch of width 0.25 µm doped at 0.5x1023 m-3 and found to operate at a similar frequency and RF efficiency, making it a viable substitute. One limitation of Gunn diodes is that when operated in transit-time mode, the operating frequency is determined by the length of the diode's transit region and so is well-defined and fixed. This means that traditional Gunn diodes are not as useful a source of radiation for spectroscopic applications as might be desirable. Recent experimental results for planar devices have shown a broadening in operation frequency and even multiple frequencies. This thesis explores the hypothesis that such a broadening might be achieved in a vertical structure via the incorporation of an additional notch into the Gunn diode's transit region, effectively incorporating two transit regions into the device. Results showed that this novel device structure did show multiple modes of operation. Under a DC applied voltage, the device showed spontaneous switching behaviour, oscillating between dipole and accumulation layer operation from the second notch. Changes in the frequency of an applied RF voltage would shift the device from operating from the first or second notch, in dipole and accumulation layer mode respectively.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:600042 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Macpherson, Ross Fraser |
| Publisher | University of Aberdeen |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=203872 |
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