Search

Effective interface engineering techniques in III-nitride heterojunction power devices, aiming at yielding high VTH stability in insulated-gate devices and suppressed current collapse in high-voltage switching operation, are of critical significance to enhance device performance and reliability. In this work, we present an interface enhancement technology featuring in situ low-damage NH3/Ar/N2 pre-gate plasma treatment prior to the ALD-Al2O3 deposition for high-performance III-nitride MIS-HEMTs. It is manifest that this technology can effectively remove the native oxide while forming a monocrystal-like nitridation interfacial-layer (NIL) on the III-nitride surface. The Al2O3(NIL)/GaN/AlGaN/GaN MIS-heterostructures with high-quality interface exhibit well-behaved electrical characteristics, including a small subthreshold swing of ∼64 mV/dec, a small hysteresis of ∼0.09 V, tiny f/T dispersions in the C- V characteristics, and low interface trap density of ∼1 × 1012-6 × 1012 cm−2eV−1. Cross-sectional TEM micrograph of the Al2O3/III-nitride gate stack with a monocrystal-like nitridation interfacial-layer (NIL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

III-N devices are suitable for high power RF/microwave amplifier, high temperature electronics, and power switches applications, and the peripheral mixed-signal electronics with sensing, protection, and control functions could provide optimized performance, increased functionality, and enhanced reliability. This paper addresses the technology to discuss the technology options of implementing III-N mixed-signal circuits, and then reviews the recent progress in the expansion of design library, based on monolithically integrated enhancement/depletion (E/D)-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on GaN-on-silicon substrates. An integrated GaN proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) voltage source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]