Enhanced breakdown voltage and dynamic performance of GaN HEMTs with AlN/GaN superlattice buffer

Abstract The characteristics of an AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor buffer structure are studied and optimized by employing an AlN/GaN superlattice (SL) structure. Through vertical leakage analysis and back-gate measurement, combined with Silvaco-TCAD simulation, the influence of buffer trapson the carrier transport behaviors and electrical performance for SL buffer structures under a high electric field is analyzed. The AlN/GaN SL buffer structures are further optimized with various AlN/GaN thickness ratios and their total thickness through both simulation and experimental studies. As a result, a high breakdown voltage of up to 1.3 kV with a maximum breakdown electric field of 2.8 MV cm −1 has been achieved. Moreover, the buffer trapping effect is dramatically suppressed, leading to a minimum drop of channel current for the optimized sample, in which donor traps are found to play a positive role in the device dynamic characteristics.