【Device Papers】Performance Analysis of an Enhancement Mode Operated AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT Device with Ga₂O₃ as a Back Barrier

      Researchers from the Bannari Amman Institute of Technology have published a dissertation titled "Performance Analysis of an Enhancement Mode Operated AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT Device with Ga₂O₃ as a Back Barrier" in International Conference on Devices, Circuits and Systems (ICDCS).

Abstract:

      Rapid technological advancements over the past decade have propelled gallium oxide to the forefront of ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor technologies, owing to its favorable intrinsic material properties. In this work, we propose an enhancement mode-operated recessed gate AlGaN MIS-HEMT device structure with Ga₂O₃ as a back barrier. Ga₂O₃ ’s wide bandgap reduces trapping states near the semiconductor interface, improving carrier transport and leading to increased saturation current and transconductance. The use of a β-Ga₂O₃ back-barrier layer in the device creates a potential well that enhances carrier concentration and improves electron mobility, resulting in higher sheet charge density. In this work, we compared a MIS-HEMT device featuring a Ga₂O₃ back barrier with a conventional MIS-HEMT structure with AlGaN as the back barrier and analyze the DC and RF characteristics. Numerical results of the proposed Al 0.15 Ga 0.85 N/GaN/Ga₂O₃ obtained from TCAD simulations show that an I_ds of 0.84 A/mm, V_BD of 1012 V, R ON of 6.45 ohm.mm, f_t of 34 GHz, f_max of 84 GHz, g_m of 0.25 S/mm and V_TH of 3.02 V is obtained. The results obtained indicate that incorporating Ga₂O₃ as a back barrier, optimizing layer thickness, and employing a recessed gate structure collectively improve the DC and RF characteristics of the device, rendering it suitable for high-frequency and high-power applications.

DOI： 

doi.org/10.1109/ICDCS59278.2024.10560700