The Effect of the Barrier Layer on the Uniformity of the Transport Characteristics of AlGaN/GaN Heterostructures on HR-Si(111)

Micromachines (Basel). 2024 Apr 16;15(4):536. doi: 10.3390/mi15040536.

Abstract

The high transport characteristics of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures are critical components for high-performance electronic and radio-frequency (RF) devices. We report the transport characteristics of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures grown on a high-resistivity (HR) Si(111) substrate, which are unevenly distributed in the central and edge regions of the wafer. The relationship between the composition, stress, and polarization effects was discussed, and the main factors affecting the concentration and mobility of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) were clarified. We further demonstrated that the mechanism of changes in polarization intensity and scattering originates from the uneven distribution of Al composition and stress in the AlGaN barrier layer during the growth process. Furthermore, our results provide an important guide on the significance of accomplishing 6 inch AlGaN/GaN HEMT with excellent properties for RF applications.

Keywords: AlGaN/GaN heterostructures; high-resistivity silicon; polarization effect; transport characteristics; uniformity.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Central Funds Guiding the Local Science and Technology Development Project of Hubei Province, China (grant No. 2022BFE001), and the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, China (grant No. 2022CFB904).