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Ultrawide-bandgap AlGaN-based HEMTs for high-power switching

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Abstract

The potential of AlGaN-based ultrawide-bandgap high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) with high (> 60%) Al composition for use in high-power switching applications is studied. The devices are simulated with a gate length of 2 µm, and their figures of merit are evaluated as functions of the gate-to-drain distance, operating temperature, and different substrates. At room temperature (RT), the maximum drain current, ID (at a gate voltage of VGS = 2 V), ION/IOFF ratio, threshold voltage, and subthreshold swing are found to be 219 mA/mm, ~ 109, −11.4 V, and 85 mV/decade, respectively, at a drain bias of VDS of 15 V for the device with LGD = 3.5 µm. The breakdown voltages are calculated as 396–830 V for the devices with gate-to-drain spacing LGD varying from 3.5 to 9.5 µm, respectively. The lowest OFF-state power dissipation of 0.73 nW/mm is found for the device with LGD = 3.5 µm at RT. The device also shows excellent behavior at high temperatures. The high-Al-content AlGaN-based HEMT with an AlN/sapphire substrate shows outstanding thermal stability and exhibits little thermal droop at high voltages. These results indicate that the structure proposed herein is an excellent choice for high-power switching devices.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Khulna, 9203, Bangladesh

    Arefin Ahamed Shuvo & Md. Rafiqul Islam

  2. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST), Jashore, 7408, Bangladesh

    Md. Tanvir Hasan

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  1. Arefin Ahamed Shuvo
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Shuvo, A.A., Islam, M.R. & Hasan, M.T. Ultrawide-bandgap AlGaN-based HEMTs for high-power switching. J Comput Electron 19, 1100–1106 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-020-01532-3

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