High Temperature Operation of A New Normally-Off AlGaN/GaN HFET on Si Substrate

ABSTRACTWe report on the novel normally-off AlGaN/p-type GaN heterojunction field effect transistors (HFETs). We grew the AlGaN/p-GaN heterostructure on p-type Si (111) substrate using a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). A homogeneous buffer layer was first formed on a Si (111) substrate at 1123 K. After that, AlGaN (30 nm)/high resistive p-type GaN (500 nm) heterostructure was also grown at 1303 K without cracking. We fabricated an HFET using AlGaN/p-type GaN on Si substrate. The ohmic electrode material was Al/Ti/Au and the gate electrode was Pt/Au. The distance between the source and the drain was 0.01 mm. The gate length and width were 2000 nm and 0.15 mm, respectively. As a result, the HFET was operated at the condition of the positive gate bias. The pinch-off voltage was 0 V. A normally-off operation was thus confirmed for the first time. The breakdown voltage of FET was over 250 V. We also confirmed that the normally-off HFET was operated at 573 K for over 150 h.