Title :
High output conductance of InAlAs/InGaAs/InP MODFET due to weak impact ionization in the InGaAs channel
Author :
Zhou, G.-G. ; Fischer-Colbrie, A. ; Miller, J. ; Pao, Y.-C. ; Hughes, B. ; Studebaker, L. ; Harris, J.S., Jr.
Author_Institution :
Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Abstract :
InAlAs/InGaAs/InP MODFETs with short gatelength suffer from a high output conductance, G/sub 0/, and low breakdown voltage. In addition, the devices often show a kink effect in the I-V curve. The authors show by numerical calculations that weak impact ionization occurs in the In/sub .53/Ga/sub .47/As channel under relatively moderate fields. The high G/sub 0/ and the kink are mainly caused by mechanisms associated with weak impact ionization. The calculations also show that the low breakdown voltage of the device is caused by the drain-source breakdown in the InGaAs channel. The occurrence of the impact ionization process in the channel was experimentally verified by detection of photons from the device under moderate drain bias.<>
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; high electron mobility transistors; impact ionisation; indium compounds; semiconductor device models; I-V curve; In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As channel; InAlAs-InGaAs-InP; InP substrate; MODFETs; breakdown voltage; detection of photons; drain-source breakdown; kink effect; moderate fields; numerical calculations; output conductance; semiconductors; short gatelength; weak impact ionization; Buffer layers; Charge carrier processes; Electrons; Gallium arsenide; HEMTs; Impact ionization; Indium compounds; Indium gallium arsenide; Indium phosphide; MODFETs;
Conference_Titel :
Electron Devices Meeting, 1991. IEDM '91. Technical Digest., International
Conference_Location :
Washington, DC, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-0243-5
DOI :
10.1109/IEDM.1991.235456
