GaN-on-silicon high electron mobility transistors with blocking voltage of 3 kV

A three-terminal breakdown voltage over 3 kV is reported on AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown on silicon (Si) (111) substrate with a buffer thickness of 5.5 μm. The breakdown voltage of the 1.5 × 50 μm² devices has been improved by more than 200% by applying a local substrate removal all around the drain of the transistors in order to suppress the parasitic substrate conduction phenomenon. This establishes a new record breakdown voltage for GaN-on-silicon lateral power devices while maintaining a low specific on-resistance of about 10 mΩ · cm².