Breakdown voltage improvement in strained InGaAlAs/GaAs FETs

Author

Eisenbeiser, K.W. ; East, Jack R. ; Singh, Jasprit ; Li, W. ; Haddad, G.I.

Author_Institution

Center for High Frequency Microelectron., Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

13

Issue

8

fYear

1992

Firstpage

421

Lastpage

423

Abstract

GaAs MESFETs with a surface layer of pseudomorphic InGaAlAs have been fabricated. The compressive strain and wide bandgap in the InGaAlAs layer reduce the impact ionization rate in this layer and improve the breakdown voltage of the device. A 1 mu m*75 mu m gate device with the pseudomorphic surface layer showed an improvement in gate-to-drain breakdown of over 55% and an improvement in channel breakdown of 50% as compared to a similar device without the pseudomorphic layer. Both devices had a peak transconductance of about 190 mS/mm and a saturation current of about 265 mA/mm.<>

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; Schottky gate field effect transistors; aluminium compounds; electric breakdown of solids; gallium arsenide; impact ionisation; indium compounds; semiconductor device testing; 190 mS; 265 mA; InGaAlAs-GaAs; MESFETs; breakdown voltage; channel breakdown; compressive strain; gate-to-drain breakdown; impact ionization rate; peak transconductance; pseudomorphic surface layer; saturation current; wide bandgap; Capacitive sensors; Conducting materials; Electrons; Gallium arsenide; Impact ionization; Lifting equipment; MESFETs; Microwave FETs; Photonic band gap; Substrates;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/55.192778

Filename

192778