Materials Science Forum Vol. 1014

Abstract: Broadband ultraviolet (BUV) photodetectors are widely used in military and civil fields. A high performance BUV photodetector based on graphene/β-Ga₂O₃/GaN heterojunction is proposed and realized by semiconductor micro-fabrication techniques in this paper. The β-Ga₂O₃ and GaN films are grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and the graphene is also used as a transparent electrode. The device exhibits a broad response band from 230 nm to 368 nm with responsivity exceeding 0.4A/W at -5 V bias voltage and a peak responsivity of 0.53 A/W at 256 nm. These performances can be attributed to the internal gain mechanism of graphene/β-Ga₂O₃/GaN heterojunction and the optical properties of graphene. Our work provides an efficient method to realize a high-performance BUV photodetector for photoelectric applications.

Abstract: A novel process is developed for minority carrier lifetime enhancement in ultra-high 4H-SiC PiN diodes. It comprises two separate processes. Firstly, the ultra-thick epitaxial grown drift layer (200μm) covered with a protective thin carbon film is subject to a 1500°C high-temperature anneal process in Ar atmosphere for 2 hours. Secondly, a surface passivation process is adopted to reduce the surface recombination rate. μ-PCD tests show that after high-temperature anneal, the thick drift layer shows a minority carrier lifetime increase to about 1.6 μs. PiN diodes based on the novel process are fabricated and their electric characteristics are measured. Results show a low specific on-resistance of 16.3 mΩ·cm² at 25°C and 14 mΩ·cm² at 125 °C. Compared with simulation results, it is shown that its effective minority carrier lifetime increase to about 5μs .Our study demonstrates that the developed novel process is effective in minority carrier lifetime enhancement in ultra-voltage 4H-SiC PiN diodes.

Abstract: The effect of the field oxidation process on the electrical characteristics of 6500V 4H-SiC JBS diodes is studied. The oxide thickness and field plate length have an effect on the reverse breakdown voltage of the SiC JBS diode. According the simulation results, we choose the optimal thickness of the oxide layer and field plate length of the SiC JBS diode. Two different field oxide deposition processes, which are plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), are compared in our paper. When the reverse voltage is 6600V, the reverse leakage current of SiC JBS diodes with the field oxide layer obtained by LPCVD process is 0.7 μA, which is 60% lower than that of PECVD process. When the forward current is 25 A, the forward voltage of SiC JBS diodes with the field oxide layer obtained by LPCVD process is 3.75 V, which is 10% higher than that of PECVD process. There should be a trade-off between the forward and reverse characteristics in the actual high power and high temperature applications.

Abstract: As a key part of the RF PA system, VRM (Voltage-Regulate-Modulator), whose main role is to offer pulse voltage for RF power transistor, is often slighted. As a result, VRM has been a restraining factor now. In order to realize the needs of high speed and high frequency, a new method based on enhancement mode GaN HEMT of designing VRM is proposed in this paper. By using this method, the rise time and fall time of VRM could be as about 10ns with the peak voltage 75V and the peak current 150A, which is quite suitable for driving high voltage and high power GaN-based RF power transistor.

Abstract: Hetero-structure of Al_xGa_1-xN/GaN exhibits important applications in high frequency and large power devices. In this paper, AlN/GaN is adopted to optimal design the large power impact avalanche transit time (IMPATT) and mixed tunneling avalanche transit time (MITATT) diodes operating at the atmospheric low loss window frequency of 0.85 THz. The static state and large signal characteristics of the devices are numerically simulated. The values of peak electric field strength, break-down voltage, avalanche voltage, the maximum generation rates of avalanche and tunneling, admittance-frequency relation, output power, conversion efficiency, quality factor of the proposed hetero-structural IMPATT and MITATT diodes are calculated, respectively. Via comparing the obtained results of (n)AlN/(p)GaN and (n)GaN/(p)AlN IMPATT diodes to those of the MITATT counterparts, there exists little performance difference between IMPATT and MITATT devices while implies significant difference between the (n)AlN/(p)GaN and (n)GaN/(p)AlN diodes.

Abstract: The simulation, fabrication and measurement of the high-voltage H-bridge SiC diode module is reported. The SiC module is consisted with 8 self-designed 3.3 kV30 A SiC Schottky diodes (SBDs), in which each bridge arm is connected by double SBD chips to achieve 60A current. Q3D is used to establish simulation model and make network division of the module. Two parasitic parameters, parasitic inductor and circuit resistance, are extracted from the circuits, which are about 37.5 nH and 1.9 mΩ, respectively. By establishing the geometric model and finite element model, finite element analysis software ANSYS is used to calculate steady-state thermal conduction, and the temperature gradient distribution of the formed chips. The results show that the maximum junction temperature of the chip is about 100°C, and the distribution of the temperature field is reasonable. As the lateral conduction of heat increases the effective heat dissipation area, there is no obvious concentration of heat. Under the condition of the test at room temperature and static, the module voltage drop is about 2.1 V, the leakage current is less than 5 uA, and the breakdown voltage is more than 3700 V, respectively. The fabricated 3300 V devices exhibit large safety margin. The insulation voltage exceeds 7000V, thus ensure the safety of the system. The thermal resistance of the chip is about 0.21 K/W, which is basically consistent with the simulation results.