AlGaN /GaN superlattice based p-channel field effect transistor (pFET) with TMAH treatment

TL;DR

This paper reports the first AlGaN/GaN superlattice pFET with TMAH treatment, achieving high current modulation and improved performance for p-type III-nitride devices.

Contribution

It introduces a novel AlGaN/GaN superlattice pFET with TMAH treatment, demonstrating significant performance enhancements over previous p-type transistors.

Findings

TMAH treatment improves current modulation by five orders.

Maximum drain-source current increased to 4.5mA/mm with TMAH.

On-Resistance reduced to 2.2kΩ·mm with TMAH.

Abstract

To realize the full spectrum of advantages that the III-nitride materials system offers, the demonstration of p-channel III-nitride based devices is valuable. Authors report the first p-type field effect transistor (pFET) based on an AlGaN/GaN superlattice (SL), grown using MOCVD. Magnesium was used as the p-type dopant. A sheet resistance of 11.6 k{\Omega}/sq, and a contact resistance of 14.9{\Omega}.mm was determined using transmission line measurements (TLM) for a Mg doping of 1.5e19cm^-3 of Mg. Mobilities in the range of 7-10 cm\^2/Vs and a total sheet charge density in the range of 1e13-6e13 cm-2 were measured using room temperature Hall effect measurements. Without Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) treatment, the fabricated pFETs had a maximum drain-source current (IDS) of 3mA/mm and an On-Resistance (RON) of 3.48 k{\Omega}.mm, and did not turn-off completely. With TMAH treatment during fabrication, a maximum IDS of 4.5mA/mm, RON of 2.2k{\Omega}.mm, and five orders of current modulation was demonstrated, which is the highest achieved for a p-type transistor based on (Al,Ga)N.