Surface nitridation for improved dielectric/III‐nitride interfaces in GaN MIS‐HEMTs. Issue 5 (3rd December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Kevin J.; Yang, Shu; Tang, Zhikai; Huang, Sen; Lu, Yunyou; Jiang, Qimeng; Liu, Shenghou; Liu, Cheng; Li, Baikui
• Is Part Of: Physica status solidi. Volume 212:Issue 5(2015:May)
• Page Start: 1059
• Page End: 1065
• Publication Date: 2014-12-03
• Subjects: Solid state physics -- Periodicals; Solids -- Industrial applications -- Periodicals; 530.41
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201431712
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1862-6300

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="pssa201431712-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p>Effective interface engineering techniques in III‐nitride heterojunction power devices, aiming at yielding high <italic>V</italic><sub>TH</sub> stability in insulated‐gate devices and suppressed current collapse in high‐voltage switching operation, are of critical significance to enhance device performance and reliability. In this work, we present an interface enhancement technology featuring <italic>in situ</italic> low‐damage NH<sub>3</sub>/Ar/N<sub>2</sub> pre‐gate plasma treatment prior to the ALD‐Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> deposition for high‐performance III‐nitride MIS‐HEMTs. It is manifest that this technology can effectively remove the native oxide while forming a monocrystal‐like nitridation interfacial‐layer (NIL) on the III‐nitride surface. The Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>(NIL)/GaN/AlGaN/GaN MIS‐heterostructures with high‐quality interface exhibit well‐behaved electrical characteristics, including a small subthreshold swing of ∼64 mV/dec, a small hysteresis of ∼0.09 V, tiny <italic>f/T</italic> dispersions in the <italic>C</italic>–<italic>V</italic> characteristics, and low interface trap density of ∼1 × 10<sup>12</sup>–6 × 10<sup>12</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>eV<sup>−1</sup>. <inline-graphic xlink:href="ark:/27927/pgjmx5ns8w" content-type="pssa201431712-gra-0001" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" /></p> <p>Cross‐sectional TEM micrograph of the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/III‐nitride gate stack with a monocrystal‐like nitridation interfacial‐layer (NIL).</p> </sec> </abstract>