Barrier Electrostatics and Contact Engineering for Ultra-Wide Bandgap AlGaN HFETs

2025/09/19 by Shin, Seungheon, Cao, Can, Pratt, Jon +5 · 1 citation
#Applied Physics (physics.app-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)

paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2509.15715

Abstract

We report ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) AlGaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) exhibiting a high breakdown field (> 5.3 MV/cm) and a low contact resistance (~1.55 Ωmm), tailored for high-power radiofrequency applications. A split-doped barrier architecture, employing two distinct doping concentrations, is shown to enhance both the breakdown field and contact resistance. This design enables a state-of-the-art combination of maximum drain current (487 mA/mm) and breakdown field, along with a high cutoff frequency of 7.2 GHz. These results demonstrate a viable pathway to push device performance toward the material limits while minimizing contact resistance in UWBG AlGaN HFETs, paving the way for next-generation high-power, high-frequency applications.

Citations

• High Breakdown Electric Field (> 5 MV/cm) in UWBG AlGaN Transistors
• Heterostructure and Interfacial Engineering for Low-Resistance Contacts to Ultra-Wide Bandgap AlGaN

Cited by

• Scaled Ultra-Wide Bandgap AlGaN Polarization-Graded FET with Ultra-thin Buffer Layer

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