Electron tunneling spectroscopy study of electrically active traps in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Journal Article · Mon Nov 25 00:00:00 EST 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4834698· OSTI ID:22253966

Yang, Jie; Cui, Sharon; Ma, T. P. ^[1]; Hung, Ting-Hsiang; Nath, Digbijoy; Krishnamoorthy, Sriram; Rajan, Siddharth ^[2]

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1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520 (United States)
2. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)

We investigate the energy levels of electron traps in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors by the use of electron tunneling spectroscopy. Detailed analysis of a typical spectrum, obtained in a wide gate bias range and with both bias polarities, suggests the existence of electron traps both in the bulk of AlGaN and at the AlGaN/GaN interface. The energy levels of the electron traps have been determined to lie within a 0.5 eV band below the conduction band minimum of AlGaN, and there is strong evidence suggesting that these traps contribute to Frenkel-Poole conduction through the AlGaN barrier.

• OSTI ID: 22253966
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 22; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
ELECTRON MOBILITY
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELECTRONS
ENERGY LEVELS
GALLIUM NITRIDES
TRANSISTORS
TRAPS