Growth-Microstructure-Device Performance Correlations for III-nitride Optoelectronic and Power Devices on Sapphire and Silicon

Kalra, A and Rathkanthiwar, S and Remesh, N and Muralidharan, R and Nath, D and Raghavan, S (2020) Growth-Microstructure-Device Performance Correlations for III-nitride Optoelectronic and Power Devices on Sapphire and Silicon. In: 4th Electron Devices Technology and Manufacturing Conference, EDTM 2020 - Proceedings, 6-21 April 2020, Penang; Malaysia.

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Abstract

The talk will describe the defect-to-device performance correlations for optoelectronic and power devices on hetero-epitaxially grown III-nitride epi-layers on silicon and sapphire. While UV detectors and power electronic devices might seem far apart, we see similarities between the defect origins of dark current in the former and leakage currents in the latter. Both have their origins in crystal growth. The first part of the work focuses on the correlation between performance parameters of vertical deep-ultraviolet photodetectors on c-plane sapphire and the density of extended defects vis-à -vis screw and edge dislocations. Through a careful optimization of nucleation density on the growth surface, state-of-the-art crystalline quality AlN epi-layers were grown. This led to the realization of record performance 289 nm p-i-n photodiodes with zero-bias quantum efficiency of 92 , leakage current below 1 nA at 100 V and breakdown field in excess of 6 MV/cm. Performance of III-nitride power devices on silicon, on the other hand, was found to be more sensitive to structural defects such as surface pits as compared to dislocations. By utilizing a two-temperature growth technique which involved an AlN layer grown at high temperatures, a significant reduction in the pit density could be achieved. This resulted in three-orders of magnitude reduction in lateral as well as vertical leakage in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on silicon. To achieve a further reduction in the reverse leakage current and an enhancement in the device breakdown voltage, point defect control also becomes important. Carbon doping to reduce the background n-carrier concentration in the GaN epilayers is discussed as one of the possible approaches. Reduction of pit density and C-incorporation cumulatively led to the realization of 2 MV/cm vertical breakdown field in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on silicon. © 2020 IEEE.

Item Type:	Conference Paper
Publication:	4th Electron Devices Technology and Manufacturing Conference, EDTM 2020 - Proceedings
Publisher:	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Additional Information:	cited By 0; Conference of 4th Electron Devices Technology and Manufacturing Conference, EDTM 2020 ; Conference Date: 6 April 2020 Through 21 April 2020; Conference Code:161190
Keywords:	Aluminum gallium nitride; Aluminum nitride; Carrier concentration; Crystallization; Edge dislocations; Gallium nitride; High electron mobility transistors; III-V semiconductors; Leakage currents; Manufacture; Nitrides; Sapphire; Silicon, Algan/gan high electron-mobility transistors; Crystalline quality; Micro-structure Devices; Nucleation densities; Performance parameters; Power electronic devices; Reverse leakage current; Three orders of magnitude, Power HEMT
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering
Date Deposited:	18 Nov 2020 10:59
Last Modified:	18 Nov 2020 10:59
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/66924

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