High electron mobility transistor

Details High electron mobility transistor High electron mobility transistor

2001-02-08

2003-04-29

Fourson, George (Department: 2823)

Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode

Heterojunction device

Field effect transistor

Reexamination Certificate

active

06555851

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-094574, filed Mar. 30, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), more particularly to a GaN-based HEMT.
It is strongly expected that a nitrogen-compound field-effect transistor using GaN serves as a power element to be operated at a high power and at a high frequency. The nitrogen-compound field-effect transistors which have been proposed are a Schottky gate field-effect transistor, MESFET (metal semiconductor field-effect transistor), HEMT or MODFET (modulated doped field-effect transistor), and MISFET (metal insulator semiconductor field-effect transistor). Of them, a GaN-based HEMT employing Al
x
Ga
(1-X)
N as an electron supply layer is considered as a promising high power element since an electron concentration can be rendered higher than that of the GaAs-based HEMT. However, a conventional GaN-based HEMT has a problem in that a kink phenomenon sometimes occurs in the drain-current/voltage characteristics. If the kink phenomenon occurs, a power-added efficiency decreases in a large signal operation performed at a high frequency. The power-added efficiency &eegr; is defined as &eegr;=(Pout−Pin)/VdId, wherein Pout is an output power, Pin is an input power, Vd is a supply voltage and Id is a drain current. In addition, the distortion increases and the linearity deteriorates.
Now, the reason why the kink phenomenon occurs in the GaN-based HEMT will be explained.
FIG. 1
is a schematic cross-sectional view of the GaN-based HEMT according to a first conventional example. In
FIG. 1
, reference numerals
11
,
12
,
13
,
14
, and
15
denote a GaN electron accumulation layer, Al
x
Ga
(1-x)
N spacer layer, n-type Al
x
Ga
(1-x)
N electron supply layer, Al
x
Ga
(1-x)
N cap layer, and a sapphire substrate, respectively. Furthermore, a gate electrode
16
is formed on the cap layer
14
, while a source electrode
17
and a drain electrode
18
are formed on the electron supply layer
13
.
In the GaN-based HEMT according to the first conventional example, when a drain voltage increases to raise the intensity of the electric field within the electron accumulation layer
11
, a current of electrons flows through a strong electric field region between the source electrode
17
and the drain electrode
18
. As a result, pairs
22
of electrons and holes are generated by impact ionization within the electron accumulation layer
11
. The electrons thus generated flow into the drain electrode
18
, increasing the drain current a little. However, the effect of the increased drain current is small. On the other hand, the generated holes
23
are accumulated in a lower portion of the electron accumulating layer
11
as shown in the figure, due to the absence of the electrode for absorbing the holes. The potential of the electron accumulation layer therefore decreases, with the result that the drain current substantially increases in a drain-current saturation region of a graph showing the drain current/voltage characteristics. The drain current significantly increased in this way causes the kink phenomenon shown in FIG.
2
.
FIG. 3
is a schematic cross-sectional view of a GaAs-based HEMT according to a second conventional example.
Reference numerals
11
′,
12
′,
13
′,
14
′, and
15
′ of
FIG. 3
are a GaAs electron accumulation layer, Al
x
Ga
(1-X)
As spacer layer, n-type Al
x
Ga
(1-x)
As electron supply layer, Al
x
Ga
(1-x)
As cap layer, and GaAs substrate, respectively. Furthermore, a gate electrode
16
′ is formed on the cap layer
14
′, while a source electrode
17
′ and a drain electrode
18
′ are formed on the electron supply layer
13
′.
In the GaAs-based HEMT according to the second conventional example pairs
22
of electrons and holes are also generated in the electron accumulation layer
11
′ by the impact ionization as described in the first conventional example. However, most of the holes are absorbed by the gate electrode as shown in FIG.
3
. Therefore, the holes are not accumulated in the electron accumulation layer
11
′. As a result, the kink phenomenon, a problem of the GaN-based HEMT of the first conventional example, does not occur in the GaAs-based HEMT in the second conventional example.
The big difference of the GaN-based HEMT of the first conventional example from the GaAs-based HEMT of the second conventional example resides in that a large amount of piezoelectric polarization charges
21
are generated in a hetero-junction interface in the former GaN-based HEMT. This is because the ratio between GaN and Al
x
Ga
(1-x)
N in lattice constant is larger than that between GaAs and Al
x
Ga
(1-x)
As by an order of magnitude.
When the hetero junction of the GaN layer and the AlGaN layer is formed, positive charges are accumulated in the AlGaN layer near the interface at a GaN-layer side, whereas negative charges are accumulated in the AlGaN layer near the interface at a gate-electrode side due to the piezoelectric polarization effect. As a result, most of the holes generated by the impact ionization are prevented from flowing into the gate electrode by the piezoelectric polarization charges (positive charges) accumulated in the AlGaN layer near the interface at the GaN layer side. The holes are therefore accumulated in the GaN electron accumulation layer, causing the kink phenomenon.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a compound-semiconductor-based high electron mobility transistor while preventing a kink phenomenon.
To attain the aforementioned object, the first aspect of the present invention provides a high electron mobility transistor comprising:
a GaN-based electron accumulation layer formed on a substrate;
an electron supply layer formed on the electron accumulation layer;
a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the electron supply layer and spaced from each other;
a gate electrode formed on the electron supply layer between the source and the drain electrode; and
a hole absorption electrode formed on the electron accumulation layer so as to be substantially spaced from the electron supply layer.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a high electron mobility transistor comprising:
an electron accumulation layer formed on a substrate;
an electron supply layer formed on the electron accumulation layer, for generating a piezoelectric polarization charge of 1×10
−7
C/cm
2
or more between the electron accumulating layer and the electron supply layer;
a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the electron supply layer and spaced from each other;
a gate electrode formed on the electron supply layer between the source and the drain electrode; and
a hole absorption electrode formed on the electron accumulation layer so as to be substantially spaced from the electron supply layer.
In the high electron mobility transistor, the hole absorption electrode, which is substantially isolated from the electron supply layer, may be formed spaced apart from the electron supply layer in such a manner that the hole absorption electrode is not electrically affected by the electron supply layer. However, it is preferable that the hole absorption electrode is completely isolated from the electron supply layer.
The high electron mobility transistor is preferably constituted as follows.
(1) The hole absorption electrode is formed on the electron accumulation layer via a semiconductor layer having a smaller bandgap width than that of the electron accumulation layer.
(2) The hole absorption electrode is formed on the electron accumulation layer via a p-type semiconductor layer.
(3) The hole absorption electrode is formed of the same material as the gate electrode.
(4) The source electrode is formed between the

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