Investigation of strain-engineering techniques for modification of the characteristics of FETs in polar III-nitride material system and analytical modeling of device peculiarities

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During the past decade, polar AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field effect transistors (HFETs) have been the focus of the device research community as alluring candidates for high power, high voltage microwave applications. High temperature stability and large breakdown voltage of wide-bandgap AlxGa1-xN material system, promote the applicability of AlGaN/GaN HFETs as vital candidates for switching applications under high-voltage/high-temperature conditions. In light of the growing demand for reliability improvement of the sensory equipment and surge in popularity of electric vehicles, power-prudent solid state electronic circuits capable of operating at temperature and voltage ranges beyond those offered by silicon technology are in demand. To the best of the PI's knowledge, a systematic investigation of the application of wide-bandgap polar III-Nitride material system to switching-mode electronics from the standpoints of process-development requirements for offering normally-off (zero current at zero gate voltage) HEFTs and challenges of reproducible fabrication of normally-off/normally-on (nonzero current at zero gate voltage) pair has not been performed. Results of this Discovery Grant proposal will lead to improved methods for analysis, design, and evaluation of solid state electronic devices and circuits in polar material systems for the efficient exploitation of the material properties of this relatively new family of electronic materials. Moreover, analytical models will be developed for incorporation of drain-current collapse and excessive gate leakage of AlGaN/GaN HFETs.