Simulation and fabrication of GaN-based vertical and lateral normally-off power transistors

Abstract

This thesis is divided in two parts. First, self-consistent electro-thermal simulations have been performed for single finger and multi-finger GaN-based vertical and lateral power transistors and were validated with experimental DC characteristics. The models were used to study the thermal performance of GaN-based vertical metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and the lateral high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) designed for different breakdown voltage application and at different size scaling levels. The comparison between two structures revealed that the vertical MOSFETs have the potential to achieve an up to 50% higher thermal performance, especially for higher breakdown voltage and higher size scaling level designs. Second, normally-off lateral MOS-HEMTs were developed by the combination of fluorine plasma treatment and high-temperature gate oxide deposition. Record performances have been achieved for the fluorinated MOS-HEMTs with a threshold voltage >3.5 V, a low on-resistance ~ 2 m[Omega]·cm2, a small threshold voltage hysteresis ~0.15 V, high enhancement-mode channel mobility ~ 1000 cm2V-1s-1, a breakdown voltage ~ 780 V, no current collapse and a stability with 24 h continuous on-state operation at 250 oC. In addition, an analytical model for the threshold voltage of fluorinated MOS-HEMTs was established for the first time, to enable accurate design and engineering of the threshold voltage for MOS-HEMTs. This novel technology has been demonstrated as promising to fabricate high-performance normally-off MOS-HEMTs.