K.Y. Osipov, S.A. Chevtchenko, R. Lossy, O. Bengtsson, P. Kurpas, N. Kemf, J. Würfl and G. Tränkle

Published in:

Int. Conf. on Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (CS ManTech 2016), Miami, USA, May 16-19, pp. 31-34 (2016).

Abstract:

In the present work, we compare two different embedded-gate technologies used for the fabrication of 150 nm AlGaN/GaN HEMTs intended for K- and Ka-band satellite communication applications. DC performance of fabricated transistors has been similar for both technologies. Load-pull measurements at V_ds = 28 V, I_ds = 30 % I_dsmax and tuned for the maximum P_out showed more than 5.5 W/mm power density at 20 GHz operation for 4×75 µm devices, regardless of the gate technology. DIVA (pulsed I-V) measurements unveiled the first advantage of sputtered iridium gate technology - a significant reduction of gate lag. High-temperature reverse-bias test (HTRB) showed significant degradation of the Schottky barrier for all samples. At the same time, maximum drain current degradation and increase of drain pinch-off current for sputtered Ir gates was less pronounced as compared to e-beam evaporated Ir technology. High-temperature operation test (HTO) demonstrated Schottky barrier increase due to thermal annealing and the filling of deep donor traps on the metal/semiconductor interface by hot electrons generated during the transistor operation.

Keywords:

Ka-band, GaN HEMT, MMIC process.

Copyright © 2016 Duplication of the content prohibited without permission from CS MANTECH.

Full version in pdf-format.