GaN/AlN p-channel HFETs with I<sub>max</sub> >420 mA/mm and ~20 GHz f<sub>T</sub> / f<sub>MAX</sub>
Kazuki Nomoto, Reet Chaudhuri, Samuel James Bader, L. Li, Austin Hickman, Sen Huang, H. Lee, Takuya Maeda, Han Wui Then, M. Radosavljević, P. Fischer, Alyosha Molnar, James C. M. Hwang, Huili Grace Xing, Devika Jena
Abstract
A strong need exists for a wide-bandgap p-type transistor counterpart of the n-channel GaN HEMTs for power electronics and novel RF circuits. In this work, the first p-channel nitride transistors that break the GHz speed barrier are demonstrated. By leveraging the unique single-channel high-density polarization-induced 2D hole gas of the GaN/AlN heterostructure, best-in-class contact resistances, and scaled T-gate design, p-channel transistor on-currents of 428 mA/mm are observed, with cutoff frequencies in the 20 GHz regime. These observations demonstrate the unique enabling role of the polarization discontinuity at the GaN/AlN semiconductor heterojunction and offer significant hope for a new high-speed and high-voltage wide-bandgap CMOS device platform for applications in RF and power electronics domains.