• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.76-79
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• 2016

This paper describes the successful development and the performance of X-band 50 W pulsed power amplifier using a 50 W GaN-on-SiC high electron mobility transistor. The GaN HEMT with a gate length of $0.25{\mu}m$ and a total gate width of 12 mm were fabricated. The X-band pulsed power amplifier exhibited an output power of 50 W with a power gain of 6 dB in a frequency range of 9.2~9.5 GHz. It also shows a maximum output power density of 4.16 W/mm. This 50 W GaN HEMT and X-band 50 W pulsed power amplifier are suitable for the radar systems and related applications in X-band.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.1033-1037
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• 2019

GaN-based sensors have been widely investigated thanks to its potential in detecting the presence of hydrogen. In this study, we fabricated hydrogen gas sensors with AlGaN/GaN heterojunction and investigated how the sensing performance to be affected by SiN surface passivation. The gas sensor employed a high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with 30 nm platinum catalyst as a gate to detect the hydrogen presence. SiN layer was deposited by inductively-coupled chemical vapor deposition as post-passivation. The sensors with SiN passivation exhibited hydrogen sensing characteristics with various gas flow rates and concentrations of hydrogen in inert background gas at $200^{\circ}C$ similar to the ones without passivation. Aside from quick response time for both sensors, there are differences in sensitivity and recovery time because of the existence of the passivation layer. The results also confirmed the dependence of sensing performance on gas flow rate and gas concentration.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.30-36
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• 2020

We demonstrated a successful fabrication of 4" Gallium Nitride (GaN)/Diamond High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) incorporated with Inner Slot Via Hole process. We made in manufacturing technology of 4" GaN/Diamond HEMT wafers in a compound semiconductor foundry since reported [1]. Wafer thickness uniformity and wafer flatness of starting GaN/Diamond wafers have improved greatly, which contributed to improved processing yield. By optimizing Laser drilling techniques, we successfully demonstrated a through-substrate-via process, which is last hurdle in GaN/Diamond manufacturing technology. To fully exploit Diamond's superior thermal property for GaN HEMT devices, we include Aluminum Nitride (AlN) barrier in epitaxial layer structure, in addition to conventional Aluminum Gallium Nitride (AlGaN) barrier layer. The current collapse revealed very stable up to Vds = 90 V. The trapping behaviors were measured Emission Microscope (EMMI). The traps are located in interface between Silicon Nitride (SiN) passivation layer and GaN cap layer.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.178-180
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• 2017

This study presents a 2-20 GHz monolithic distributed power amplifier (DPA) using a $0.25{\mu}m$ AlGaN/GaN on SiC high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology. The gate width of the HEMT was selected after considering the input capacitance of the unit cell that guarantees decade bandwidth. To achieve high output power using small transistors, a 12-stage DPA was designed with a non-uniform drain line impedance to provide optimal output power matching. The maximum operating frequency of the proposed DPA is above 20 GHz, which is higher than those of other DPAs manufactured with the same gate-length process. The measured output power and power-added efficiency of the DPA monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) are 35.3-38.6 dBm and 11.4%-31%, respectively, for 2-20 GHz.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.8-14
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• 2011

The optimal geometry of the gate field plate in AlGaN/GaN-on-Si HEMT has been proposed using two-dimensional device simulation to achieve a high breakdown voltage for a given gate-to-drain distance. It was found that the breakdown voltage was drastically enhanced due to the reduced electric field at the gate corner when a gate field plate was employed. The electric field distribution at the gate corner and the field plate edge was investigated as functions of field plate length and insulator thickness. According to the simulation results, the electric field at the gate corner can be successfully reduced even with the field plate length of 1 ${\mu}m$. On the other hand, when the field plate length is too long, the distance between field plate and drain electrode is reduced below a critical level, which eventually lowers the breakdown voltage. The highest breakdown voltage was achieved with the field plate length of 1 ${\mu}m$. According to the simulation results varying the $SiN_x$ film thickness for the fixed field plate length of 1 ${\mu}m$, the optimum thickness range of the $SiN_x$ film was 200 - 300 nm where the electric field strength at the field plate edge counterbalances that of the gate corner.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.21-28
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• 2007

In this paper, in order to derive the two-dimensional field effect of n-InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs, we suggested analytical model by solving the two-dimensional Poisson's equation in both InAlAs and InGaAs regions by taking into account the longitudinal field variation, field-dependent mobility, and the continuity condition of the channel current flowing within the quantum well shaped channel. Derived expressions for long and short channel devices would be applicable to the entire operating regions in a unified manner. Simulation results show that the drain saturation current increases and the threshold voltage decreases as drain voltage increases. Compared with the conventional model, the present model may offer more reasonable explanation for the drain-induced threshold voltage roll-off, the Early effect, and the channel length modulation effect. Furthermore, it is expected that the proposed model would provide more reasonable theoretical basis for analyzing various long and short channel InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT devices.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 2013

In this paper, a manufacturing process was developed for fabricating high-quality AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates. Various conditions and processing methods regarding the ohmic contact and pre-metal-deposition $BCl_3$ etching processes were evaluated in terms of the device performance. In order to obtain a good ohmic contact performance, we tested a Ti/Al/Ta/Au ohmic contact metallization scheme under different rapid thermal annealing (RTA) temperature and time. A $BCl_3$-based reactive-ion etching (RIE) method was performed before the ohmic metallization, since this approach was shown to produce a better ohmic contact compared to the as-fabricated HEMTs. A HEMT with a 0.5 ${\mu}m$ gate length was fabricated using this novel manufacturing process, which exhibits a maximum drain current density of 720 mA/mm and a peak transconductance of 235 mS/mm. The X-band output power density was 6.4 W/mm with a 53% power added efficiency (PAE).

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.60-63
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• 2023

The AlGaN/GaN heterostructure has high electron mobility due to the two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) layer, and has the characteristic of high breakdown voltage at high temperature due to its wide bandgap, making it a promising candidate for high-power and high-frequency electronic devices. Despite these advantages, there are factors that affect the reliability of various device properties such as current collapse. To address this issue, this paper used metal-organic chemical vapor deposition to continuously deposit AlGaN/GaN heterostructure and SiN passivation layer. Material and electrical properties of GaN HEMTs with/without SiN cap layer were analyzed, and based on the results, low-frequency noise characteristics of GaN HEMTs were measured to analyze the conduction mechanism model and the cause of defects within the channel.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.737-745
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• 2017

A 6-GHz-to-18-GHz monolithic nonuniform distributed power amplifier has been designed using the load modulation of increased series gate capacitance. This amplifier was implemented using a $0.25-{\mu}m$ AlGaN/GaN HEMT process on a SiC substrate. With the proposed load modulation, we enhanced the amplifier's simulated performance by 4.8 dB in output power, and by 13.1% in power-added efficiency (PAE) at the upper limit of the bandwidth, compared with an amplifier with uniform gate coupling capacitors. Under the pulse-mode condition of a $100-{\mu}s$ pulse period and a 10% duty cycle, the fabricated power amplifier showed a saturated output power of 39.5 dBm (9 W) to 40.4 dBm (11 W) with an associated PAE of 17% to 22%, and input/output return losses of more than 10 dB within 6 GHz to 18 GHz.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.862-866
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• 2012

Surface passivation of AlGaN/GaN heterojunction structure was examined through the thermal oxidation of evaporated Al. The Al-oxide passivation increased channel conductance of two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) on the AlGaN/GaN interface. The sheet resistance of 463 ohm/${\Box}$ for 2DEG channel before $Al_2O_3$ passivation was decreased to 417 ohm/${\Box}$ after passivation. The oxidation of Al induces tensile stress to the AlGaN/GaN structure and the stress seemed to enhance the sheet carrier density of the 2DEG channel. In addition, the $Al_2O_3$ films formed by thermal oxidation of Al suppressed thermal deterioration by the high temperature annealing.