Tuning composition in graded AlGaN channel HEMTs toward improved linearity for low-noise radio-frequency amplifiers

Compositionally graded channel AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) offer a promising route to improve device linearity, which is necessary for low-noise radio-frequency amplifiers. In this work, we demonstrate different grading profiles of a 10-nm-thick AlxGa1-xN channel from x = 0 to x = 0.1 using hot-wall metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The growth process is developed by optimizing the channel grading and the channel-to-barrier transition. For this purpose, the Al-profiles and the interface sharpness, as determined from scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, are correlated with specific MOCVD process parameters. The results are linked to the channel properties (electron density, electron mobility, and sheet resistance) obtained by contactless Hall and terahertz optical Hall effect measurements coupled with simulations from solving self-consistently Poisson and Schr\uf6dinger equations. The impact of incorporating a thin AlN interlayer between the graded channel and the barrier layer on the HEMT properties is investigated and discussed. The optimized graded channel HEMT structure is found to have similarly high electron density (∼9 7 10 12 cm-2) as the non-graded conventional structure, though the mobility drops from ∼ 2360 cm2/V s in the conventional to ∼ 960 cm2/V s in the graded structure. The transconductance gm of the linearly graded channel HEMTs is shown to be flatter with smaller g m ′ and g m ″ as compared to the conventional non-graded channel HEMT implying improved device linearity

Synergistic Effect of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Ladder-Type Conjugated Polymers on the Performance of N-Type Organic Electrochemical Transistors

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have the potential to revolutionize the field of organic bioelectronics. To date, most of the reported OECTs include p-type (semi-)conducting polymers as the channel material, while n-type OECTs are yet at an early stage of development, with the best performing electron-transporting materials still suffering from low transconductance, low electron mobility, and slow response time. Here, the high electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the large volumetric capacitance of the ladder-type π-conjugated redox polymer poly(benzimidazobenzophenanthroline) (BBL) are leveraged to develop n-type OECTs with record-high performance. It is demonstrated that the use of MWCNTs enhances the electron mobility by more than one order of magnitude, yielding fast transistor transient response (down to 15\ua0ms) and high μC* (electron mobility 7 volumetric capacitance) of about 1 F cm−1\ua0V−1 s−1. This enables the development of complementary inverters with a voltage gain of >16 and a large worst-case noise margin at a supply voltage of <0.6\ua0V, while consuming less than 1 \ub5W of power

Compositionally graded channel HEMTs towards improved linearity for low-noise RF amplifiers

Although AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with high power and current gain have been demonstrated in RF device applications, at high signal operation they show an inherent non-linear behavior which leads to gain compression and signal distortion. Polarization-doped AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, with a compositionally graded channel enables a linear response improvement through formation of a 3-D electron gas. In this work, we develop the growth process for graded channel HEMTs in a hot-wall MOCVD reactor. Control of the grading profile is established through growth parameter tuning. Afterwards, analysis by EDS allows for precise determination of Al composition across the channel. Conventional and graded channel HEMT structures were fabricated and characterized. Furthermore, the sheet resistance, carrier density and mobility in HEMT structures with different grading profiles are compared and discussed. The conventional (non-graded) structure revealed the highest electron mobility of ~2350 cm2/V.s, which is among the highest values reported