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Nanocrystalline Diamond Integration with III-Nitride HEMTs

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2016-10-13
JournalECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology
AuthorsTravis J. Anderson, Karl D. Hobart, Marko J. Tadjer, Andrew D. Koehler, Eugene A. Imhoff
InstitutionsUnited States Naval Research Laboratory
Citations49

Reduced performance in Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) as a result of self-heating has been well-documented. To mitigate this effect, the incorporation of high thermal conductivity diamond heat spreading films or substrates has been proposed. A mid-process integration scheme, termed ā€œgate-after-diamond,ā€ is shown to improve the thermal budget for NCD deposition and enables scalable, large-area diamond coating without degrading the Schottky gate metal. The optimization of this process step is presented in this work. Nanocrystalline (NCD)-capped devices had a 20% lower channel temperature at equivalent power dissipation. Improved electrical characteristics were also observed, notably improved on-resistance and breakdown voltage, and reduced gate leakage.