A systematic study of GaN static induction transistors (a.k.a. vertical FinFETs) for RF applications
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Silicon has played a crucial role in the advancement of electronics, but it has limitations in high-power, high-temperature, and high-frequency applications. These limitations have led to the emergence of wide-bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) as alternative materials. GaN, particularly in the form of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), is now commercially utilized. Despite their excellent high-frequency and high-power performance, GaN HEMTs face inherent issues associated with their lateral device structure, including DC-RF dispersion, due to its horizontal channel with electrons confined to a thin sheet near the interface. In recent years, there have been efforts to replace GaN HEMTs with vertical transistor structures for applications where the weaknesses of GaN HEMTs become more pronounced than their strengths. One such structure is the static induction transistor (SIT), which is also called the vertical FinFET. During my time as a Ph.D. student in Professor Srabanti Chowdhury's group, my primary objective was to demonstrate the advantages of this device over HEMTs. To achieve this, I developed a TCAD model to design, analyze, and comprehend the device. The major focus of my work was establishing the complete fabrication process at Stanford. Throughout this phase, numerous challenges arose, stemming from the unique nature of the device structure as well as practical issues encountered in the cleanroom. However, I tackled these challenges systematically, addressing them one by one. Notably, I developed and refined various fabrication techniques, including an accurate sidewall patterning technique, etching of the high aspect-ratio fin structure using alternative mask materials, and plasma-based ohmic contact for low thermal budget processing. The fabricated devices exhibited desirable characteristics such as DC-RF dispersion-free behavior and hysteresis-free operation. The implementation of the new ohmic contact technique resulted in the achievement of the lowest on-resistance in published GaN SIT devices. These achievements represent significant strides towards the realization of next-generation RF electronics.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic resource; remote; computer; online resource |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Place | California |
| Place | [Stanford, California] |
| Publisher | [Stanford University] |
| Copyright date | 2023; ©2023 |
| Publication date | 2023; 2023 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Jeong, Seungbin |
|---|---|
| Degree supervisor | Chowdhury, Srabanti |
| Thesis advisor | Chowdhury, Srabanti |
| Thesis advisor | Plummer, Jim |
| Thesis advisor | Saraswat, Krishna |
| Degree committee member | Plummer, Jim |
| Degree committee member | Saraswat, Krishna |
| Associated with | Stanford University, School of Engineering |
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Electrical Engineering |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|---|
| Genre | Text |
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Seungbin Jeong. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Electrical Engineering. |
| Thesis | Thesis Ph.D. Stanford University 2023. |
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/br990pp6915 |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2023 by Seungbin Jeong
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
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