600-V Normally Off SiNx/AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT With Large Gate Swing and Low Current Collapse

In this letter, 600-V normally-OFF SiNx/AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistor (MIS-HEMT) is reported. Normally-OFF operation and low OFF-state gate leakage are obtained by using fluorine plasma ion implantation in conjunction with the adoption of a 17-nm SiNx thin film grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition as the gate insulator. The normally-OFF MIS-HEMT exhibits a threshold voltage of +3.6 V, a drive current of 430 mA/mm at a gate bias of 14 V, a specific ON-resistance of 2.1 m Omega.cm(2) and an OFF-state breakdown voltage of 604 V at a drain leakage current of 1 mu A/mm with V-GS = 0 V, and the substrate grounded. Effective current collapse suppression is obtained by AlN/SiNx passivation as proved by high-speed pulsed I-V and low-speed high-voltage switching measurement results.