GaN Vertical Transistors with Staircase Channels for High-Voltage Applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Semiconductor Physics

Background:

• High-power and high-frequency electronics demand advanced semiconductor devices with superior breakdown characteristics and low on-resistance.
• Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors are promising for these applications due to their inherent material properties.
• Current designs face limitations in optimizing both breakdown voltage and on-resistance simultaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and simulate a novel non-regrowth staircase channel Gallium Nitride (GaN) vertical trench transistor design.
• To demonstrate exceptional threshold and breakdown characteristics for high power and high frequency applications.
• To offer a flexible device model adaptable to diverse application requirements.

Main Methods:

• Device simulation of a non-regrowth staircase channel GaN vertical trench transistor.
• Analysis of the gate-dielectric-semiconductor interface capacitance.
• Evaluation of breakdown voltage and channel on-resistance.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high breakdown voltage of 1.52 kV.
• Maintained a low channel on-resistance of 2.61 mΩ∙cm².
• Demonstrated exceptional threshold characteristics.

Conclusions:

• The proposed staircase channel design significantly enhances breakdown voltage while preserving low on-resistance in GaN vertical trench transistors.
• The variable capacitance and flexible channel design offer a promising solution for next-generation high-power and high-frequency electronic devices.
• This design provides a pathway for tailored device performance to meet specific application needs.