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Epitaxial Growth and Device Design Optimization of Full-Vertical GaN p-i-n Rectifiers

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The optimization of growth parameters, epitaxial structure, and device design for full-vertical gallium nitride (GaN) p-i-n rectifiers grown on n-type 6H-SiC substrates employing AlGaN:Si conducting buffer layers have been studied. The Al x Ga1−x N:Si (x = ~0.1) nucleation layer is calibrated to be capable of acting as a good buffer layer for subsequent GaN growth as well as to provide excellent electrical properties. Two types of full-vertical devices were fabricated and compared: one without any current guiding and the other with the current guiding in the p-layer. The reverse breakdown voltage for rectifiers with a relatively thin 2.5-μm-thick i-region without p-current guiding was found to be over −330 V, while one with p-current guiding was measured to be over −400 V. Devices with p-current guiding structures exhibit reduced reverse leakage current by an order of magnitude >4 at −100 V.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported through the Center for Compound Semiconductors at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The authors also gratefully acknowledge NASA for its support (Contract No. NNC04GB56G) and Epichem Inc. for additional support. One of the authors (RDD) acknowledges the additional support of the Steve W. Chaddick Endowed Chair in Electro-Optics and The Georgia Research Alliance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Compound Semiconductors and School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0250, USA

    Dongwon Yoo, Jae Boum Limb, Jae-Hyun Ryou, Wonseok Lee & Russell D. Dupuis

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0250, USA

    Dongwon Yoo & Russell D. Dupuis

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  1. Dongwon Yoo
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  2. Jae Boum Limb
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  3. Jae-Hyun Ryou
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  5. Russell D. Dupuis
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Correspondence to Russell D. Dupuis.

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Yoo, D., Limb, J.B., Ryou, JH. et al. Epitaxial Growth and Device Design Optimization of Full-Vertical GaN p-i-n Rectifiers. J. Electron. Mater. 36, 353–358 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-006-0069-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-006-0069-1

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