High ION/IOFF Ratio > 105 Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p++-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer

Zhiwei Sun; Hao Tian; Weisheng Wang; Xuanming Zhang; Maoqing Ling; Jie Zhang; Yinchao Zhao; Harm Van Zalinge; Ivona Z. Mitrovic; Kain Lu Low; Sen Huang; Wen Liu

doi:10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427

High I_ON/I_OFF Ratio > 10⁵ Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p⁺⁺-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer

Zhiwei Sun, Hao Tian, Weisheng Wang, Xuanming Zhang, Maoqing Ling, Jie Zhang, Yinchao Zhao, Harm Van Zalinge, Ivona Z. Mitrovic, Kain Lu Low^*, Sen Huang^*, Wen Liu^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding › peer-review

Abstract

This work reports the achievement of high-performance enhancement-mode GaN p-FETs on a novel epitax-ial structure. Through the optimization of the epitaxial structure, which includes a heavily doped p ⁺⁺ -GaN contact layer and an ultra-thin AlN insertion layer, hole mobility and density are significantly enhanced, leading to a substantial reduction in sheet resistance (R_sh) I. As a result, a record-low contact resistance (R_c) of 2.17 Ω ⋯ mm and specific contact resistivity ρc) of 1.5 × 10^-6 Ω ⋯ cm² are achieved. Additionally, by using Ag as the Schottky gate, we successfully demonstrate Ag-gated p-FETs with a threshold voltage V_TH) of -0.6 V, an ON-state current I_ON) of 6.7

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	317-320
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Electronic)	9784886864413
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427
Publication status	Published - 2025
Event	37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025 - Kumamoto, Japan Duration: 1 Jun 2025 → 5 Jun 2025

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs
ISSN (Print)	1063-6854

Conference

Conference	37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025
Country/Territory	Japan
City	Kumamoto
Period	1/06/25 → 5/06/25

Keywords

Ag-gated p-FETs
CMOS
Enhancement-mode
GaN
Ohmic contacts
ratio

Access to Document

10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427

Cite this

Sun, Z., Tian, H., Wang, W., Zhang, X., Ling, M., Zhang, J., Zhao, Y., Van Zalinge, H., Mitrovic, I. Z., Low, K. L., Huang, S., & Liu, W. (2025). High I_ON/I_OFF Ratio > 10⁵ Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p⁺⁺-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer. In Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025 (pp. 317-320). (Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427

Sun, Zhiwei ; Tian, Hao ; Wang, Weisheng et al. / High I_ON/I_OFF Ratio > 10⁵ Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p⁺⁺-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer. Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025. pp. 317-320 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs).

@inproceedings{ac8be3542026458e972409a5bc3b9b3f,

title = "High ION/IOFF Ratio > 105 Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p++-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer",

abstract = "This work reports the achievement of high-performance enhancement-mode GaN p-FETs on a novel epitax-ial structure. Through the optimization of the epitaxial structure, which includes a heavily doped p ++ -GaN contact layer and an ultra-thin AlN insertion layer, hole mobility and density are significantly enhanced, leading to a substantial reduction in sheet resistance (R\_sh) I. As a result, a record-low contact resistance (R\_c) of 2.17 Ω ⋯ mm and specific contact resistivity ρc) of 1.5 × 10-6 Ω ⋯ cm2 are achieved. Additionally, by using Ag as the Schottky gate, we successfully demonstrate Ag-gated p-FETs with a threshold voltage VTH) of -0.6 V, an ON-state current I\_ON) of 6.7",

keywords = "Ag-gated p-FETs, CMOS, Enhancement-mode, GaN, Ohmic contacts, ratio",

author = "Zhiwei Sun and Hao Tian and Weisheng Wang and Xuanming Zhang and Maoqing Ling and Jie Zhang and Yinchao Zhao and \{Van Zalinge\}, Harm and Mitrovic, \{Ivona Z.\} and Low, \{Kain Lu\} and Sen Huang and Wen Liu",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan - IEEJ.; 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025 ; Conference date: 01-06-2025 Through 05-06-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

pages = "317--320",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025",

}

Sun, Z, Tian, H, Wang, W, Zhang, X, Ling, M, Zhang, J, Zhao, Y, Van Zalinge, H, Mitrovic, IZ, Low, KL, Huang, S & Liu, W 2025, High I_ON/I_OFF Ratio > 10⁵ Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p⁺⁺-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer. in Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 317-320, 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025, Kumamoto, Japan, 1/06/25. https://doi.org/10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427

High I_ON/I_OFF Ratio > 10⁵ Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p⁺⁺-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer. / Sun, Zhiwei; Tian, Hao; Wang, Weisheng et al.
Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025. p. 317-320 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs).

Research output: Chapter in Book or Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Proceeding › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - High ION/IOFF Ratio > 105 Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p++-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer

AU - Sun, Zhiwei

AU - Tian, Hao

AU - Wang, Weisheng

AU - Zhang, Xuanming

AU - Ling, Maoqing

AU - Zhang, Jie

AU - Zhao, Yinchao

AU - Van Zalinge, Harm

AU - Mitrovic, Ivona Z.

AU - Low, Kain Lu

AU - Huang, Sen

AU - Liu, Wen

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This work reports the achievement of high-performance enhancement-mode GaN p-FETs on a novel epitax-ial structure. Through the optimization of the epitaxial structure, which includes a heavily doped p ++ -GaN contact layer and an ultra-thin AlN insertion layer, hole mobility and density are significantly enhanced, leading to a substantial reduction in sheet resistance (R_sh) I. As a result, a record-low contact resistance (R_c) of 2.17 Ω ⋯ mm and specific contact resistivity ρc) of 1.5 × 10-6 Ω ⋯ cm2 are achieved. Additionally, by using Ag as the Schottky gate, we successfully demonstrate Ag-gated p-FETs with a threshold voltage VTH) of -0.6 V, an ON-state current I_ON) of 6.7

AB - This work reports the achievement of high-performance enhancement-mode GaN p-FETs on a novel epitax-ial structure. Through the optimization of the epitaxial structure, which includes a heavily doped p ++ -GaN contact layer and an ultra-thin AlN insertion layer, hole mobility and density are significantly enhanced, leading to a substantial reduction in sheet resistance (R_sh) I. As a result, a record-low contact resistance (R_c) of 2.17 Ω ⋯ mm and specific contact resistivity ρc) of 1.5 × 10-6 Ω ⋯ cm2 are achieved. Additionally, by using Ag as the Schottky gate, we successfully demonstrate Ag-gated p-FETs with a threshold voltage VTH) of -0.6 V, an ON-state current I_ON) of 6.7

KW - Ag-gated p-FETs

KW - CMOS

KW - Enhancement-mode

KW - GaN

KW - Ohmic contacts

KW - ratio

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105015745204

U2 - 10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427

DO - 10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427

M3 - Conference Proceeding

AN - SCOPUS:105015745204

T3 - Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs

SP - 317

EP - 320

BT - Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

T2 - 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025

Y2 - 1 June 2025 through 5 June 2025

ER -

Sun Z, Tian H, Wang W, Zhang X, Ling M, Zhang J et al. High I_ON/I_OFF Ratio > 10⁵ Ag-Gated E-Mode GaN p-FETs Enabled by p⁺⁺-GaN Contact and Polarization-Enhanced AlN Layer. In Proceedings of the 37th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, ISPSD 2025. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2025. p. 317-320. (Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs). doi: 10.23919/ISPSD62843.2025.11117427