Gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor having inner field-plate for high power applications

Abstract

A gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, in which an inner field-plate is disposed between the gate and drain of the high electron mobility transistor, so that an electric field is distributed between gate and drain regions to reduce a peak value and to reduce gate leakage current while maintaining high frequency performance, thus obtaining a high breakdown voltage, reducing the capacitance between the gate and the drain attributable to a shielding effect, and improving linearity and high power and high frequency characteristics through variation in the input voltage of the inner field-plate. The gallium-nitride high electron mobility transistor includes a gallium nitride buffer layer. An aluminum gallium-nitride barrier layer is formed on the buffer layer. A source electrode is placed on the barrier layer. A drain electrode is placed on the barrier layer to be spaced apart from the source electrode. A gate electrode is placed on a top of the barrier layer to be spaced apart from the source electrode and the drain electrode. A dielectric layer is deposited on the top of the barrier layer. An electric field electrode is formed on the dielectric layer located on the gate electrode. An inner field-plate is formed in the dielectric layer to be spaced apart from the gate electrode and the drain electrode.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates, in general, to a gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor and, more particularly, to a gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, in which an inner field-plate is disposed between the gate and drain of the high electron mobility transistor, so that an electric field is distributed between gate and drain regions to reduce a peak value and to reduce gate leakage current while maintaining high frequency performance, thus obtaining a high breakdown voltage, reducing capacitance between the gate and the drain attributable to a shielding effect, and improving linearity, and high power and high frequency characteristics through variation in the input voltage of the inner field-plate.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Generally, a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) is applied to a high power and high integration transistor, a switch, a power amplifier, a Microwave ...

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Benefits of technology

[0008]Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gallium-nitride high electron mobility transistor, in which an inner field-plate is disposed between the gate and drain of the high electron mobility transistor, so that an electric field is distributed between gate and drain regions to reduce a peak value and to reduce gate leakage current while maintaining high frequency performance, thus obtaining a high breakdown voltage, reducing the capacitance between the gate and the drain attributable to a shielding effect, and improving linearity and high power and high frequency characteristics through variation in the input voltage of the inner field-plate, consequently realizing low power consumption and low-expense operation, and being suitable for microwave power applications.

Problems solved by technology

However, there are problems in that an electric field is not sufficiently distributed between the gate and drain regions of the high electron mobility transistor so that the electric field can be applied to microwaves, and in that the increment of a peak value relative to the electric field reduces the breakdown voltage.

Further, there are problems in that, as gate leakage current increases, the gain of output voltage to input voltage is reduced, thus increasing power consumption and consequently increasing expenses, and the capacitance between the gate and the drain is increased, thus exhibiting limitations in high power and high frequency characteristics.

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