HEMT Breakdown Voltage via Electric-Field-Dispersion Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high electron mobility transistors have low breakdown voltages, limiting their application range, increasing installation costs, and compromising operational safety due to vulnerability to high voltage surges and dielectric breakdown, especially in high frequency and high temperature environments.
Innovation Solution
A structure for high electron mobility transistors is introduced, featuring a substrate, conducting layers, a gate insulating layer, and an electric-field-dispersion layer with a lower dielectric constant, which disperses electric field strength across layers, increasing breakdown voltage without altering manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the breakdown voltage of the transistor is increased to prevent dielectric breakdown and enable high voltage operation, then the operational safety and application range are improved, but the device structure becomes more complex requiring additional layers
Solution Approach 1:
The gate insulating layer is divided into two distinct layers: a first gate insulating layer (Al2O3) and a second gate insulating layer (SiO2). This segmentation allows each layer to contribute differently to the overall breakdown voltage, with the Al2O3 layer providing high dielectric strength and the SiO2 layer providing interface quality, thereby increasing the total breakdown voltage while maintaining a manageable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite gate insulating structure combining aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and silicon oxide (SiO2) layers. This composite material approach leverages the high dielectric constant and breakdown strength of Al2O3 while utilizing the excellent interface properties of SiO2, achieving superior overall performance in terms of breakdown voltage without excessive structural complexity.
2Reliability
If protection devices are added to isolate surge impact, then operational safety is improved, but installation cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-layer gate insulating structure is designed in advance to withstand voltage surges before they can cause damage. The Al2O3 layer, with its high breakdown voltage characteristic, acts as a protective cushion that absorbs and withstands transient high voltage spikes, preventing dielectric breakdown and eliminating the need for additional external protection devices, thereby maintaining operational safety without increasing device complexity or installation cost.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This structure effectively increases the breakdown voltage, expanding the operational voltage range, enabling high frequency and high temperature resistance while maintaining normal operation without additional manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The dielectric constant of the electric-field-dispersion layer is smaller than the dielectric constant of the gate insulating layer
Implementation Method 2
The upper portion of the conducting layer is an electron supply layer, and the lower portion of the conducting layer is an electron tunnel layer
Data Source
AI summary
A structure to increase the breakdown voltage of the high electron mobility transistor is provided to solve the problem of function loss under a high voltage state. The structure includes a substrate, a conducting layer located on the substrate, a gate insulating layer and an electric-field-dispersion layer. The upper portion of the conducting layer is an electron supply layer, and the lower portion of the conducting layer is an electron tunnel layer. The gate insulating layer is laminated on the electron supply layer. The electric-field-dispersion layer is laminated on the gate insulating layer. The dielectric constant of the electric-field-dispersion layer is smaller than that of the gate insulating layer. A gate electrode is located between the electric-field-dispersion layer and the gate insulating layer. A source and a drain electrodes are respectively electrically connected to the electric-field-dispersion layer, the gate insulating layer, the electron supply layer, and the electron tunnel layer.