Low-Frequency Noise Characterization of AlGaN & x002F;GaN HEMTs and MIS-HEMTs Under UV Illumination

Abstract

The low-frequency noise characteristics of AlGaN & x002F;GaN HEMTs and MIS-HEMTs are investigated in the dark condition and under UV illumination. The test devices with a 3-& x03BC;m-thick GaN buffer and a 25-nm-thick Al_0.22Ga_0.78N barrier layer were fabricated on the silicon wafer. For MIS-HEMTs, a 25-nm-thick SiN layer was deposited as a gate dielectric. The measured low-frequency noises show a 1 & x002F;f spectrum and can be described by the carrier number fluctuation model. Different noise responses to the UV light between HEMTs and MIS-HEMTs were observed. By comparing the noise data in dark and under UV illumination, the noise sources under the gate and in the ungated gate-drain access region have been identified. From these results, we can find a design guideline to improve the noise and reliability of GaN-based devices for optoelectronic applications.