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Effects of an AlN passivation layer on the microstructure and electronic properties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures

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Abstract

Effects of an AlN passivation layer on the microstructure and electronic properties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures were investigated by X-ray diffraction and Hall effect measurements. AlN passivation induced an additional compressive stress in an AlGaN barrier layer instead of an additional tensile stress induced by Si3N4 passivation. The change of strain after passivation contributes in a relatively small proportion to the variation of the carrier concentration in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures compared with the contribution from passivation of surface traps. The results from Hall effect measurements show that the AlN passivation layer has a better effect on passivation of deep levels than the Si3N4 film and also results in a remarkable increase in mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Advanced Photonic and Electronic Materials, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P.R. China

    C. Chen, D.J. Chen, Z.L. Xie, P. Han, R. Zhang & Y.D. Zheng

  2. Nanjing Electronic Devices Institute, Nanjing, 210016, P.R. China

    Z.H. Li, G. Jiao & T.S. Chen

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  1. C. Chen
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  2. D.J. Chen
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  3. Z.L. Xie
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  4. P. Han
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  5. R. Zhang
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  6. Y.D. Zheng
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  7. Z.H. Li
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  8. G. Jiao
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  9. T.S. Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D.J. Chen.

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PACS

73.40.Kp; 71.55.Eq; 81.65.Rv; 81.05.Ea; 61.05.cp

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Chen, C., Chen, D., Xie, Z. et al. Effects of an AlN passivation layer on the microstructure and electronic properties of AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. Appl. Phys. A 90, 447–449 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-007-4301-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-007-4301-5

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