Effects of deep-level defects on ohmic contact and frequency performance of AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors

We have characterized AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility-transistors on sapphire and silicon carbide substrates with electrical and microcathodoluminescence spectral measurements. Quarter wafer-scale comparisons of spectral features in the GaN attributed to donor–acceptor pair (DAP) transitions and yellow luminescence (YL) from deep acceptors show that the specific contact resistance is related to the ratio of the DAP to YL defect emission intensities. This suggests that these defects interact to change the contact resistance locally on the GaN side of the AlGaN/GaN interface. We show that changes in the frequency response of these transistors can be attributed to these defects at the interface.