Development of enhancement mode AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Enhancement mode AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were fabricated from originally depletion-mode structures using oxygen plasma treatment on the gate area prior to the gate metallization. Starting with a depletion mode AlN/GaN HEMT, the threshold voltage of the HEMT could be shifted from −3.2 to 1 V depending on the oxygen plasma treatment time to partially convert the AlN barrier layer into Al oxide. The gate current was reduced and the current-voltage curves show metal-oxide semiconductor diodelike characteristics after oxygen plasma treatment.