A reliable ECR passivation technique on the 0.1 /spl mu/m InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT device

摘要

We have developed a reliable nitride passivation technique on the 0.1/spl times/50 /spl mu/m InAlAs/InGaAs/InP high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The nitride film was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The stress in the film was measured from wafer curvature. The ECR SiN passivation has almost no effect on the noise and gain performance of 0.1 /spl mu/m InP-HEMTs at 60 GHz. DC accelerated life tests were performed at base temperatures of 225/spl deg/C and 245/spl deg/C. The Median-Time-To-Failure (MTF) based upon a failure criterion of g/sub m/=-20% leads to an Arrhenius plot with an activation energy of 1.6 eV and a projected life of 10/sup 6/ hours at 150/spl deg/C base plate temperature, which is the best median life time ever reported for passivated InP-HEMTs.