GaN-Based 100 Watt Microwave Power Hot Electron MODFET

摘要

Under this program, the HRL/UCSB team has demonstrated GaN MODFET devices with microwave power densities at X-Band and K-Band frequencies that are several times larger than conventional solid state microwave power devices such as GaAs based PHEMTs. The results of this program form the basic foundation for the development of a GaN MODFET technology capable of revolutionizing the field of microwave power electronics. The HRL/UCSB team has developed the essential elements for a GaN MODFET microwave power device technology including both MBE and MOCVD material growth, a 0.25 (micrometer) gate length GaN MODFET fabrication process, as well as an integrated heat spreader/flip chip approach to thermal management. MBE grown GaN MODFET devices with excellent and highly uniform (i.e., variation 4% across a 2-in. wafer) DC and small signal RF characteristics have been demonstrated. In addition, the first MBE GaN MODFET capable of producing 1 Watt of microwave output power at a frequency of 8 GHz has been demonstrated under this program. MOCVD GaN MODFETs have also been developed which exhibit very high microwave output power densities of up to 3.3 W/mm and a total powers of 1 Watt at a frequency of 8 GHz. MOCVD GaN MODFET devices have also been iemonstrated with very high microwave output power densities of over 3 W/mm at a frequency of 18 GHz.