Tunneling Injection of Electrons at Nanometer-Scale Schottky Gate Edge of AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Transistors and Its Computer Simulation

Gate leakage currents in AlGaN/GaN HFETs were investigated by comparing experiments with computer simulations based on the thin surface barrier (TSB) model involving unintentional surface donors. Leakage currents in large area Schottky diodes were explained by the TSB model involving nitrogen vacancy related deep donors and oxygen shallow donors. On the other hand, in AlGaN/GaN HFETs with nanometer scale Schottky gates, gate leakage currents include an additional leakage component due to lateral electron injection through tunneling at the gate edge where the barrier thinning is mainly controlled by oxygen donors. By combining vertical and lateral tunneling components, experiments could be reproduced on computer. Lateral components may be responsible for current collapse.