Patent Application
20090045439
This invention relates to a heterojunction field effect transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, and particularly relates to a heterojunction field effect transistor having an electron supply layer of an AlN or AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1) and a manufacturing method thereof.
A conventional heterojunction field effect transistor will be described with reference to
The heterojunction field effect transistor 110 includes a substrate 120, a channel layer 140 of GaN formed on the substrate 120, and an electron supply layer 150 of AlGaN formed on the channel layer 140. The heterojunction field effect transistor 110 has a heterostructure of the channel layer 140 (GaN) and the electron supply layer 150 (AlGaN). With such a structure, it is possible to obtain high density two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and high electron mobility at a heterointerface 142 between the channel layer 140 and the electron supply layer 150, and the heterojunction field effect transistor 110 shows excellent performance as a high electron mobility transistor. Hereinafter, the high electron mobility transistor, i.e., the heterojunction field effect transistor having AlGaN/GaN heterostructure is also referred to as HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor).
A source electrode 182 and a drain electrode 184 are formed in ohmic contact with the electron supply layer 150. A gate electrode 180 is formed in schottky contact with the electron supply layer 150. The AlGaN/GaN-HEMT 110 is isolated from other element by an element isolation region 135 formed by, for example, injecting impurities into the channel layer 140 and the electron supply layer 150. A surface protection film 190 of silicon nitride is formed on an upper surface 152 of the electron supply layer 150.
In this regard, in the case where the electron supply layer 150 is composed of AlxGa1-xN (x=0.25), the density of 2DEG is 1.0×103 cm−2 and the electron mobility is 1500 cm2/V·s when the thickness of the electron supply layer (i.e., the active layer thickness “a”) is 25 nm.
In order to accomplish a higher frequency FET, it is effective to increase cutoff frequency. Further, in order to increase cutoff frequency, it is most effective to reduce a gate length Lg.
However, the reduction of the gate length Lg may cause a “short channel effect” such as a degradation of pinch-off characteristics, a negative shift of threshold voltage or the like. The degradation of pinch-off characteristics causes a reduction of operation voltage of the FET. Further, the shift of threshold voltage narrows the tolerance with respect to the design value, and affects the yield rate or the like.
In order to prevent such a short channel effect, it is preferable that a ratio (i.e., an aspect ratio) Lg/a of the gate length Lg to the active layer thickness “a” is greater than or equal to 5 (see, for example, Non-Patent Document No. 1).
The above described AlGaN/GaN-HEMT 110 has the active layer thickness (a) of 25 nm, and therefore the aspect ratio Lg/a is approximately 4 in a short gate region where the gate length Lg is 0.1 μm. Accordingly, the short channel effect occurs.
Here, when the active layer thickness (a) is reduced and the thickness of the electron supply layer 150 is reduced, 2DEG density is also reduced. In contrast, when “x” in the AlxGa1-xN (i.e., the concentration of Al) is increased toward 1 (i.e., AlN), the thickness of the electron supply layer 150 can theoretically be ¼ compared with the AlxGa1-xN (x=0.25). However, in the case where AlxGa1-xN is grown using MOCVD (Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) method, if the concentration of Al in the AlxGa1-xN is increased, cracks may occur on the surface of the AlxGa1-xN layer when x is approximately 0.52, and affect the FET characteristics (see, for example, Non-Patent Document No. 2).
Further, it is known that gate leak characteristics may be deteriorated due to surface oxidation (see, for example, Non-Patent Document No. 3).
Similarly, in the case where AlN is grown using MOCVD method, cracks may occur on the surface of the AlN layer even when the thickness of the AlN layer is approximately 2 nm.
For these reasons, neither AlN nor AlxGa1-xN (x≧0.6) can be used as the electron supply layer 150.
It is considered that the occurrence of cracks on the surface of the AlN layer is caused by a difference between thermal expansion coefficients of GaN and AlN during the temperature falling after the MOCVD process for growing the AlN layer at high temperature (1200° C.), or caused by the oxidation of AlN when exposed to the atmosphere. However, the exact reason has not yet been revealed.
There is known a method performing PAMBE (Plasma Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy) process to thereby form the AlN layer (see, Non-Patent Document No. 4).
Non-Patent Document No. 4 describes that, using the PAMBE process, AlN is grown at a low temperature in a range from 200 to 300° C., and therefore the AlN layer can be grown without occurrence of cracks.
[Non-Patent Document No. 1] Masumi Fukuda, Yasuo Hirachi, “Basis for GaAs Field Effect Transistor”, Corona Publishing Co. Ltd., 1992, pp 56-59.
[Non-Patent Document No. 2] Makoto Miyoshi et al., “Characterization of Different-Al-Content AlGaN/GaN Heterostructures and High-Electron-Mobility Transistors Grown on 100-mm-Diameter Sapphire Substrates by Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy”, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 43, No. 12, 2004, pp. 7939-7943.
[Non-Patent Document No. 3] Tamotsu Hashizume et al., “Surface Control Process of AlGaN for Suppression of Gate Leakage Currents in AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field Effect Transistors”, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 45, No. 4, 2006, pp. L11-L113.
[Non-Patent Document No. 4] Masataka Higashiwaki et al., “Al/GaN Insulated-Gate HFETs Using Cat-CVD SiN”, IEEE ELECTRON DEVICE LETTERS, Vol. 27, No. 9, 2006, pp. 719-721.
[Non-Patent Document No. 5] Takahiko Iwasaki et al., “Study on Crystal Growth of AlGaN/GaN HEMT on SiC Substrate”, Technical Report of IEICE, ED2006-155, CPM2006-92, LQE2006-59 (2006-10), pp. 19-22.
In the case where an AlN layer is used as an electron supply layer, it is preferable that the AlN layer is thicker than 2 nm and at least in a range approximately from 4 to 5 nm, in order to increase 2DEG density.
However, although Non-Patent Document No. 3 discloses a method of forming the AlN layer having the thickness of approximately 2.5 nm, no report has been made on the formation of the AlN layer thicker than 2.5 nm.
Further, it is studied to use the AlN layer as a spacer layer (see, for example, Non-Patent Document No. 5). The Non-Patent Document No. 5 discloses a technique forming a GaN layer (as a channel layer), an AlN layer (as a spacer layer) and an AlGaN layer (as an electron supply layer) on a substrate using MOCVD method.
However, Non-Patent Document No. 5 describes that the optimum thickness of the AlN layer (the spacer layer) is approximately 1 nm. The formation of the AlN layer thicker than 2 nm is not studied in the Non-Patent Document No. 5.
Therefore, inventors of the present application have conducted dedicated study, and have found that, by forming a GaN layer as a cap layer using MOCVD method following the formation of the AlN layer (as an electron supply layer), the occurrence of cracks can be prevented and a flat surface can be obtained even when the thickness of the AlN layer is thicker than 2.5 nm.
The present invention is intended to solve the above described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heterojunction field effect transistor having an electron supply layer of AlN or AlxGaN (0.6≦x<1), and a manufacturing method thereof.
The present invention provides a heterojunction field effect transistor including a laminated body including a channel layer of GaN, an electron supply layer of AlN or AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1) and a cap layer of GaN. The channel layer, the electron supply layer and the cap layer are laminated.
The present invention also provides a manufacturing method of a heterojunction field effect transistor as follows. First, a channel layer of GaN is formed on a substrate. Next, an electron supply layer of AlN or AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1) is formed on the channel layer. Next, a cap layer of GaN is formed on the electron supply layer. The formation of the channel layer, the electron supply layer and the cap layer are performed using MOCVD method in the same equipment.
The present invention also provides a manufacturing method of a heterojunction field effect transistor as follows. First, a channel layer of GaN is formed on a substrate. Next, an electron supply layer of AlN or AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1) is formed on the channel layer. Next, a gate insulation film of silicon nitride is formed on the electron supply layer. The formation of the channel layer, the electron supply layer and the gate insulation film are performed using MOCVD method in the same equipment.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
In the attached drawings:
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Shapes, sizes and positions of respective components are schematically shown in the attached drawings merely for the illustrative purpose, but do not limit the scope of the present invention. Specific materials, conditions, numerical examples or the like described in the following description are merely preferred examples, but do not limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, but modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without departing from the scope of the invention so as to obtain the effect of the invention.
The heterojunction field effect transistor of the first embodiment will be described with reference to
The heterojunction field effect transistor 10 according to the first embodiment includes a substrate 20 and a laminated body 30 formed on the substrate 20. The laminated body 30 includes a channel layer of GaN (i.e., a first GaN layer), an electron supply layer 50 of AlN (i.e., an AlN layer) and a cap layer 60 of GaN (i.e., a second GaN layer) laminated in this order on the substrate 20. Two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is formed at an AlN/GaN heterointerface 45 between the channel layer 40 (the first GaN layer) and the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer).
A source electrode 82 and a drain electrode 84 (i.e., first and second main electrodes) are formed in ohmic contact with the cap layer 60. Further, a gate electrode (i.e., a control electrode) 80 is formed in schottky contact with the cap layer 60. The AlN/GaN-HEMT 10 is isolated from other element by an element isolation region 35 formed by, for example, injecting impurities into the channel layer 40 and the electron supply layer 50. A surface protection film 90 of silicon nitride (i.e., a silicon nitride film) is formed on the surface of the upper surface 152 of the electron supply layer 50.
The heterojunction field effect transistor 10 is manufactured as follows.
First, a substrate 20 is prepared. The structure of the substrate 20 can be the same as a substrate used in a conventional heterojunction field effect transistor. For example, it is possible to use a base composed of material selected among silicon, silicon carbide and sapphire, on which a buffer layer is formed. The buffer layer is provided for inducing lattice relaxation between the base (silicon or the like) and the channel layer 40 formed on the substrate 20. The buffer layer is formed by, for example, growing AlN using MOCVD (Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) method.
Next, the channel layer 40 (i.e., the first GaN layer) is formed on the substrate 20. Then, the electron supply layer 50 (i.e., the AlN layer) is formed on the channel layer 40. Then, the cap layer 60 (i.e., the second GaN layer) is formed on the electron supply layer 50.
Here, the channel layer 40, the electron supply layer 50 and the cap layer 60 are laminated using the MOCVD method in the same equipment. The electron supply layer 50 (i.e., the AlN layer) is formed at the growing temperature of 1200° C. while introducing ammonium (NH3) gas and trimethyl aluminum (TMA) respectively at flow rates of 6 slm and 10 sccm into the CVD equipment (to be more specific, the MOCVD equipment). Each of the channel layer 40 (the first GaN layer) and the cap layer 60 (the second GaN layer) is formed at the growing temperature of 1070° C. while introducing ammonium (NH3) gas and trimethyl gallium (TMG) gas respectively at flow rates of 5 slm and 6 sccm into the MOCVD equipment. In this regard, sccm (standard cubic cm per minute) and slm (standard liter per minute) are units of gas flow converted at standard condition (i.e., 0° C. and 1 atmospheric pressure (1013 hPa)).
In this regard, the electron supply layer 50 (i.e., the AlN layer) contains a large amount of Al, and is subject to the surface oxidation, i.e., is likely to induce cracks. For this reason, if the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is exposed to the atmosphere, the controlling of the gate leak current becomes difficult. In the manufacturing method of the heterojunction field effect transistor according to the first embodiment, the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is covered with the cap layer 60 (the second GaN layer), and therefore the oxidation of the electron supply layer 50 can be prevented.
In
In the case where the growing process is terminated at a step where the electron supply layer (the AlN layer) is formed, cracks are observed (using the AFM) on the surface of the electron supply layer as shown in
After the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is grown at the temperature of 1200° C., no crack occurs on the surface of the electron supply layer 50 at the step where the temperature is lowered to 1070° C. (for growing the cap layer 60) and at the step of growing the GaN layer as the cap layer 60. Further, after the cap layer 60 is grown, the flatness of the surface can be maintained even when the temperature is lowered to room temperature.
For example, when the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 is set to 2.5 nm and the thickness of the cap layer 60 is set to 5 nm, the active layer thickness (a) is 7.5 nm. In this case, the aspect ratio (Lg/a) can be greater than or equal to 5 (and therefore the short channel effect can be prevented), even when the gate length (Lg) is shortened to 40 nm.
In order to increase 2DEG density, it is preferable to increase the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer). The lattice constants of AlN and GaN are respectively 3.112 Å and 3.187 Å, and the difference therebetween is 2.4%. A critical thickness of the electron supply layer 50 in which the electron supply layer 50 can be formed without occurrence of cracks is theoretically 10 nm.
When the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is thinner than or equal to 2.55 nm, no crack occurs on the surface of the electron supply layer 50, and the RMS is less than or equal to 0.2 nm. When the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 is 6.08 nm, cracks occur on the surface of the electron supply layer 50. As the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 further increases, the occurrence of cracks becomes prominent.
In a region where the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is thicker than or equal to 6.08 nm, the RMS increases as a linear function. In other words, the increase of the RMS corresponds to the increase of cracks. In contrast, the RMS is constant in a region where the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is thinner than or equal to 2.55 nm.
In a region where the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is thicker than or equal to 6.08 nm, the relationship between the thickness (x) of the electron supply layer 50 and the RMS (y) can be approximated by the linear function y=0.18x−0.89, i.e., y becomes 0 when x is approximately 5. Therefore, it is considered that the influence of cracks on the operation of FET can be ignored when the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is thinner than or equal to 5 nm.
Similar measurements are performed while varying the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer). When the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 is 0.5 nm, the existence of carrier is not recognized. When the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 is in a range from 2.5 nm to 20 nm, the existence of carrier is recognized.
From these results, a preferable range of the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is from 2.5 nm to 5 nm, in consideration of the existence of the carrier and the RMS of the surface roughness.
Next, the use of an AlxGa1-xN layer as the electron supply layer 50 will be described.
When x of the AlxGa1-xN (i.e., the concentration of Al) is increased to 1, AlxGa1-xN becomes AlN. It is known that cracks may occur on AlxGa1-xN when x is greater than or equal to 0.52 (see, Non-Patent Document No. 2).
Here, it is derived that the GaN cap layer 60 (effectively prevents the occurrence of cracks on the AlN layer) also effectively prevents the occurrence of cracks on the AlxGa1-xN layer (0.6≦x<1). For this reason, the AlxGa1-xN layer (0.6≦x<1) can be used as the electron supply layer 50 instead of the AlN layer.
In this regard, the thickness of the AlxGa1-xN layer (0.6≦x<1) depends on x. In order to increase 2DEG density, it is preferable that the thickness of the AlxGa1-xN layer (0.6≦x<1) as the electron supply layer 50 is thicker than the thickness when the AlN layer is used as the electron supply layer 50. The difference between lattice constants of AlxGa1-xN and GaN is smaller than the difference between lattice constants of AlN and GaN, and therefore the critical thickness of the AlxGa1-xN layer is thicker than AlN layer. Thus, the AlxGa1-xN layer can be formed to be thicker than or equal to the thickness of the AlN layer.
As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the heterojunction field effect transistor includes the AlN layer or the AlxGa1-xN layer (0.6≦x<1) as the electron supply layer 50, and therefore it becomes possible to obtain 2DEG density which is higher than that when the conventional AlxGa1-xN layer (for example, x=0.25) is used. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce the thickness of the electron supply layer 50. Therefore, the aspect ratio can be increased even in the short gate region, and therefore the short channel effect can be prevented.
Further, according to the manufacturing method of the heterojunction field effect transistor, the cap layer 60 (the GaN layer) is formed following the formation of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer or AlxGa1-xN layer (0.6≦x<1)) using the MOCVD in the same equipment, and therefore it becomes possible to prevent the occurrence of cracks on the electron supply layer 50.
Next, a heterojunction field effect transistor according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The heterojunction field effect transistor 11 according to the second embodiment has a MIS (Metal Insulator Semiconductor) structure in which a silicon nitride (SiN) film is formed as a gate insulation film 92 on the laminated body 30, and a gate electrode 80 is formed on the gate insulation film 92. A surface protection film 94 is formed on the gate insulation film 92. The field effect transistor having the MIS structure is called as MIS-FET. The structure of the laminated body 30 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
By employing the MIS structure, the gate leak current can be restricted. Even in the case where the silicon nitride film having the thickness of 14 nm is formed as the gate insulation film 92, when the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 is 2.4 nm and the thickness of the cap layer 60 is 3.3 nm, the active layer thickness a (i.e., the distance from the gate electrode 80 to the heterointerface 45) is thinner than or equal to 20 nm. Therefore, the aspect ratio can be maintained to be greater than or equal to 5 even when the gate length is 100 nm.
The conventional GaN-based MISFET uses the electron supply layer of AlGaN, and therefore the aspect ratio is small. For example, if the thickness of the electron supply layer of AlxGa1-xN (x=0.25) is 25 nm and the thickness of the silicon nitride film is 14 nm, the active layer thickness a (i.e., the distance from the gate electrode to the heterointerface) is 39 nm, and therefore the aspect ratio is reduced to 2.5 when the gate length is 0.1 μm.
In contrast, in a configuration using 2DEG formed between the AlN/GaN heterointerface 45, the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) is, for example, 2.4 nm, and the thickness of the cap layer 60 (the second GaN layer) is, for example, 3.3 nm. Therefore, the aspect ratio is greater than or equal to 5 even when the thickness of the silicon nitride film is 14 nm.
Next, the gate leak current will be described with reference to
As shown in
The silicon nitride film can be formed by arbitrary suitable method such as plasma CVD, thermal CVD or the like. However, it is preferable to form the silicon nitride film using the MOCVD method following the formation of the laminated body 30 including the channel layer 40, the electron supply layer 50 and the cap layer 60 in the same equipment. To be more specific, the silicon nitride film is preferably formed in the CVD equipment at the growing temperature of 850° C. while introducing NH3 gas and silane (SiH4) gas respectively at flow rates of 4 slm and 100 sccm.
By forming the gate insulation film 92 (the silicon nitride film) following the formation of the laminated body 30 (the channel layer, the electron supply layer and the cap layer) in the same equipment, an excellent condition of the SiN/GaN interface can be obtained. As a result, in the operation of the MISFET, interface energy level can be reduced, and current collapse due to interface energy level can be restricted, with the result that gate withstand voltage can be enhanced.
In this regard, the heterojunction field effect transistor of the second embodiment can have an AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1) layer as the electron supply layer 50 instead of the AlN layer as was described in the first embodiment.
Next, a heterojunction field effect transistor according to the third embodiment will be described.
The heterojunction field effect transistor 12 according to the third embodiment includes a laminated body 32 in which the channel layer 40 (the GaN layer) and the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) are laminated in this order on the substrate 20. Two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is formed in the AlN/GaN heterointerface 45 between the channel layer 40 and the electron supply layer 50.
In this third embodiment, a silicon nitride film as a gate insulation film 92 is formed on the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer). A surface protection film 94 is formed on the gate insulation film 92. The channel layer 40 (the GaN layer) and the electron supply layer 50 are formed using the MOCVD method as described in the second embodiment. The silicon nitride film (the gate insulation film 92) is formed following the formation of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) in the same MOCVD equipment.
As a result, the formation of the silicon nitride film (the gate insulation film 92) is performed without exposing the surface of the electron supply layer 50 (the AlN layer) to the atmosphere. Therefore, it becomes possible to prevent the surface oxidation of the electron supply layer 50 and to prevent the occurrence of cracks due to the surface oxidation.
In this regard, the heterojunction field effect transistor 12 of the third embodiment can have AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1) layer as the electron supply layer 50 instead of the AlN layer as was described in the first and second embodiments.
As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, since the heterojunction field effect transistor includes the electron supply layer 50 of AlN or AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1), 2DEG density can be higher than that when the conventional AlxGa1-xN (for example, x=0.25) is used as the electron supply layer 50. Therefore, the thickness of the electron supply layer 50 can be thinner. Accordingly, the aspect ratio can be increased even in the short gate region, and therefore the short channel effect can be prevented.
Moreover, since the cap layer 60 of GaN or the gate insulation film 92 of silicon nitride is formed following the formation of the electron supply layer 50 of AlN or AlxGa1-xN (0.6≦x<1) using the MOCVD method in the same equipment, it becomes possible to prevent the occurrence of cracks on the electron supply layer 50 (AlN layer or AlxGa1-xN layer) due to surface oxidation.
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-212750 | Aug 2007 | JP | national |
