Single Crystalline GaN Nanoplasma Switches for Sustainable Picosecond Electronics

In this paper, a single-crystalline GaN nanoplasma switch is demonstrated to overcome fabrication and stability challenges of traditional metal nanoplasma switches, through IC-compatible processes. We investigate the relation between electrode material, device structure, and electrical performance. The switches exhibit exceptional switching speeds exceeding 3.5 V/ps (limited by the testing equipment). Due to the good quality of single crystalline GaN, which has structural stability with reduced damage caused by electro-migration effects and ion bombardment, the GaN nanoplasma switches show remarkable stability in both DC and repetitive pulse operation modes. Notably, after 120k repetitive pulse tests, the operating voltage of the switches varies by only 1.4%. The device’s switching speed remained nearly unchanged after 240k tests, indicating their significantly improved robustness and longevity. This study lays the foundation for such switching applications and facilitates the integration of the switches with GaN-based RF integrated circuit.