Thermally stable GaN RF HEMTs on proton irradiated GaN substrates for low-noise applications

In this study, proton irradiation is employed to fabricate semi-insulating GaN free-standing wafers with a sheet resistance of 5.9 × 107 Ω/sq. The mechanism for achieving semi-insulating GaN via proton irradiation is associated with the formation of a deep-level trap (EC-0.54 eV), which is tentatively attributed to nitrogen antisite-related defects (NGa). GaN-on-GaN high electron mobility transistors fabricated on the irradiated substrates exhibit stable operation over 300–375 K, with a minimum noise figure as low as 0.25 dB, with suppressed low-frequency noise characteristics. Additionally, the proton irradiation treatment GaN substrate also exhibits high volume production potential. This device is ideal for installation in harsh operational environments, such as satellite communication systems or outdoor base stations.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Applied Physics Letters
Published
2026-07-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0339999
Primary Topic
GaN-based semiconductor devices and materials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Thermally stable GaN RF HEMTs on proton irradiated GaN substrates for low-noise applications

Hezhou Liu, Chengcheng Xu, Hsien‐Chin Chiu, Xun Luo et al.
Applied Physics Letters
GaN-based semiconductor devices and materials
article

Thermally stable GaN RF HEMTs on proton irradiated GaN substrates for low-noise applications

Hezhou Liu, Chengcheng Xu, Hsien‐Chin Chiu, Xun Luo, Jingting Luo, Zhixiang Zhong, Jianbo Liang, Bin Li, Jun He, Yiyang Li, Kangkai Fan, Xinke Liu, Z Huang, Junfa Mao, Haihong Wu, Jiajun Han
article en

Abstract

In this study, proton irradiation is employed to fabricate semi-insulating GaN free-standing wafers with a sheet resistance of 5.9 × 107 Ω/sq. The mechanism for achieving semi-insulating GaN via proton irradiation is associated with the formation of a deep-level trap (EC-0.54 eV), which is tentatively attributed to nitrogen antisite-related defects (NGa). GaN-on-GaN high electron mobility transistors fabricated on the irradiated substrates exhibit stable operation over 300–375 K, with a minimum noise figure as low as 0.25 dB, with suppressed low-frequency noise characteristics. Additionally, the proton irradiation treatment GaN substrate also exhibits high volume production potential. This device is ideal for installation in harsh operational environments, such as satellite communication systems or outdoor base stations.

Applied Physics LettersVol. 129(4)
Chang Gung University (TW), Shenzhen University (CN), South China Normal University (CN), Metropolitan University (RS), Southwest Jiaotong University (CN)
National Key Research and Development Program of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
GaN-based semiconductor devices and materials
DOISourceOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.