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Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics

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A Special Issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292) belonging to the section "Semiconductor Devices".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2027 | Viewed by 3484

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Editors

Dr. Aurore Constant

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

STMicroelectronics, 37071 Tours, France
Interests: wide bandgap semiconductor; GaN power devices; advanced process integration; device reliability

Dr. Hyon Ju Chauveau

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

STMicroelectronics, 37071 Tours, France
Interests: GaN Epitaxy for power & RF HEMTs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past decade, Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based materials have demonstrated major disruption in power device applications due to their outstanding material properties, such as high critical electric field and high electron mobility. The ongoing demand to deliver high efficiency and high-power density has driven the rapid development of GaN power device technology.

The primary objective of this Special Issue is to present a diverse collection of recent advancements in GaN-based semiconductor technology and related applications. The content spans advanced material epitaxy, novel device architectures, and technological advances in power devices.

This Special Issue will include (but is not limited to) the following topics:

GaN-based material homoepitaxial and heteroepitaxial growth, high-efficiency doping engineering, epitaxy-related defects analysis, and correlations with device performance;
Device fabrication and processing steps: GaN etching, contact formation, pGaN activation, and GaN-based surface passivation and treatment;
GaN-based devices: advanced lateral HEMTs for power applications, power IC platform based on HEMT technology, dual-gate bidirectional switches, and vertical GaN-based devices;
Devices characterization, simulation, modeling, and reliability.

Dr. Aurore Constant
Dr. Hyon Ju Chauveau
Guest Editors

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Keywords

gallium nitride (GaN)
wide-bandgap semiconductors
GaN power device
GaN epitaxial growth
CMOS-compatible process
high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT)
vertical GaN transistor
GaN device modeling
GaN device reliability

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3257 KB

Open AccessArticle

Noise Optimization in AlPN/GaN HEMTs for High-Frequency Circuits

by Husna Hamza, Anwar Jarndal, D. Nirmal and Julie Roslita Rusli

Electronics 2026, 15(18), 4159; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15184159 - 14 Sep 2026

Viewed by 143

Abstract

Although aluminum phosphide nitride/gallium nitride (AlPN/GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been extensively investigated for high-power and high-frequency applications, systematic studies on their intrinsic radio frequency (RF) noise characteristics remain limited. In this work, the RF noise performance of AlPN/GaN HEMTs is investigated using a physics-based TCAD framework, in which a conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMT is first calibrated against the published electrical characteristics of a fabricated device and subsequently modified by replacing the AlGaN barrier with an AlPN barrier while maintaining identical device geometry and operating conditions. The effects of phosphorus mole fraction, AlPN barrier thickness, and substrate material on intrinsic noise behavior are systematically analyzed to optimize device performance Optimizing the phosphorus composition modifies the polarization-induced charge and carrier confinement at the AlPN/GaN heterointerface, resulting in improved carrier transport and reduced simulated RF noise. A comparative study of silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) substrates further demonstrates that the superior thermal conductivity and lattice compatibility of SiC improves heat dissipation and suppress defect related fluctuations, resulting in lower intrinsic device noise. The optimized AlPN/GaN HEMT on a SiC substrate achieves a minimum noise figure of 1.8 dB at 20 GHz, demonstrating the effectiveness of barrier engineering and substrate optimization for improving the intrinsic RF noise performance of AlPN/GaN HEMTs and providing design guidelines for next-generation low-noise microwave and RF front-end applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics)

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13 pages, 2649 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Dimension Dependence in Quasi-Vertical GaN Schottky Barrier Diodes

by Seong-Min Kang, Young-Hun Han and Hyeon-Bhin Jo

Electronics 2026, 15(17), 3839; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15173839 - 26 Aug 2026

Viewed by 209

Abstract

Quasi-vertical (QV) GaN Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) have emerged as a promising device architecture that overcomes the limitations of conventional lateral and vertical SBDs while offering high electrical performance. However, the influence of the lateral and vertical current-transport dimensions on the electrical characteristics of QV GaN SBDs has not been systematically evaluated. In this study, the effects of the anode-to-drift length (L_AD), drift-to-cathode length (L_DC), and drift-layer thickness (DLT) on the DC and RF characteristics were systematically investigated. Variations in L_AD and L_DC produced relatively modest changes in the forward conduction characteristics, with the current density decreasing by up to 15% and the specific on-resistance (R_ON,SP) increasing by up to 29%, while the breakdown voltage (BV) varied by less than 4%. Increasing the DLT from 0.5 to 4 μm produced substantially larger variations, reducing the current density by 62% from 11.38 to 4.28 kA/cm² and increasing R_ON,SP by 171% from 0.17 to 0.46 mΩ·cm², while BV increased from 55 to 199 V. The stronger dependence on DLT, particularly in reverse blocking capability, identifies DLT as the dominant geometrical parameter governing the DC characteristics. RF characterization as a function of DLT showed that the series resistance (R_s) strongly depended on DLT, whereas the junction capacitance (C_j) exhibited comparatively moderate variation. The DLT = 0.5 μm device exhibited the highest estimated RC cutoff frequency (f_c) of 18.2 GHz, whereas the DLT = 1 μm device maintained a relatively high f_c of 15.3 GHz while providing a more balanced DC and RF performance. The device with L_AD/L_DC = 7/5 μm and DLT = 1 μm exhibited R_ON,SP = 0.21 mΩ·cm², turn-on voltage (V_ON) = 0.54 V, and BV = 128 V. These findings provide practical guidelines for the dimensional design of QV GaN SBDs for microwave rectifier applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics)

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15 pages, 7353 KB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Balanced Power Amplifier at 5.8 GHz Using GaN HEMTS and Sierpinski Space-Filling Couplers Design Approach

by Iago Alvarez-Ramos, Ainhoa Morales-Fernandez, Maria Marante-Boado, Monica Fernandez-Barciela and Fernando Martin-Rodriguez

Electronics 2026, 15(14), 3168; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15143168 - 18 Jul 2026

Viewed by 447

Abstract

A hybrid balanced power amplifier operating in C-band at 5.8 GHz has been designed for UAV communications using packaged GaN HEMTs and microstrip technology. To reduce the overall circuit footprint, Sierpinski space-filling curves are employed in the design of the hybrid quadrature couplers, allowing almost 40% miniaturization without degrading performance. The manufactured balanced amplifier prototype exhibits, at the carrier frequency and at 3 dB gain compression, a measured output RF power of 38.9 dBm (≈8 W) and a drain efficiency of 53%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics)

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15 pages, 3717 KB

Open AccessArticle

GaN HEMT-Based Frequency Quadrupler Up-Converting from S Band to X Band with Conversion Gain in Narrowband

by Ainhoa Morales-Fernandez, Maria Marante-Boado, Monica Fernandez-Barciela and Fernando Martin-Rodriguez

Electronics 2026, 15(13), 2893; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15132893 - 1 Jul 2026

Viewed by 356

Abstract

This work presents the first design of an active frequency quadrupler based on GaN HEMTs. It is based on two cascaded frequency doubler stages that allow up-conversion from the S band to the X band, obtaining conversion gain in narrowband without the need for any additional buffer amplifier. A hybrid prototype of the quadrupler provides, at the input fundamental frequency of 2.5 GHz, a measuredfourthharmonic maximum conversion gain of 13.7 dB and an output power of 23.5 dBm, with suppression of both fundamental andsecondharmonic above 14 dBc. To obtain these results, due to its impact in the final quadrupler behavior, a prototype of the higher frequency second stage doubler was designed and manufactured separately to assess its RF performance. The experimental results of this standalone prototype are highly competitive with the current state of the art in frequency doublers at the C band. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics)

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11 pages, 955 KB

Open AccessArticle

Bias-Increased Trap Emission Underlying the On-Resistance Degradation of AlGaN/GaN Technology

by Davide Maria Lombardo, Cristina Miccoli, Giovanni Giorgino, Marcello Cioni, Giacomo Cappellini, Hyon Ju Chauveau, Simone Strano, Maurizio Moschetti, Viviana Cerantonio, Maria Eloisa Castagna, Ferdinando Iucolano and Alessandro Chini

Electronics 2026, 15(12), 2675; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15122675 - 17 Jun 2026

Viewed by 1345

Abstract

An experimental and numerical study of the on-resistance degradation in AlGaN/GaN-based technology is presented. Back-bias measurements on transmission-line-method (TLM) structures were performed to investigate the mechanism underlying the current degradation. The observed TLM current collapse exhibits Arrhenius behavior, which is associated with traps in the buffer layers. Interestingly, the decay time of the collapse shows a decreasing trend with increasing applied bias, which is here investigated and newly interpreted as a signature of Poole–Frenkel bias-enhanced trap emission. An effective model is discussed and implemented in TCAD simulations to support the experimental findings. In addition to providing justification for the temperature and applied-voltage dependence of the observed degradation trends, the proposed mechanism can also explain the spread in the activation energies measured for acceptor traps in the buffer layers, as reported in the literature for AlGaN/GaN technologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics)

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19 pages, 15712 KB

Open AccessArticle

Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer

by Wei Dong, Shuhan Zhang, Qian Fan, Xianfeng Ni and Xing Gu

Electronics 2026, 15(11), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15112423 - 2 Jun 2026

Viewed by 439

Abstract

This study systematically investigates the intrinsic vertical breakdown characteristics of 8-inch GaN-on-Si high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) buffer layers (extending up to the GaN channel layer) using a vertical electrode configuration. By comparing samples with different carbon doping doses, AlN insertion layers, and superlattice cycle numbers (buffer layer thickness), combined with Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) simulations, the relevant mechanisms are revealed. The results show that buffer layer thickness is a critical factor determining the vertical breakdown voltage. Its increase effectively reduces the longitudinal average electric field, widens the depletion region, and increases the breakdown voltage by approximately 50%. Carbon doping compensates for carriers and suppresses leakage through deep-level acceptor traps. Inserting thin AlN layers into the superlattice has a limited effect on improving breakdown voltage. This research provides clear experimental guidance for the optimal design of high-voltage GaN HEMT buffer layers from both material and physical perspectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics)

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