The modulation of multi-domain and harmonic wave in a GaN planar Gunn diode by recess layer

Abstract

In this paper, a novel structure of a gallium nitride (GaN) planar Gunn diode with isosceles trapezoidal recess layers in the aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) barrier layer is proposed to enhance the harmonic components of Gunn oscillation waveforms. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the oscillation frequency rises from 99.1 GHz up to 300.4 GHz with the recess number increasing from one to four, at which the maximum radio frequency (RF) output power and conversion efficiency are obtained. The output performance of the diode enhances at high harmonic frequencies and is mainly due to the multiple recess layer structure that can trigger the formation of multiple Gunn domains in the two-dimensional electron gas channel of the GaN planar Gunn diode. This indicates that the long channel GaN Gunn diode has the ability to output the available RF power associated with the device operating in a submillimeter-wave and terahertz (THz) regime.

Physical-Based Simulation of the GaN-Based Grooved-Anode Planar Gunn Diode

“…The temperature is set to be 300 K, ideally. In order to calculate the RF output characteristics of the Gunn diode, we use the same method as explained in detail in [22][23][24].…”

“…The temperature is set to be 300 K, ideally. In order to calculate the RF output characteristics of the Gunn diode, we use the same method as explained in detail in [22][23][24]. In order to calculate the electrical characteristics of the diode, we put a single-tone sinusoidal voltage of form VDC + VACsin(2πft) across the diode instead of embedding it to a resonant circuit, as the external circuit adds complexity to the calculation and easily results in non-convergence.…”

“…Nevertheless, all of these emerging devices face the same serious problem-that is, how to generate sufficient RF power. Some theoretical work also shows other solutions, like the harmonic Gunn diode reported in [22,23] and the multi-channel Gunn diode in [24], which either suffers from low RF output power or a complicated process. In order to achieve higher frequency and higher output power simultaneously, for the first time, we propose this new-type grooved-anode Gunn diode, which is realized by simply etching a rectangle groove onto the semiconductor layer at one lithographic step.…”

Study on Self-Parallel GaN-Based Terahertz Hetero-Structural Gunn Diode

“…As a very important solid state oscillator, the Gunn diode has attracted more and more attention since its appearance in 1963 [6,7]. The renewed planar Gunn diode, invented by Ata Khalid et al, has shown great advantages over the vertical ones, such as low voltage, easy integration with MMIC, and easy modulation of frequency [8][9][10][11][12][13]. The GaN hetero-structural planar Gunn diodes are one of the most promising devices in high power, high frequency, and high temperature applications [14][15][16].…”

Thermal Modeling of the GaN-based Gunn Diode at Terahertz Frequencies

“…As one of the excellent candidates for terahertz radiation source, Gunn diodes have attracted much attention [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. Many recent researches demonstrate that the negative-differential-resistance (NDR) based GaN devices possess outstanding power performance at terahertz frequencies due to its unique electronic properties such as large band gap, high breakdown electric field, high electron drift velocity, and large NDR threshold voltage.…”