A. V. Bobyl', S. G. Konnikov, V. M. Ustinov, M. V. Baidakova, N. A. Maleev, D. A. Sakseev, R. V. Konakova, V. V. Milenin, I. V. Prokopenko, “Radiation-induced surface degradation of GaAs and high electron mobility transistor structures”, Fizika i Tekhnika Poluprovodnikov, 2012, Volume 46, Issue 6,Pages <nobr>833

This article is cited in 4 papers

Semiconductor physics

Radiation-induced surface degradation of GaAs and high electron mobility transistor structures

A. V. Bobyl'^a, S. G. Konnikov^a, V. M. Ustinov^a, M. V. Baidakova^a, N. A. Maleev^a, D. A. Sakseev^a, R. V. Konakova^b, V. V. Milenin^b, I. V. Prokopenko^b

^a Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg
^b Institute of Semiconductor Physics NAS, Kiev

Abstract: Transistor heterostructures with high-carrier-mobility have been studied. It is shown that, as the $\gamma$-irradiation dose $\Phi$ increases, their degradation occurs in the following sequence. (i) At $\Phi<$ 10$^7$ rad, the GaAs surface layer is damaged to a depth of 10 nm due to a $>$ 0.2-eV decrease in the diffusion energy of intrinsic defects and, probably, atmospheric oxygen. (ii) At $\Phi>$ 10$^7$ rad, highly structurally disordered regions larger than 1 $\mu$m are formed near microscopic defects or dislocations. (iii) At $\Phi>$ 10$^8$ rad, there occurs degradation of the internal AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs interfaces and the working channel. An effective method for studying the degradation processes in heterostructures is to employ a set of structural diagnostic methods to analyze processes of radiation-induced and aging degradation, in combination with theoretical simulation of the occurring processes.

Received: 08.12.2011
Accepted: 19.12.2011