Polarization-engineered GaN/InGaN/GaN tunnel diodes

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Krishnamoorthy S., Nath D. N., Akyol F., Park P. S., Esposto M., Rajan S.

APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol.97, no.20, 2010 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 97 Issue: 20
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1063/1.3517481
  • Journal Name: APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

We report on the design and demonstration of polarization-engineered GaN/InGaN/GaN tunnel junction diodes with high current density and low tunneling turn-on voltage. Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin calculations were used to model and design tunnel junctions with narrow band gap InGaN-based barrier layers. N-polar p-GaN/In(0.33)Ga(0.67)N/n-GaN heterostructure tunnel diodes were grown using molecular beam epitaxy. Efficient interband tunneling was achieved close to zero bias with a high current density of 118 A/cm(2) at a reverse bias of 1 V, reaching a maximum current density up to 9.2 kA/cm(2). These results represent the highest current density reported in III-nitride tunnel junctions and demonstrate the potential of III-nitride tunnel devices for a broad range of optoelectronic and electronic applications. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3517481]