50-nm self-aligned-gate pseudomorphic AlInAs/GaInAs high electron mobility transistors

The design and fabrication of a class of 50-nm self-aligned-gate pseudomorphic AlInAs/GaInAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with potential for ultra-high-frequency and ultra-low-noise applications are reported. These devices exhibit an extrinsic transconductance of 1740 mS/mm and an extrinsic current-gain cutoff frequency of 340 GHz at room temperature. The small-signal characteristics of a pseudomorphic and a lattice-matched AlInAs/GaInAs HEMT with similar gate length (50 nm) and gate-to-channel separation (17.5 nm) are compared. The former demonstrates a 16% higher transconductance and a 15% higher current-gain cutoff frequency, but exhibits a 38% poorer output conductance. An analysis of the high-field transport properties of ultra-short gate-length AlInAs/GaInAs HEMTs shows that a reduction of gate length from 150 to 50 nm neither enhances nor reduces their average velocity. In contrast, the addition of indium from 53% to 80% improves this parameter by 19%.<
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