Source-Connected p-GaN Gate HEMTs for Increased Threshold Voltage

A pathway to increase the threshold voltage
$(V_{\rm TH})$
of p-GaN gate high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) is presented. The hole depletion width in the p-GaN layer at the gate interface is one of the key controlling factors of
$V_{\rm TH}$
in p-GaN gate HEMTs. In order to increase the depletion width, we devise a new device structure of p-GaN gate HEMT having a source-connected p-GaN bridge. We demonstrate that a bridged p-GaN gate HEMT structure increases the
$V_{\rm TH}$
from 0.93 to 2.44 V.