Hot-electron energy relaxation time in AlInN/AlN/GaN 2DEG channels

Abstract

A microwave noise technique has been used for experimental investigation, at room temperature, of power dissipation in the voltage-biased two-dimensional electron gas channel located in the GaN layer of a lattice-matched Al0.82In0.18N/AlN/GaN heterostructure. No saturation of the relaxation time is found in the investigated electron temperature range up to ∼2800 K: the hot-electron energy relaxation time decreases from ∼6 ps at near equilibrium to 75 ± 20 fs at ∼200 nW/electron. The electron drift velocity reaches ∼1.8 × 107 cm s−1 at 65 kV cm−1 electric field. The hot-phonon effect on power dissipation is discussed.