Electrical characteristics of bulk GaN-based Schottky rectifiers with ultrafast reverse recovery

Abstract

A vertical Schottky diode rectifier was fabricated using a bulk n−GaN wafer. Pt Schottky contacts were prepared on the Ga face and full backside ohmic contact was prepared on the N face by using Ti∕Al. The root mean square surface roughnesses of the Ga and N faces are 0.61 and 4.7nm, respectively. A relatively high breakdown field of 5.46kV∕cm was achieved with no additional edge termination. The breakdown field decreases as the size of the device increases. The background electron concentration of the bulk GaN wafer was low (5×1015cm−3), which may lead to a relatively high breakdown field even with no special edge termination. The forward turn-on voltage was as low as 2.4V at the current density of 100A∕cm2. The device exhibited an ultrafast reverse recovery characteristics (reverse recovery time <20ns).