High-power characteristics of GaN/InGaN double heterojunction bipolar transistors with a regrown p-InGaN base layer

We have investigated high-power characteristics of GaN/InGaN double heterojunction bipolar transistors on SiC substrates grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. The p-InGaN extrinsic base layers were regrown to improve ohmic characteristics of the base. Base-collector diodes showed low leakage current at their reverse bias voltages due to a wide bandgap of a GaN collector, resulting in a high-voltage transistor operation. A 90 μm × 50 μm device operated up to a collector-emitter voltage of 28 V and a collector current of 0.37 A in its common-emitter current-voltage characteristics at room temperature, which corresponds to a DC power of 10.4 W. A collector current density and a power density are as high as 8.2 kA/cm² and 230 kW/cm², respectively. These results show that nitride HBTs are promising for high-power electronic devices.