High-performance InGaAs HEMTs on GaAs substrate using AlAs/GaAs superlattice buffer-assisted heterostructure growth

Abstract

Recently, InGaAs-channel-based high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), typically grown on InP substrates, have emerged as key components for next-generation wireless communication and quantum computing systems. However, the cost and manufacturability remain significant bottlenecks to the widespread adoption of this technology. To overcome these challenges, InGaAs HEMTs grown on GaAs substrates have been actively studied. In this paper, we present high-quality InGaAs HEMT layers grown on GaAs substrate using AlAs/GaAs superlattice buffer to mitigate lattice mismatch and improve crystal quality. High-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses verify the highquality epitaxial growth of InGaAs HEMT layers on GaAs substrates compared to the reference sample grown on InP substrates. The fabricated 100-nm-gate InGaAs HEMTs on GaAs substrate with superlattice buffer exhibited a peak transconductance of 1.61 S/mm and fT/fMAX values of 414/385 GHz, comparable to the performance of reference devices on InP substrates. These results show the feasibility of cost-effective and highmanufacturability producing high-performance InGaAs HEMTs on GaAs substrate, paving the way for the wide use of InGaAs HEMT technology for various RF applications.