Current versus voltage characteristics of GaN∕AlGaN∕GaN double heterostructures with varying AlGaN thickness and composition under hydrostatic pressure

• Published in: Journal of applied physics 2008-03, Vol.103 (6)
• Main Authors: Steinke, I. P., Ruden, P. P., Ni, X., Morkoç, H., Son, K.-A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0021-8979; 1089-7550
• DOI: 10.1063/1.2844484

We have studied current versus voltage characteristics of n-GaN∕u-AlGaN∕n-GaN double heterostructure devices under hydrostatic pressure up to 500MPa. Devices were grown on c-plane sapphire substrates by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy using epitaxial layer overgrowth. The effect of AlGaN layer thickness and composition on the pressure sensitivity was investigated. For a fixed applied bias, we found that the current decreases approximately linearly in magnitude with increasing hydrostatic pressure over the range of voltages and pressures applied. The decrease in current magnitude can be attributed to piezoelectric effects and is consistent with model calculations. The polarization charge densities at the GaN∕AlGaN interfaces change with hydrostatic pressure, which in turn modifies the internal potential barrier. Changes in the AlGaN layer thickness and composition also modify the interfacial polarization, with thicker AlGaN layers and higher AlN content increasing the effect of pressure on the observed current versus voltage characteristics. The strain gauge factors obtained for these devices range from ∼200 to 800.