High-Power Microwave Limiters Using Recess-Free AlGaN/GaN Schottky Barrier Diodes

• Published in: IEEE microwave and wireless technology letters (Print) 2023-02, Vol.33 (2), p.1-4
• Main Authors: Zhao, Rikang, Kang, Xuanwu, Zheng, Yingkui, Wu, Hao, Wei, Nan, Deng, Shixiong, Wei, Ke, Liu, Xinyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AlGaN/GaN; Aluminum gallium nitride; high breakdown voltage; Impedance; lateral; limiter; Microwave circuits; Resistance; Schottky barrier diode (SBD); Transmission line measurements; Wide band gap semiconductors; Wireless communication
• ISSN: 2771-957X; 2771-9588
• DOI: 10.1109/LMWC.2022.3204546

In this letter, a thin-barrier AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diode (SBD) is proposed and implemented in a three-stage high-power RF limiter module. Benefited from the thin-barrier epitaxy, a recess-free process in the Schottky region is allowed to avoid the plasma damage, resulting in low on-resistance of 5 \Omega and high withstand voltage characteristics. In addition, the proposed SBDs have achieved a low junction capacitance of 0.35 pF at 0 V bias and a turn-on voltage of 0.5 V. With the optimized SBD and well-designed matching circuits, the limiter has reached a high power capacity of over 10 W in continuous wave (CW), 20 W in pulse mode, and a fast recovery time of 30 ns at a frequency of 3.5 GHz, exhibiting better characteristics than traditional limiters. Both simulation and measured results agree with each other. It indicates that the AlGaN/GaN-based SBD is promising for high-power and high-frequency limiters.