Simulation Study of Aluminum Nitride TrenchFETs with Polarization-Induced Doping

Aluminum nitride (AlN) possesses a high critical electric field, allowing for thinner drift regions and lower resistances compared with current materials used for power semiconductor devices. However, high activation energies of impurity dopants like magnesium or silicon and high contact resistances impede the application of AlN for typical device concepts such as TrenchFET. This article aims to develop and investigate novel vertical device structures using an AlN drift region. To evade the aforementioned issues, polarization-induced doping is applied to generate an effective charge concentration and to accomplish less resistive ohmic contacts. Aluminum nitride possesses a high critical electric field, allowing for thinner drift regions and lower resistances compared with current power semiconductor devices. However, high activation energies and high contact resistances impede their application in devices such as TrenchFETs. This article aims to develop and investigate novel vertical devices. To evade the aforementioned issues, polarization-induced doping is applied.image (c) 2024 WILEY-VCH GmbH