Carrier transport in HEMT's analyzed by high-field electroluminescence

Abstract

The high-field emission of visible light from GaAs and InGaAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) has been used to analyze the hot-electron conduction processes in these devices. Spectral analysis of this electroluminescence has indicated that emission has several components, due to recombination in different layers of the transistor. Analysis of the luminescence provides insights into the vertical distribution of electrons and holes when the transistor is operated at high biases. From the measurements, it seems clear that hot conduction electrons flow both in the conducting channel as well as in the barriers and neighboring quantum wells, and that this dominates the electrical behavior at high drain-source bias voltages.<>