Electrical Characteristics of Enhancement-Mode n-Channel Vertical GaN MOSFETs and the Effects of Sidewall Slope

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a promising material for next-generation high-power applications due to its wide bandgap, high breakdown field, high electron mobility, and good thermal conductivity. From a structure point of view, the vertical device is more suitable to high-power applications than planar devices because of its area effectiveness. However, it is challenging to obtain a completely upright vertical structure due to inevitable sidewall slope in anisotropic etching of GaN. In this letter, we design and analyze the enhancement-mode n-channel vertical GaN MOSFET with variation of sidewall gate angle by two-dimensional (2D) technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. As the sidewall slope gets closer to right angle, the device performances are improved since a gradual slope provides a leakage current path through the bulk region.