Characteristics of GaAs varactor diode with hyperabrupt doping profile

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Vol. 212; no. 3; pp. 612 - 616
• Main Authors: Heo, Jun-Woo, Hong, Sejun, Choi, Seok-Gyu, Rana, Abu ul Hassan Sarwar, Kim, Hyun-Seok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Breakdown; Devices; Doping; Electric potential; GaAs; Gallium arsenide; Gallium arsenides; Varactor diodes; Voltage; voltage-controlled oscillators
• ISSN: 1862-6300; 1862-6319
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201431539

We investigate the performance of hyperabrupt doping profile based GaAs varactor diodes. Epitaxially grown GaAs nn+ devices, having an intentionally graded n‐active layer doping concentration, exhibit significant improvements in the breakdown voltage and capacitance relative to flat n‐active layer devices. It is found that the varactor diodes with a hyperabrupt doping profile are effective in shifting the breakdown voltage. Moreover, the capacitance in the hyperabrupt graded junction is comparatively more dependent on the reverse‐bias voltage than that in the uniformly doped junction. Experimental results indicate a maximum reverse breakdown voltage of 40 V at a leakage current of 165 µA. Furthermore, the maximum and minimum capacitances are 3.88 and 0.72 pF, respectively, for an anode diameter of 70 µm, resulting in a Cmax/Cmin ratio of 5.39. Packaged GaAs varactor diode for VCO applications.