GaN/InN HEMT based UV photodetector on SiC with hexagonal boron nitride passivation

Abstract

This work presents a novel Gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) based ultraviolet photodetector architecture integrating advanced material and structural design strategies to enhance detection performance and stability under room-temperature operation. The device is constructed on a high-thermal-conductivity silicon carbide (SiC) substrate and incorporates an n-GaN buffer, an indium nitride (InN) channel layer for improved electron mobility and two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) confinement, and a dual-passivation scheme combining silicon nitride (SiN) and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). A p-GaN layer is embedded between the passivation interfaces to deplete the 2DEG in dark conditions. Lateral nickel (Ni) source and drain electrodes and a recessed gate positioned within the substrate ensure enhanced electric field control and noise suppression. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the integration of a hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) interlayer within the dual passivation stack effectively suppresses the gate leakage current from typical literature values of the order of $10^{-7}$~A to approximately $10^{-10}$~A, highlighting its critical role in enhancing interfacial insulation. In addition, consistent with previous reports, the use of a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate offers significantly improved thermal management over sapphire, enabling more stable operation under UV illumination. The device demonstrates strong photoresponse under 360~nm ultraviolet (UV) illumination, high photo-to-dark current ratios (PDCR) of approximately $10^{6}$, and tunable performance via structural optimization of p-GaN width between 0.40~$\mu$m and 1.60~$\mu$m, doping concentration from $5 \times 10^{16}$~cm$^{-3}$ to $5 \times 10^{18}$~cm$^{-3}$, and embedding depth between 0.060~$\mu$m and 0.068~$\mu$m.