Wide bandgap semiconductor MESFETs for high temperature applications

Abstract

Electronic and optical devices fabricated from wide bandgap semiconductors have many properties ideal for high temperature, high frequency, high power, and radiation hard applications. Progress in wide bandgap semiconductor materials growth has been impressive and high quality epitaxial layers are becoming available. Useful devices, particularly those fabricated from SiC, are rapidly approaching the commercialization stage. In particular, MESFETs fabricated from wide bandgap semiconductors have the potential to be useful in microwave power amplifier and oscillator applications. The microwave performance of MESFETs fabricated from SiC and GaN is investigated with a theoretical simulator and the results compared to experimental measurements. Excellent agreement between the simulated and measured data is obtained. It is demonstrated that microwave power amplifiers fabricated from these semiconductors offer superior performance, particularly at elevated temperature, compared to comparable components fabricated from GaAs MESFETs.