GaN based devices for electronic applications

GaN has a very high breakdown field (the measured value is 1.3 MV/cm (see Gaska et al. (1997) and the expected values are over 5 MV/cm), high peak and saturation velocity (vp ≈ 2.7x10 5 m/s, vs ≈ 1.5x10 m/s predicted by Monte Carlo simulations, see Bhapkar and Shur (1997)), a relatively high electron mobility (up to 800 cm/V-s at room temperature in GaN doped at 10 cm and over 1,500 cm/V-s for two-dimensional electrons at the GaN/AlGaN interface, see Shur et al. (1996)) and a respectable thermal conductivity (comparable to that of Si and three times higher than for GaAs). These properties make GaN and related materials very attractive for applications in electronic devices operating at high temperatures, high power, and/or in a harsh environment.