Lithuanian Journal of Physics article / Lietuvos fizikos žurnalo straipsnis

TWO-DIMENSIONAL HYDRODYNAMIC MODELLING OF AlGaN/GaN TRANSISTOR-BASED THz DETECTORS
Juozas Vyšniauskas^a, Kęstutis Ikamas^a,b, Domantas Vizbaras^a, and Alvydas Lisauskas^a
^aInstitute of Applied Electrodynamics and Telecommunications, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio 3, 10257 Vilnius, Lithuania
^bResearch Group on Logistics and Defense Technology Management, General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, Šilo 5A, 10322 Vilnius, Lithuania
Email: alvydas.lisauskas@ff.vu.lt

Received 7 October 2023; accepted 9 October 2023

Here, we report on numerical modelling of AlGaN/GaN HEMT terahertz detectors using a two-dimensional solver based on three Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) moments and the Poisson equation. We use the Synopsys TCAD Sentaurus program package, which offers a wide material database and the possibility to include traps and polarization charges for the formation of the channel without any doping. The implications of different levels of model simplifications are addressed both analytically and numerically. We calculated the current responsivity ℜ_I to THz radiation on the drain voltage in the frequency range 0.01–3.0 THz for three AlGaN layer thicknesses d = 15, 20 and 25 nm and different gate lengths. We demonstrate that only a hydrodynamic model can reproduce the change in the sign in current responsivity at the gate voltage U_G0 (ℜ_I = 0 at U_G = U_G0). The energy flux factor in the energy balance equation determines this effect. For the simulated structures, we find that the noise equivalent power may be as low as 0.1 pW/√Hz at 0.04 THz and 10 pW/√Hz at 3.0 THz.
Keywords: power detectors, field effect transistor (FET), gallium-nitride, terahertz (THz), hydrodynamic modelling, TCAD

AlGaN/GaN TRANZISTORINIŲ THz DAŽNIŲ DETEKTORIŲ DVIMATIS HIDRODINAMINIS MODELIAVIMAS
Juozas Vyšniauskas^a, Kęstutis Ikamas^a,b, Domantas Vizbaras^a, Alvydas Lisauskas^a

^aVilniaus universiteto Fizikos fakulteto Taikomosios elektrodinamikos ir telekomunikacijų institutas, Vilnius, Lietuva
^bGenerolo Jono Žemaičio Lietuvos karo akademijos Logistikos ir gynybos technologijų valdymo tyrimų grupė, Vilnius, Lietuva

Pateikiami AlGaN/GaN didelio judrio lauko tranzistoriais paremtų terahercų dažnių juostos detektorių skaitmeninio modeliavimo rezultatai. Sprendimo būdas pagrįstas trijų Bolcmano pernašos lygties (BTE) momentų bei Puasono lygties sprendimu dvimatėje erdvėje. Tam tikslui buvo panaudota „Synopsys TCAD Sentaurus“ programinė įranga. Joje įdiegta išsami medžiagų duomenų bazė bei suteiktos galimybės įskaityti pagavimo būsenas bei poliarizacijos reiškinį, ir tai leidžia suformuoti modelyje laidų kanalą nenaudojant legiravimo. Dažniausiai naudojamų modelių prielaidos buvo nagrinėjamos ir analitiškai, ir skaitmeniškai. Pateikiamos apskaičiuotos srovės jautrio ℜ_I verčių priklausomybės nuo santakos įtampos 0,01–3,0 THz dažnių ruože trims AlGaN sluoksnių storiams d = 15, 20, 25 nm ir skirtingiems užtūros ilgiams. Mes parodome, kad tik hidrodinaminis modelis gali atkurti srovės jautrumo ženklo pasikeitimą ties užtūros įtampa U_G0 (ℜ_I = 0 ties U_G = U_G0). Šį reiškinį nulemia energijos srauto koeficientas energijos balanso lygtyje. Modeliuotoms struktūroms gaunama ekvivalentinė triukšmo galia gali siekti 0,1 pW/√Hz ties 0,04 THz ir 10 pW/√Hz ties 3,0 THz.

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