Contents I. Introduction
AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) are emerging as a promising device technology in fast-speed and high-power applications [1], [2], [3], attributed to the outstanding properties of GaN material (e.g., wide bandgap, high electron saturation velocity, high electron mobility, and large breakdown (BD) electric field) [4]. To achieve the ideal rectification properties in SBDs, many works have focused on improving turn-on voltage () while maintaining low reverse current (). The most common technique to reduce the is the thin-barrier (TB) structure, which requires scaling down of the AlGaN barrier under the anode to several nanometers [5], [4], [6], [7], [8]. The conventional TB structure is formed by partially recessing the AlGaN barrier at the anode region [5], [6]. However, the plasma etching at the anode during the fabrication of device will inevitably cause damage to the AlGaN barrier, thereby degrading the device performance. Recently, a novel AlGaN-recess-free, TB technology has been proposed [7], [8], which can eliminate the bombardment plasma damage, thereby achieving high device uniformity and reliability. In previous work, we have clarified the reverse leakage mechanism in TB AlGaN/GaN SBDs [9], while the reverse BD mechanism in TB SBDs is still not clearly understood.
