An analytical approach to the capacitance-voltage characteristics of double-heterojunction HEMTs

The two-dimensional electron gas concentration and capacitance in AlGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs double-heterojunction high-electron-mobility transistors (DH-HEMTs) are calculated as a function of gate voltage using simple iterative solutions of analytical equations. The results show very good agreement with experimental data, as well as with characteristics predicted by complex numerical methods. The calculations are extended to predict the capacitance-voltage characteristics in the presence of parasitic conduction when the gate does not fully control the two-dimensional gas. The developed charge control and capacitance models are easy and inexpensive to run. They are therefore very useful for microwave circuit designs. Furthermore, they can be used for performance prediction and design optimization of DH-HEMTs. The influence of technological parameters, such as layer thickness and aluminum composition, on device performance are presented.<>