In this work, we present the novel application of SiN_x stress-engineering techniques for the suppression of short-channel effects in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), accompanied by a comprehensive analysis of the underlying mechanisms. The compressive stress SiN_x passivation significantly enhances the barrier height at the heterojunction beneath the gate, maintaining it above the quasi-Fermi level even as V_ds rises to 20 V. As a result, in GaN devices with a gate length of 160 nm, the devices with compressive stress SiN_x passivation exhibit significantly lower drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) factors of 2.25 mV/V, 2.56 mV/V, 4.71 mV/V, and 3.84 mV/V corresponding to drain bias voltages of 5 V, 10 V, 15 V, and 20 V, respectively. Furthermore, as V_ds increases, there is an insignificant degradation in transconductance, subthreshold swing, leakage current, or output conductance. In contrast, the devices with stress-free passivation show relatively higher DIBL factors (greater than 20 mV/V) and substantial degradation in pinch-off performance and output characteristics. These results demonstrate that the SiN_x stress-engineering technique is an attractive technique to facilitate high-performance and high-reliability GaN-based HEMTs for radio frequency (RF) electronics applications.

This study optimizes the CuO_x/Ga₂O₃ heterojunction diodes (HJDs) by tailoring the structural parameters of CuO_x layers. The hole concentration in the sputtered CuO_x was precisely controlled by adjusting the Ar/O₂ gas ratio. Experimental investigations and TCAD simulations were employed to systematically evaluate the impact of the CuO_x layer dimension and hole concentration on the electrical performance of HJDs. The results indicate that increasing the diameter dimension of the CuO_x layer or tuning the hole concentration to optimal values significantly enhances the breakdown voltage (V_B) of single-layer HJDs by mitigating the electric field crowing effects. Additionally, a double-layer CuO_x structure (p⁺ CuO_x/p⁻ CuO_x) was designed and optimized to achieve an ideal balance between the V_B and specific on-resistance (R_on,sp). This double-layer HJD demonstrated a high V_B of 2780 V and a low R_on,sp of 6.46 mΩ·cm², further yielding a power figure of merit of 1.2 GW/cm². These findings present a promising strategy for advancing the performance of Ga₂O₃ devices in power electronics applications.

The piezoelectric thin film composed of single-crystal lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) exhibits a remarkably high electromechanical coupling coefficient and minimal intrinsic losses, making it an optimal material for fabricating bulk acoustic wave resonators. However, contemporary first-order antisymmetric (A1) Lamb mode resonators based on LiNbO₃ thin films face specific challenges, such as inadequate mechanical stability, limited power capacity, and the presence of multiple spurious modes, which restrict their applicability in a broader context. In this paper, we present an innovative design for A1 Lamb mode resonators that incorporates a support-pillar structure. Integration of support pillars enables the dissipation of spurious wave energy to the substrate, effectively mitigating unwanted spurious modes. Additionally, this novel approach involves anchoring the piezoelectric thin film to a supportive framework, consequently enhancing mechanical stability while simultaneously improving the heat dissipation capabilities of the core.

In this work, the DC performance and RF characteristics of GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) using the SiN_x stress-engineered technique were systematically investigated. It was observed that a significant reduction in the peak electric field and an increase in the effective barrier thickness in the devices with compressive SiN_x passivation contributed to the suppression of Fowler–Nordheim (FN) tunneling. As a result, the gate leakage decreased by more than an order of magnitude, and the breakdown voltage (BV) increased from 44 V to 84 V. Moreover, benefiting from enhanced gate control capability, the devices with compressive stress SiN_x passivation showed improved peak transconductance from 315 mS/mm to 366 mS/mm, along with a higher cutoff frequency (f_t) and maximum oscillation frequency (f_max) of 21.15 GHz and 35.66 GHz, respectively. Due to its enhanced frequency performance and improved pinch-off characteristics, the power performance of the devices with compressive stress SiN_x passivation was markedly superior to that of the devices with stress-free SiN_x passivation. These results confirm the substantial potential of the SiN_x stress-engineered technique for high-frequency and high-output power applications, which are crucial for future communication systems.