Significant enhancement in GaAs HEMT thermal performance

Our colleagues from the department of III-V semiconductors IEE SAS,  Slovak University of Technology, and Wuhan University in China have achieved a significant advancement in high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) technology. These devices, crucial for applications in quantum computing, space technologies, and high-frequency communication, now exhibit enhanced thermal performance thanks to a novel approach.
The transient thermoreflectance (TTR) study utilized epitaxial lift-off (ELO) technology to transfer GaAs nanomembranes onto substrates with superior thermal conductivity, such as SiC and diamond. Results revealed a reduction of thermal resistance by approximately 30% when using SiC and diamond substrates. Additionally, simulations predict that optimizing the GaAs/substrate interface could lower operational channel temperatures by up to 29 – 41%. SiC substrates stand out as a cost-effective alternative to diamond, offering a balance between performance and large-scale production feasibility.
This breakthrough addresses a critical limitation of GaAs HEMTs—thermal management. By improving heat dissipation, these advancements ensure higher power output while maintaining safe operational temperatures. This not only extends device reliability but also enhances their suitability for high-performance applications such as satellite communication and quantum computers. Moreover, the ELO process enables the reuse of GaAs substrates, significantly lowering production costs and improving sustainability.

Learn more: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsaelm.4c00659
Authors: Filip Gucmann, Biwei Meng, Aleš Chvála, Róbert Kúdela, Chao Yuan, Milan Ťapajna, Martin Florovič, Fridrich Egyenes, Peter Eliáš, Fedor Hrubišák, Jaroslav Kováč Jr., Ján Fedor, Dagmar Gregušová