Two-dimensional electron-gas AlN/GaN heterostructures with extremely thin AlN barriers

Plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy is used to grow a set of two-dimensional electron-gas AlN/GaN structures with AlN barrier thicknesses varied between 24 and 50 Angstrom. The density of the two-dimensional electron gas formed at the GaN/AlN interface increases from 1.51x10(13) cm(-2) for the AlN barrier width of 24 Angstrom to 3.65x10(13) cm(-2) for the AlN barrier width of 49 Angstrom. The increase in the electron sheet density is accompanied by a decrease in electron mobility related to tensile strain relaxation and enhanced interface roughness scattering. It is shown that room-temperature sheet resistances below 200 Omega/square can be achieved in AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor structures with 35-45 Angstrom AlN barriers. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)00851-2].