Editing Gallium nitride (section)

== Developments ==
One of the earliest syntheses of gallium nitride was at the George Herbert Jones Laboratory in 1932.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ahmad |first=Majeed |date=2023-05-23 |title=A brief history of gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductors |url=https://www.edn.com/a-brief-history-of-gallium-nitride-gan-semiconductors/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=EDN |language=en-US}}</ref>

An early synthesis of gallium nitride was by Robert Juza and Harry Hahn in 1938.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://doi.org/10.1002/zaac.19382390307 | doi=10.1002/zaac.19382390307 | title=Über die Kristallstrukturen von Cu3N, GaN und InN Metallamide und Metallnitride | year=1938 | last1=Juza | first1=Robert | last2=Hahn | first2=Harry | journal=Zeitschrift für Anorganische und Allgemeine Chemie | volume=239 | issue=3 | pages=282–287 | url-access=subscription }}</ref>

GaN with a high crystalline quality can be obtained by depositing a buffer layer at low temperatures.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Amano | first1 = H. | last2 = Sawaki | first2 = N. | last3 = Akasaki | first3 = I. | last4 = Toyoda | first4 = Y. | s2cid = 59066765 | title = Metalorganic vapor phase epitaxial growth of a high quality GaN film using an AlN buffer layer | doi = 10.1063/1.96549 | journal = Applied Physics Letters | volume = 48 | issue = 5 | pages = 353 | year = 1986 |bibcode = 1986ApPhL..48..353A }}</ref> Such high-quality GaN led to the discovery of p-type GaN,<ref name="doi10.1143/JJAP.28.L2112" /> p–n junction blue/UV-[[LED]]s<ref name="doi10.1143/JJAP.28.L2112" /> and room-temperature stimulated emission<ref name="doi10.1143/JJAP.29.L205">{{Cite journal | last1 = Amano | first1 = H. | last2 = Asahi | first2 = T. | last3 = Akasaki | first3 = I. | title = Stimulated Emission Near Ultraviolet at Room Temperature from a GaN Film Grown on Sapphire by MOVPE Using an AlN Buffer Layer | doi = 10.1143/JJAP.29.L205 | journal = Japanese Journal of Applied Physics | volume = 29 | issue = 2 | pages = L205 | year = 1990 |bibcode = 1990JaJAP..29L.205A | s2cid = 120489784 }}</ref> (essential for laser action).<ref name="doi10.7567/JJAP.34.L1517">{{Cite journal | last1 = Akasaki | first1 = I. | last2 = Amano | first2 = H. | last3 = Sota | first3 = S. | last4 = Sakai | first4 = H. | last5 = Tanaka | first5 = T. | last6 = Koike | first6 = M. | title = Stimulated Emission by Current Injection from an AlGaN/GaN/GaInN Quantum Well Device | doi = 10.7567/JJAP.34.L1517 | journal = Japanese Journal of Applied Physics | volume = 34 | number = 11B | pages = L1517 | year = 1995 | bibcode = 1995JaJAP..34L1517A }}</ref> This has led to the commercialization of high-performance blue LEDs and long-lifetime violet laser diodes, and to the development of nitride-based devices such as UV detectors and high-speed [[field-effect transistor]]s.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

=== LEDs ===
High-brightness GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) completed the range of primary colors, and made possible applications such as daylight-visible full-color LED displays, white LEDs and blue [[laser]] devices. The first GaN-based high-brightness LEDs used a thin film of GaN deposited via [[metalorganic vapour-phase epitaxy]] (MOVPE) on [[sapphire]]. Other substrates used are [[zinc oxide]], with [[lattice constant]] mismatch of only 2% and [[silicon carbide]] (SiC).<ref name=review>{{Cite journal | last1 = Morkoç | first1 = H. | last2 = Strite | first2 = S. | last3 = Gao | first3 = G. B. | last4 = Lin | first4 = M. E. | last5 = Sverdlov | first5 = B. | last6 = Burns | first6 = M. | doi = 10.1063/1.358463 | title = Large-band-gap SiC, III–V nitride, and II–VI ZnSe-based semiconductor device technologies | journal = Journal of Applied Physics | volume = 76 | issue = 3 | pages = 1363 | year = 1994 |bibcode = 1994JAP....76.1363M }}</ref> Group III nitride semiconductors are, in general, recognized as one of the most promising semiconductor families for fabricating optical devices in the visible short-wavelength and UV region.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

=== GaN transistors and power ICs ===
The very high [[breakdown voltages]],<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Dora | first1 = Y. | last2 = Chakraborty | first2 = A. | last3 = McCarthy | first3 = L. | last4 = Keller | first4 = S. | last5 = Denbaars | first5 = S. P. | last6 = Mishra | first6 = U. K. | doi = 10.1109/LED.2006.881020 | title = High Breakdown Voltage Achieved on AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with Integrated Slant Field Plates | journal = [[IEEE Electron Device Letters]] | volume = 27 | issue = 9 | pages = 713 | year = 2006 |bibcode = 2006IEDL...27..713D | s2cid = 38268864 }}</ref> high [[electron mobility]], and high [[saturation velocity]] of GaN has made it an ideal candidate for high-power and high-temperature microwave applications, as evidenced by its high [[Johnson's figure of merit]]. Potential markets for high-power/high-frequency devices based on GaN include [[microwave]] [[radio-frequency]] power amplifiers (e.g., those used in high-speed wireless data transmission) and high-voltage switching devices for power grids. A potential mass-market application for GaN-based RF [[transistor]]s is as the microwave source for [[microwave oven]]s, replacing the [[magnetron]]s currently used. The large band gap means that the performance of GaN transistors is maintained up to higher temperatures (~400&nbsp;°C<ref name=GS-WGN>{{Cite web|url=https://gansystems.com/gan-transistors/about-gan-systems/|title=Why GaN Systems|date=29 November 2023 }}</ref>) than silicon transistors (~150&nbsp;°C<ref name=GS-WGN/>) because it lessens the effects of [[Electrical resistivity and conductivity#In semiconductors and insulators|thermal generation of charge carriers]] that are inherent to any semiconductor. The first gallium nitride metal semiconductor field-effect transistors (GaN [[MESFET]]) were experimentally demonstrated in 1993<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Asif Khan | first1 = M. | last2 = Kuznia | first2 = J. N. | last3 = Bhattarai | first3 = A. R. | last4 = Olson | first4 = D. T. | title = Metal semiconductor field effect transistor based on single crystal GaN | doi = 10.1063/1.109549 | journal = Applied Physics Letters | volume = 62 | issue = 15 | pages = 1786 | year = 1993 |bibcode = 1993ApPhL..62.1786A }}</ref> and they are being actively developed.

In 2010, the first [[enhancement-mode]] GaN transistors became generally available.<ref name=EPC-EM-2010>{{cite journal|last=Davis|first=Sam|title=Enhancement Mode GaN MOSFET Delivers Impressive Performance|journal=Electronic Design|date=March 2010|volume=36|issue=3|url=https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/discrete-power-semis/article/21191975/enhancement-mode-gallium-nitride-mosfet-delivers-impressive-performance}}</ref> Only n-channel transistors were available.<ref name=EPC-EM-2010/> These devices were designed to replace power MOSFETs in applications where switching speed or power conversion efficiency is critical.  These transistors are built by growing a thin layer of GaN on top of a standard silicon wafer, often referred to as ''GaN-on-Si'' by manufacturers.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=GaN-on-silicon enablingGaN power electronics, but to capture less than 5%of LED making by 2020|url=http://www.semiconductor-today.com/features/PDF/SemiconductorToday_AprMay2014-GaN-on-silicon.pdf|journal=Compounds & AdvancedSilicon|publisher=SeminconductorTODAY|volume=9|issue=April/May 2014}}</ref> This allows the FETs to maintain costs similar to silicon power MOSFETs but with the superior electrical performance of GaN, and consists of growing GaN on silicon wafers using MOCVD Epitaxy.<ref>https://www.powerelectronicsnews.com/infineon-advances-gan-technology-with-300-mm-wafer-production/</ref> Another seemingly viable solution for realizing enhancement-mode GaN-channel HFETs is to employ a lattice-matched quaternary AlInGaN layer of acceptably low spontaneous polarization mismatch to GaN.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Rahbardar Mojaver|first1=Hassan|last2=Gosselin|first2=Jean-Lou|last3=Valizadeh|first3=Pouya|date=2017-06-27|title=Use of a bilayer lattice-matched AlInGaN barrier for improving the channel carrier confinement of enhancement-mode AlInGaN/GaN hetero-structure field-effect transistors|journal=Journal of Applied Physics|volume=121|issue=24|pages=244502|doi=10.1063/1.4989836|bibcode=2017JAP...121x4502R |issn=0021-8979}}</ref>

GaN power ICs monolithically integrate a GaN FET, GaN-based drive circuitry and circuit protection into a single surface-mount device.<ref>{{cite web |title=GaN Power ICs |url=https://www.navitassemi.com/gan-power-ics/ |website=Navitas}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=GaN Integrated Circuits |url=https://epc-co.com/epc/Products/eGaNFETsandICs/eGaNIntegratedCircuits/ |website=EPC}}</ref>  Integration means that the gate-drive loop has essentially zero impedance, which further improves efficiency by virtually eliminating FET turn-off losses. Academic studies into creating low-voltage GaN power ICs began at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the first devices were demonstrated in 2015. Commercial GaN power IC production began in 2018.

==== CMOS logic ====
In 2016 the first GaN [[CMOS logic]] using PMOS and NMOS transistors was reported with gate lengths of 0.5&nbsp;μm (gate widths of the PMOS and NMOS transistors were 500&nbsp;μm and 50&nbsp;μm, respectively).<ref name=sct-2016-cmos>{{Cite web|url=https://www.semiconductor-today.com/news_items/2016/feb/hrl_150216.shtml|title=HRL Laboratories claims first gallium nitride CMOS transistor fabrication|website=www.semiconductor-today.com}}</ref>