A simplified two-dimensional model that includes only an electron current equation is shown to be successfully applied to the calculation of current-voltage characteristics of GaAs MESFET's with a p-beffer layer or with the semi-insulating substrate including hole traps.

Two-dimensional simulations of small-signal parameters (such as transconductance, gate capacitance and cutoff frequency) of GaAs MESFETs are performed in which impurity compensation by deep levels in the semi-insulating substrate is considered. It is shown that these are strongly affected by impurity densities in the substrate. For higher acceptor densities in the substrate, both transconductance and cutoff frequency become higher, because the substrate current is reduced. For low acceptor densities in the substrate, the gate capacitance takes a relatively large value even if the gate voltage is deeply negative, because the channel extends into the substrate and electrons there contribute to the capacitance. It is concluded that to utilize high-frequency performance of GaAs MESFETs, the acceptor densities in the semi-insulating substrate should be made high.