  The strain in AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field-effect transistors (HFETs) is
examined theoretically in the context of the fully-coupled equation of state
for piezoelectric materials. Using a simple analytical model, it is shown that,
in the absence of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), the out-of-plane
strain obtained without electromechanical coupling is in error by about 30% for
an Al fraction of 0.3. This result has consequences for the calculation of
quantities that depend directly on the strain tensor. These quantities include
the eigenstates and electrostatic potential in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures. It
is shown that for an HFET, the electromechanical coupling is screened by the
2DEG. Results for the electromechanical model, including the 2DEG, indicate
that the standard (decoupled) strain model is a reasonable approximation for
HFET calculataions. The analytical results are supported by a self-consistent
Schr\"odinger-Poisson calculation that includes the fully-coupled equation of
state together with the charge-balance equation.
