Structures, devices and methods are provided for creating enhanced back barriers that improve the off-state breakdown and blocking characteristics in aluminum gallium nitride AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). In one aspect, selective fluorine ion implantation is employed when developing HEMTs to create the enhanced back barrier structures. By creating higher energy barriers at the back of the two-dimensional electron gas channel in the unintentionally doped GaN buffer, higher off-state breakdown voltage is advantageously provided and blocking capability is enhanced, while allowing for convenient and cost-effective post-epitaxial growth fabrication. Further non-limiting embodiments are provided that illustrate the advantages and flexibility of the disclosed structures.