A　GaN-based　current-aperture　vertical　electron　transistor　with　source-connected　field-plates　(SFP-CAVET)　is　proposed　and　investigated　by　means　of　two-dimensional　simulations.　This　device　is　characterized　by　the　source-connected　field-plates　(SFP)　at　both　sides,　which　leads　to　remarkable　improvement　of　breakdown　voltage　(BV)　without　degradation　of　specific　onresistance　(R-on).　Systematic　analyses　are　conducted　to　reveal　the　mechanism　of　the　SFP　modulation　effect　on　the　potential　and　the　electric　held　distributions　and　thus　the　BV　improvement.　Optimization　and　design　of　SFP-CAVET　are　performed　for　the　maximum　BV.　Simulation　results　exhibit　a　R-on　of　2.25　m　Omega　center　dot　cm(2)　and　a　significantly　enhanced　BV　of　3610　V　in　SFP-CAVET,　indicating　an　average　breakdown　electric　held　of　more　than　240　V　mu　m(-1).　Compared　with　conventional　CAVET,　both　BV　and　average　breakdown　electric　held　in　SFP-CAVET　are　increased　by　more　than　121%　while　R-on　remains　unchanged.　And　the　trade-off　performance　of　BV　and　R-on　in　SFP-CAVET　is　also　better　than　that　in　GaN-based　CAVET　with　superjunctions　(SJ　CAVET).　In　addition,　the　fabrication　process　issues　of　the　proposed　SFP-CAVET　are　also　presented　and　discussed.　These　results　could　break　a　new　path　to　further　improve　the　trade-off　performance　of　BV　and　R-on　in　GaN-based　vertical　devices.