Impact of Electrically and Thermally Induced Physical Defects on the Reliability of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Impact of Electrically and Thermally Induced Physical Defects on the Reliability of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors PDF Author: Monta Raymond Holzworth (Jr)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 192

Get Book Here

Book Description
AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors are unique for their combination of high temperature, high power, and high frequency applications. Compared to Si, Ge, and compound semiconductors such as GaAS and InP, AlGaN/GaN transistors outclass the current technology due to their superior combination of high breakdown voltage and high frequency performance. These characteristics arise from structural and electrical properties inherent to the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction which have enabled AlGaN/GaN transistors usage in important military and civilian applications such as microwave and millimeter technology, RADAR systems, and as high current and voltage switches in utility grid systems. As the technology continues to improve due to increased materials quality and device advancements, future applications will require AlGaN/GaN transistor usage under even higher voltages and temperatures. Therefore, the effects of these stresses need to be investigated in order improve device performance and reliability.

Impact of Electrically and Thermally Induced Physical Defects on the Reliability of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Impact of Electrically and Thermally Induced Physical Defects on the Reliability of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors PDF Author: Monta Raymond Holzworth (Jr)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 192

Get Book Here

Book Description
AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors are unique for their combination of high temperature, high power, and high frequency applications. Compared to Si, Ge, and compound semiconductors such as GaAS and InP, AlGaN/GaN transistors outclass the current technology due to their superior combination of high breakdown voltage and high frequency performance. These characteristics arise from structural and electrical properties inherent to the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction which have enabled AlGaN/GaN transistors usage in important military and civilian applications such as microwave and millimeter technology, RADAR systems, and as high current and voltage switches in utility grid systems. As the technology continues to improve due to increased materials quality and device advancements, future applications will require AlGaN/GaN transistor usage under even higher voltages and temperatures. Therefore, the effects of these stresses need to be investigated in order improve device performance and reliability.

Reliability

Reliability PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 244

Get Book Here

Book Description


Dynamic Performance Simulation of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Dynamic Performance Simulation of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors PDF Author: Shrijit Mukherjee
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780530005898
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 130

Get Book Here

Book Description
Abstract: GaN based devices have reached a point in terms of processing maturity where the favorable wide-band gap related properties can be implemented in several commercial and military applications. However, long term reliability continues to affect large scale integration of such devices, specifically the potential of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs), due to the indefinite nature of defects in the structure and mechanisms of performance degradation relevant to such defects. Recent efforts have begun to concentrate more on the bulk properties of the GaN buffer on which the heterostructure is grown, and how defects distributed in the buffer can affect the performance under various operating schemes. This dissertation discusses numerical simulator based investigation of the numerous possibilities by which such point defects can affect electrical behavior. For HEMTs designed for satellite communication systems, proton irradiation results indicate changes in the device parasitics resulting in degradation of RF parameters. Assumption of such radiation damage introducing fast traps indicate severe degradation far exceeding experimental observation. For power switching applications, the necessity of accurately capturing as-grown defects was realized when modeling current relaxation during bias switching. Ability to introduce multiple trap levels in the material bulk aided in achieving simulation results replicating experimental results more accurately than published previously. Impact of factors associated with such traps, either associated with discrete energy levels or band-like distribution in energy, on the nature of current relaxation characterized by its derivative has been presented. Dissertation Discovery Company and University of Florida are dedicated to making scholarly works more discoverable and accessible throughout the world. This dissertation, "Dynamic Performance Simulation of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors" by Shrijit Mukherjee, was obtained from University of Florida and is being sold with permission from the author. A digital copy of this work may also be found in the university's institutional repository, IR@UF. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation.

Characterization and Reliability of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Characterization and Reliability of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors PDF Author: Erica Ann Douglas
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
High reverse bias of the gate has been shown to induce the inverse piezoelectric effect, resulting in a sharp increase in gate leakage current due to crack formation. The introduction of elevated temperatures during high reverse gate bias indicated that device failure is due to the breakdown of an unintentional gate oxide. RF stress of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs showed comparable critical voltage breakdown regime as that of similar devices stressed under dc conditions. Though RF device characteristics showed stability up to a drain bias of 20 V, Schottky diode characteristics degraded substantially at all voltages investigated. Results from both dc and RF stress conditions, under several bias regimes, confirm that the primary root for stress induced degradation was due to the Schottky contact.

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Reliability. Degradation Modes and Analysis

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Reliability. Degradation Modes and Analysis PDF Author: Ponky Ivo
Publisher: Cuvillier
ISBN: 9783954042593
Category : Gallium nitride
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
AlGaN/GaN HEMTs reliability and stability issues were investigated in dependence on epitaxial design and process modification. DC-Step-Stress-Tests have been performed on wafers as a fast device robustness screening method. As a criterion of robustness they deliver a critical source-drain voltage for the onset of degradation. Several degradation modes were observed which depend on epi design, epi quality and process technology. Electrical and optical characterizations together with electric field simulations were performed to get insight into respective degradation modes. It has been found that AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices with GaN cap show higher critical source-drain voltages as compared to non-capped devices. Devices with low Al concentration in the AlGaN barrier layer also show higher critical source-drain voltages. Superior stability and robustness performance have been achieved from devices with AlGaN backbarrier epi design grown on n-type SiC substrate. For the onset on any degradation modes the presence of high electrical fields is most decisive for ON- and OFF-state operation conditions. Therefore careful epi design to reduce high electric field is mandatory. It is also shown that epi buffer quality and growth process have a great impact on device robustness. Defects such as point defects and dislocations are assumed to be created initially during stressing and accumulated to larger defect clusters during device stressing. Electroluminescence (EL) measurements were performed to detect early degradation. Extended localized defects are resulting as bright spots at OFF-state conditions in conjunction with a gate leakage increase.

Reliability of W-Band InAIN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Reliability of W-Band InAIN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors PDF Author: Yufei Wu (Ph. D.)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 129

Get Book Here

Book Description
AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) have enjoyed tremendous market growth in RF power amplifiers over the past decades. In the quest for enhancing the operating frequency of GaN HEMTs, there has been a great effort to scale down the gate length. Maintaining acceptable short-channel effects requires shrinking the barrier thickness at the same time. However, a limitation exists since there is a minimum barrier thickness that is needed to obtain a sufficiently high two-dimensional electron gas density. One possible solution to this problem is the use of a new barrier material, i.e., InAlN. Due to its high spontaneous polarization, if InAlN is used as a barrier material in GaN HEMTs, a much smaller layer thickness is required compared with conventional HEMTs. This enables further barrier thickness scaling and therefore gate length scaling and a higher frequency response. However, as a relatively new structure, reliability studies of InAlN/GaN HEMTs are still lacking. Solid reliability is essential before the wide commercial deployment of this new technology. This thesis investigates the most relevant degradation mechanisms under important stress regimes, aiming at building a comprehensive understanding of InAIN/GaN HEMT reliability. Through investigating various voltage, current, and temperature stress levels, we have identified one recoverable degradation mechanism as well as three permanent degradation mechanisms. Under high drain voltage, hot-electron trapping results in temporary drain current decrease and drain resistance increase. In addition, under high drain voltage but relatively low drain current level, permanent negative threshold voltage shift and drain current increase have been observed. We attribute the phenomena to dehydrogenation of pre-existing defects in GaN channel by hot electrons. Under high positive gate bias, defect generation in the AIN interlayer due to high electric field across AIN has proven to be responsible for the observed gate leakage current increase. Also, under high-power stress conditions, positive threshold voltage shift and maximum drain current decrease have been consistently observed. We verified through both thermal stress experiments and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis that Schottky gate sinking is the cause. This work provides fundamental understanding of potential reliability concerns in InAlN/GaN HEMTs and is essential in accelerating the future commercialization of this promising technology.

Analysis and Optimization of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors for Microwave Applications

Analysis and Optimization of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors for Microwave Applications PDF Author: Michael Hosch
Publisher: Cuvillier Verlag
ISBN: 3736938446
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 129

Get Book Here

Book Description
This thesis deals with the analysis and optimization of some of the most prominent non-ideal effects in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors used in microwave applications as well as the optimization of the RF gain. The effect of current collapse, the root cause of leakage currents as well as field-dependent self-heating effects have been investigated by eletrical characterization using well established techniques and have been analyzed using 2-dimensional physical device simulations. It will be shown that the origin of all effects is strongly related to the device surface and some are even competing effects making device optimization a challenge. However, a detailed localization of the regions affecting device performance will be given leading to a better understanding for fabrication process optimization. Finally, I simulation study is conducted giving suggestions for RF gain improvement based on very simple device layout variations.

The Effects of Thermal, Strain, and Neutron Irradiation on Defect Formation in AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors and GaN Schottky Diodes

The Effects of Thermal, Strain, and Neutron Irradiation on Defect Formation in AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors and GaN Schottky Diodes PDF Author: Chung-Han Lin
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

Get Book Here

Book Description
Our DRCLS, SPS, time-resolved SPS (t-SPS), current-voltage-temperature (I-V-T) shows that fast and thermal neutron preferentially affect device properties. Fast neutron will induce defects in GaN by recoil and displacement damage whereas thermal neutron tends to enhance the interaction between metal/semiconductor interfaces due to heat. Time-resolved surface photovoltage spectroscopy (t-SPS) results reveal a defect evolution of GaN under fast neutron irradiation that indicates low fast neutron dosage will enhance GaN properties a result which is confirmed by DRCLS results. XPS results show that Ti and Ni are more resistant than other metal but will interact with GaN at higher thermal neutron fluence. Our results show that fast and thermal neutrons are both detrimental electronic devices without proper protection.

Power GaN Devices

Power GaN Devices PDF Author: Matteo Meneghini
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319431994
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 383

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book presents the first comprehensive overview of the properties and fabrication methods of GaN-based power transistors, with contributions from the most active research groups in the field. It describes how gallium nitride has emerged as an excellent material for the fabrication of power transistors; thanks to the high energy gap, high breakdown field, and saturation velocity of GaN, these devices can reach breakdown voltages beyond the kV range, and very high switching frequencies, thus being suitable for application in power conversion systems. Based on GaN, switching-mode power converters with efficiency in excess of 99 % have been already demonstrated, thus clearing the way for massive adoption of GaN transistors in the power conversion market. This is expected to have important advantages at both the environmental and economic level, since power conversion losses account for 10 % of global electricity consumption. The first part of the book describes the properties and advantages of gallium nitride compared to conventional semiconductor materials. The second part of the book describes the techniques used for device fabrication, and the methods for GaN-on-Silicon mass production. Specific attention is paid to the three most advanced device structures: lateral transistors, vertical power devices, and nanowire-based HEMTs. Other relevant topics covered by the book are the strategies for normally-off operation, and the problems related to device reliability. The last chapter reviews the switching characteristics of GaN HEMTs based on a systems level approach. This book is a unique reference for people working in the materials, device and power electronics fields; it provides interdisciplinary information on material growth, device fabrication, reliability issues and circuit-level switching investigation.

Modeling of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors

Modeling of AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors PDF Author: D. Nirmal
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9789819775057
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume focuses on GaN HEMT, the most promising transistor technology for RF power applications such as 5G communications, space and defense. The contents include accurate small signal models required to predict the RF power performance of RF electronic circuits, large signal modeling of GaN HEMTs, accurate and compact physical models to assist the RF circuit designers to optimize GaN HEMT-based power amplifiers and integrated circuits, among others. The book also covers thermal resistance modeling of GaN HEMTs, charge-based compact models, and surface potential-based models to study the impact of gate leakage current on the RF power performance of GaN HEMTs. This book also deals with the analytical modeling of intrinsic charges and surface potential of GaN HEMTs, physical modeling of charge trapping, neural network-based GaN HEMT models, numerical-based GaN HEMT models, modeling of short channel effects in GaN HEMTs, modeling of parasitic capacitances and resistances, modelingof current collapse and kink effects in HGaN HEMTs, etc. This volume will be a useful to those in industry and academia.