Non-Arrhenius Degradation of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Grown on Bulk GaN Substrates

• Published in: IEEE electron device letters Vol. 33; no. 8; pp. 1126 - 1128
• Main Authors: Tapajna, M., Killat, N., Moereke, J., Paskova, T., Evans, K. R., Leach, J., Li, X., Ozgur, Ü, Morkoc, H., Chabak, K. D., Crespo, A., Gillespie, J. K., Fitch, R., Kossler, M., Walker, D. E., Trejo, M., Via, G. D., Blevins, J. D., Kuball, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-08-2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: AlGaN/GaN HEMT; Aluminum gallium nitride; Applied sciences; bulk GaN; Degradation; electrical stress; electroluminescence (EL); Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Gallium nitride; HEMTs; Logic gates; MODFETs; reliability; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Substrates; Transistors; Ternary compound; Binary compound; Electric stress; Aluminium nitride; Electrical method; Electroluminescence; Gallium nitride; bulk GaN; III-V compound; Degradation; electrical stress; High electron mobility transistor; AlGaN/GaN HEMT; electroluminescence (EL); Optical method; Terbium; Hot electron; Reliability; Damaging
• ISSN: 0741-3106; 1558-0563
• DOI: 10.1109/LED.2012.2199278

The reliability of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs processed on bulk GaN substrates was studied using electrical and optical methods, showing a decreasing degradation with increasing baseplate temperature (T b ). Generation of traps spatially located in both intrinsic and extrinsic HEMT regions was found to be most pronounced for OFF-state bias stress performed at room T b , while increasing T b up to 150°C decreased trap generation underneath the gate perimeter. This was attributed to degradation driven by hot electrons as it should dominate over defect-related degradation mechanisms in GaN-on-GaN devices.