Impact of field-plate geometry on the reliability of GaN-on-SiC HEMTs

• Published in: Microelectronics and reliability Vol. 53; no. 9-11; pp. 1461 - 1465
• Main Authors: Chini, A., Soci, F., Fantini, F., Nanni, A., Pantellini, A., Lanzieri, C., Meneghesso, G., Zanoni, E.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Devices; Dynamics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Gallium nitrides; High electron mobility transistors; Microelectronics; Plates (structural members); Semiconductor devices; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Silicon carbide; Transistors; Performance evaluation; High electron mobility transistor; Binary compound; Silicon carbide; Reliability; Gallium nitride; III-V compound
• ISSN: 0026-2714; 1872-941X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2013.07.033

•GaN HEMT with different gate field-plate geometries have been tested.•Increasing field-plate length improves the device large signal performances.•Increasing field-plate length improves device stability during RF stress test.
GaN on SiC HEMTs fabricated with different gate-connected field plate structures have been tested by means of RF reliability tests. The increase in field-plate length yielded an improvement of both the dynamic and the reliability performance during RF testing. Results are thus suggesting that reliability in field-plate devices can be improved by a proper design of the field-plate geometry.