Dynamic ON-State Breakdown of GaN-on-Si HEMT
 
Dynamic ON-State Breakdown of GaN-on-Si HEMT 
 
Hao Yu, Hao Yu, Amratansh Gupta, Amratansh Gupta, Ying-Chun Kuo, Ying-Chun Kuo, Yiliang Chong, Yiliang Chong, Tian-Li Wu, Tian-Li Wu, Sachin Yadav, Sachin Yadav, Rana Yasser ElKashlan, Rana Yasser ElKashlan, Sourish Banerjee, Sourish Banerjee, Herwig Hahn, Herwig Hahn, Christof Mauder, Christof Mauder, Aarti Rathi, Aarti Rathi, Wei-Min Wu, Wei-Min Wu, Babak Kazemi Esfeh, Babak Kazemi Esfeh, Erik Bury, Erik Bury, Bjorn Vermeersch, Bjorn Vermeersch, Barry O'Sullivan, Barry O'Sullivan, Alireza Alian, Alireza Alian, Muhammad Asad, Muhammad Asad, Uthayasankaran Peralagu, Uthayasankaran Peralagu, Bertrand Parvais, Bertrand Parvais, Nadine Collaert, Nadine Collaert
 
Abstract 

We apply ramp-drain-voltage-(. Vd) -stress (RVS) method to characterize breakdown loci of GaN-on-Si HEMTs under high-power on state conditions. We observe that GaN-onSi HEMTs have distinct breakdown dependencies in the fully-ON state (when conductive current ≥400mA/mm) and semi-ON state (when conductive current <400mA/mm). In the fully-ON state, the breakdown loci are independent of HEMT top barrier options (InAIN, AIGaN, or AIN) while in the semi-ON state, the breakdown loci have clear top barrier dependences. We systematically screen key parameters behind the fully-ON breakdown voltages loci. We report significant dependences of fully-ON breakdown on device width, gate-to-drain spacing Lgd and RVS sweep rate. The dependence of fully-ON breakdown on device width results from self-heating effects. The dependence of fully-ON breakdown on Lgd and RVS sweep rate suggests correlation between device failure and dynamic trapping effects in the gate-to-drain access region.