First Observations on the Trap-Induced Avalanche Instability and Safe Operating Area Concerns in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

This paper reports the very first systematic study on the physics of avalanche instability and safe operating area (SOA) reliability in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) using submicroseconds pulse characterization, poststress degradation analysis, well-calibrated TCAD simulations, and failure analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Impacts of electrical and thermal effects on SOA boundary and avalanche instability are investigated. Trap-induced cumulative nature of degradation is studied in detail. The root cause for avalanche instability in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs is investigated. Postfailure SEM, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and TEM analysis reveal distinct failure modes in the presence and absence of carrier trapping.

[1]  T. Kazior,et al.  Trapping effects in GaN and SiC microwave FETs , 2002, Proc. IEEE.

[2]  D. Pogany,et al.  Electrostatic discharge effects in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors , 2003 .

[3]  G. Groeseneken,et al.  Characterization of dynamic SOA of power MOSFETs limited by electrothermal breakdown , 2005, Proceedings of 35th European Solid-State Device Research Conference, 2005. ESSDERC 2005..

[4]  K. Hilton,et al.  Piezoelectric strain in AlGaN∕GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors under bias , 2006 .

[5]  M. Meneghini,et al.  Localized Damage in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Induced by Reverse-Bias Testing , 2009, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[6]  peixiong zhao,et al.  Dehydrogenation of defects and hot-electron degradation in GaN high-electron-mobility transistors , 2011 .

[7]  M. Shrivastava,et al.  A Review on the ESD Robustness of Drain-Extended MOS Devices , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability.

[8]  J. D. del Alamo,et al.  Mechanisms responsible for dynamic ON-resistance in GaN high-voltage HEMTs , 2012, 2012 24th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs.

[9]  S. Decoutere,et al.  New source-side breakdown mechanism in AlGaN/GaN insulated-gate HEMTs , 2013, 2013 25th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & IC's (ISPSD).

[10]  G. Xie,et al.  Buffer leakage induced pre-breakdown mechanism for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on Si , 2013, 2013 International Conference on Communications, Circuits and Systems (ICCCAS).

[11]  B. J. Baliga,et al.  Experimental study of 650V AlGaN/GaN HEMT short-circuit safe operating area (SCSOA) , 2014, 2014 IEEE 26th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & IC's (ISPSD).

[12]  S. Decoutere,et al.  Kinetics of Buffer-Related RON-Increase in GaN-on-Silicon MIS-HEMTs , 2014, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[13]  J. Croon,et al.  OFF-State Degradation of AlGaN/GaN Power HEMTs: Experimental Demonstration of Time-Dependent Drain-Source Breakdown , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[14]  M. Meneghini,et al.  Demonstration of Field- and Power-Dependent ESD Failure in AlGaN/GaN RF HEMTs , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[15]  M. Uren,et al.  Electric Field Reduction in C-Doped AlGaN/GaN on Si High Electron Mobility Transistors , 2015, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[16]  Sandeep R. Bahl,et al.  Product-level reliability of GaN devices , 2016, 2016 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS).

[17]  S. P. Tiwari,et al.  A Comprehensive Computational Modeling Approach for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology.

[18]  On the ESD behavior of AlGaN/GaN schottky diodes and trap assisted failure mechanism , 2017, 2017 39th Electrical Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge Symposium (EOS/ESD).

[19]  M. Shrivastava,et al.  Trap assisted avalanche instability and safe operating area concerns in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs , 2017, 2017 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS).

[20]  S. P. Tiwari,et al.  Part II: Proposals to Independently Engineer Donor and Acceptor Trap Concentrations in GaN Buffer for Ultrahigh Breakdown AlGaN/GaN HEMTs , 2019, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[21]  S. P. Tiwari,et al.  Part I: Physical Insight Into Carbon-Doping-Induced Delayed Avalanche Action in GaN Buffer in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs , 2019, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.