Reliability Investigation of GaN HEMTs for MMICs Applications

Results obtained during the evaluation of radio frequency (RF) reliability carried out on several devices fabricated with different epi-structure and field-plate geometries will be presented and discussed. Devices without a field-plate structure experienced a more severe degradation when compared to their counterparts while no significant correlation has been observed with respect of the different epi-structure tested. RF stress induced two main changes in the device electrical characteristics, i.e., an increase in drain current dispersion and a reduction in gate-leakage currents. Both of these phenomena can be explained by assuming a density increase of an acceptor trap located beneath the gate contact and in the device barrier layer. Numerical simulations carried out with the aim of supporting the proposed mechanism will also be presented.

[1]  R. S. Pengelly,et al.  A Review of GaN on SiC High Electron-Mobility Power Transistors and MMICs , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[2]  Claudio Lanzieri,et al.  Impact of field-plate geometry on the reliability of GaN-on-SiC HEMTs , 2013, Microelectron. Reliab..

[3]  Umesh K. Mishra,et al.  GaN-Based RF Power Devices and Amplifiers , 2008, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[4]  H. Sasaki,et al.  Analysis of On-State Gate Current of AlGaN/GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistor under Electrical and Thermal Stresses , 2013 .

[5]  S. Decoutere,et al.  Preliminary reliability at 50 V of state-of-the-art RF power GaN-on-Si HEMTs , 2010, 68th Device Research Conference.

[6]  R Quay,et al.  Reliability status of GaN transistors and MMICs in Europe , 2010, 2010 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium.

[7]  Umesh K. Mishra,et al.  12 W/mm power density AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on sapphire substrate , 2004 .

[8]  A. Vescan,et al.  12 W/mm AlGaN-GaN HFETs on silicon substrates , 2004, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[9]  R. Trew,et al.  AlGaN/GaN HFET reliability , 2009, IEEE Microwave Magazine.

[10]  Gaudenzio Meneghesso,et al.  Reliability issues of Gallium Nitride High Electron Mobility Transistors , 2010, International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies.

[11]  Claudio Lanzieri,et al.  Field plate related reliability improvements in GaN-on-Si HEMTs , 2012, Microelectron. Reliab..