Effects of RF life-test on LF electrical parameters of GaAs power MESFETs

Abstract Ion-implanted power MESFETs have been submitted to RF life-test under gain compression. Devices went through RF life-test with no significant dynamic performance drift but with DC parameter evolution. A complete electrical characterisation performed by low frequency gate and drain noise analysis combined with drain current transient spectroscopy revealed that no degradation has occurred in the channel. An increase by two orders of magnitude of the LF gate noise level points out a degradation located in the vicinity of the gate.