Operating channel temperature in GaN HEMTs: DC versus RF accelerated life testing

Abstract Channel temperature is a key parameter for accelerated life testing in GaN HEMTs. It is assumed that self-heating is similar in RF and DC operations and that DC test results can be applied to RF operation. We investigate whether this assumption is valid by using an experimentally calibrated, combined electrical and thermal model to simulate Joule heating during RF operation and compare this to DC self-heating at same power dissipation. Two cases are examined and the implications for accelerated life testing are discussed: typical (30 V) and high (100 V) drain voltages.

[1]  Martin Kuball,et al.  Simultaneous measurement of temperature and thermal stress in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors using Raman scattering spectroscopy , 2009 .

[2]  M. Kuball,et al.  Micro-Raman temperature measurements for electric field assessment in active AlGaN-GaN HFETs , 2004, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[3]  Martin Kuball,et al.  Benchmarking of Thermal Boundary Resistance in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on SiC Substrates: Implications of the Nucleation Layer Microstructure , 2010, IEEE Electron Device Letters.

[4]  J. O. Maclean,et al.  Analysis of DC–RF Dispersion in AlGaN/GaN HFETs Using RF Waveform Engineering , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[5]  G. G. Stokes.  "J." , 1890, The New Yale Book of Quotations.

[6]  T. Li,et al.  Reliability of large periphery GaN-on-Si HFETs , 2005, [Reliability of Compound Semiconductors] ROCS Workshop, 2005..

[7]  M. Uren,et al.  Buffer Design to Minimize Current Collapse in GaN/AlGaN HFETs , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[8]  D. Floriot,et al.  Reliability data's of 0.5 μm AlGaN/GaN on SiC technology qualification , 2012, Microelectron. Reliab..

[9]  H. Blanck,et al.  GH25-10: New qualified power GaN HEMT process from technology to product overview , 2014, 2014 9th European Microwave Integrated Circuit Conference.

[10]  Hangfeng Ji,et al.  Integrated micro-Raman/infrared thermography probe for monitoring of self-heating in AlGaN/GaN transistor structures , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[11]  H. Schumacher,et al.  Field Dependent Self-Heating Effects in High-Power AlGaN/GaN HEMTs , 2009 .

[12]  R. Vetury,et al.  Reliability assessment of AlGaN/GaN HEMT technology on SiC for 48V applications , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium.