Study of the stability of e-mode GaN HEMTs with p-GaN gate based on combined DC and optical analysis. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rossetto, Isabella; Meneghini, Matteo; Rizzato, Vanessa; Ruzzarin, Maria; Favaron, Andrea; Stoffels, Steve; Van Hove, Marleen; Posthuma, Niels; Wu, Tian-Li; Marcon, Denis; Decoutere, Stefaan; Meneghesso, Gaudenzio; Zanoni, Enrico
• Is Part Of: Microelectronics and reliability. Volume 64(2016)
• Page Start: 547
• Page End: 551
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: AlGaN/GaN HEMT -- p-GaN gate -- Forward gate bias overstress -- Reliability -- Emission microscopy -- Spectral analysis; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability -- Periodicals; Miniature electronic equipment -- Periodicals; Appareils électroniques -- Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Équipement électronique miniaturisé -- Périodiques; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability; Miniature electronic equipment; Periodicals; 621.3815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2016.07.127
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-2714

Abstract

Abstract: This paper investigates the robustness of normally-off High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) with p-GaN gate submitted to forward gate bias overstress. By means of combined DC and spectral analysis we demonstrate the following results: (i) the devices demonstrate a time-dependent failure mechanism; (ii) time to failure (TTF) can be described by a Weibull distribution with a shape factor higher than 1, suggesting a wear-out failure; (iii) the devices have an estimated 20-years lifetime for a gate voltage of 7.2 V; (iv) TTF is temperature-dependent, with an activation energy of 0.5 eV; (v) emission microscopy reveals the presence of hot spots, whose emission originates from yellow luminescence and/or hot electron radiation. Highlights: Investigation of the stability of e-mode HEMTs with p-GaN gate to forward gate bias. Time to failure is Weibull-distributed with shape factor > 1 (wear out failure). The failure is temperature-dependent with an activation energy of 0.5 eV. A 20-years lifetime is estimated for a gate voltage of 7.2 V. Detected emission originates from yellow luminescence and/or hot electron radiation.