Lateral charge spreading and device-to-device coupling in C-doped AlGaN/GaN-on-Si wafers. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Singh, Manikant; Karboyan, Serge; Uren, Michael J.; Lee, Kean Boon; Zaidi, Zaffar; Houston, Peter A.; Kuball, Martin
• Is Part Of: Microelectronics and reliability. Volume 95(2019)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 86
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: GaN HEMT -- Carbon doping -- Lateral charge transport -- Device-to-device coupling -- Dynamic RON -- Wafer level reliability; 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.2019.02.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-2714

Abstract

Abstract: We demonstrate experimental evidence of lateral charge transport spreading up to 2 mm beyond the active area of a biased GaN HEMT device and resulting in changes in RON in adjacent devices. Guarded surface leakage test structures have been used to show that the lateral leakage path lies within the bulk of the buffer and is not a surface effect. This behaviour is consistent with the previously reported accumulation of positive charge at the interface between the carbon doped GaN layer and the (Al)GaN strain relief layers. The resulting time-dependent charge storage impacts unprobed device performance and can be a significant concern for on-wafer reliability measurements, or more seriously, system integration where devices share the same epitaxy.