In situ transmission electron microscopy of transistor operation and failure. (30th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Baoming; Islam, Zahabul; Haque, Aman; Chabak, Kelson; Snure, Michael; Heller, Eric; Glavin, Nicholas
• Is Part Of: Nanotechnology. Volume 29:Number 31(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-05-30
• Subjects: high electron mobility transistor -- transmission electron microscopy -- gallium nitride; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology; Publications périodiques; Nanotechnologies; Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/aac591
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0957-4484

Abstract

Abstract: Microscopy is typically used as a post-mortem analytical tool in performance and reliability studies on nanoscale materials and devices. In this study, we demonstrate real time microscopy of the operation and failure of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors inside the transmission electron microscope. Loading until failure was performed on the electron transparent transistors to visualize the failure mechanisms caused by self-heating. At lower drain voltages, thermo-mechanical stresses induce irreversible microstructural deformation, mostly along the AlGaN/GaN interface, to initiate the damage process. At higher biasing, the self-heating deteriorates the gate and catastrophic failure takes place through metal/semiconductor inter-diffusion and/or buffer layer breakdown. This study indicates that the current trend of recreating the events, from damage nucleation to catastrophic failure, can be replaced by in situ microscopy for a quick and accurate account of the failure mechanisms.