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Degradation mechanisms of 2 MeV proton irradiated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4929583· OSTI ID:22489177
; ; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)
  2. University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
  3. ERC, Research Center Juelich GmbH, 52425 Juelich (Germany)
  4. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California 93943 (United States)

Proton-induced damage in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs was investigated using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and simulated using a Monte Carlo technique. The results were correlated to electrical degradation using Hall measurements. It was determined by EDS that the interface between GaN and AlGaN in the irradiated HEMT was broadened by 2.2 nm, as estimated by the width of the Al EDS signal compared to the as-grown interface. The simulation results show a similar Al broadening effect. The extent of interfacial roughening was examined using high resolution TEM. At a 2 MeV proton fluence of 6 × 10{sup 14} H{sup +}/cm{sup 2}, the electrical effects associated with the Al broadening and surface roughening include a degradation of the ON-resistance and a decrease in the electron mobility and 2DEG sheet carrier density by 28.9% and 12.1%, respectively.

OSTI ID:
22489177
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 107; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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