Demonstration of >6.0-kV Breakdown Voltage in Large Area Vertical GaN p-n Diodes With Step-Etched Junction Termination Extensions
Abstract
Vertical gallium nitride (GaN) p-n diodes have garnered significant interest for use in power electronics where high-voltage blocking and high-power efficiency are of concern. In this article, we detail the growth and fabrication methods used to develop a large area (1 mm2) vertical GaN p-n diode capable of a 6.0-kV breakdown. We also demonstrate a large area diode with a forward pulsed current of 3.5 A, an 8.3-mΩ$$\cdot$$cm2 differential specific ON-resistance, and a 5.3-kV reverse breakdown. In addition, we report on a smaller area diode (0.063 mm2) that is capable of 6.4-kV breakdown with a differential specific ON-resistance of 10.2 mΩ$$\cdot$$cm2, when accounting for current spreading through the drift region at a 45° angle. Finally, the demonstration of avalanche breakdown is shown for a 0.063-mm2 diode with a room temperature breakdown of 5.6 kV. In this work, these results were achieved via epitaxial growth of a 50-μm drift region with a very low carrier concentration of <1×1015 cm–3 and a carefully designed four-zone junction termination extension.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1]
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1882896
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2022-2471J
Journal ID: ISSN 0018-9383; 703855
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0003525
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 69; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0018-9383
- Publisher:
- IEEE
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; avalanche breakdown; gallium nitride; junction termination extension (JTE); power devices; vertical p-n diode
Citation Formats
Yates, Luke, Gunning, Brendan P., Crawford, Mary H., Steinfeldt, Jeffrey, Smith, Michael L., Abate, Vincent M., Dickerson, Jeramy R., Armstrong, Andrew M., Binder, Andrew, Allerman, Andrew A., and Kaplar, Robert J. Demonstration of >6.0-kV Breakdown Voltage in Large Area Vertical GaN p-n Diodes With Step-Etched Junction Termination Extensions. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.1109/ted.2022.3154665.
Yates, Luke, Gunning, Brendan P., Crawford, Mary H., Steinfeldt, Jeffrey, Smith, Michael L., Abate, Vincent M., Dickerson, Jeramy R., Armstrong, Andrew M., Binder, Andrew, Allerman, Andrew A., & Kaplar, Robert J. Demonstration of >6.0-kV Breakdown Voltage in Large Area Vertical GaN p-n Diodes With Step-Etched Junction Termination Extensions. United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/ted.2022.3154665
Yates, Luke, Gunning, Brendan P., Crawford, Mary H., Steinfeldt, Jeffrey, Smith, Michael L., Abate, Vincent M., Dickerson, Jeramy R., Armstrong, Andrew M., Binder, Andrew, Allerman, Andrew A., and Kaplar, Robert J. Thu .
"Demonstration of >6.0-kV Breakdown Voltage in Large Area Vertical GaN p-n Diodes With Step-Etched Junction Termination Extensions". United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/ted.2022.3154665. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1882896.
@article{osti_1882896,
title = {Demonstration of >6.0-kV Breakdown Voltage in Large Area Vertical GaN p-n Diodes With Step-Etched Junction Termination Extensions},
author = {Yates, Luke and Gunning, Brendan P. and Crawford, Mary H. and Steinfeldt, Jeffrey and Smith, Michael L. and Abate, Vincent M. and Dickerson, Jeramy R. and Armstrong, Andrew M. and Binder, Andrew and Allerman, Andrew A. and Kaplar, Robert J.},
abstractNote = {Vertical gallium nitride (GaN) p-n diodes have garnered significant interest for use in power electronics where high-voltage blocking and high-power efficiency are of concern. In this article, we detail the growth and fabrication methods used to develop a large area (1 mm2) vertical GaN p-n diode capable of a 6.0-kV breakdown. We also demonstrate a large area diode with a forward pulsed current of 3.5 A, an 8.3-mΩ$\cdot$cm2 differential specific ON-resistance, and a 5.3-kV reverse breakdown. In addition, we report on a smaller area diode (0.063 mm2) that is capable of 6.4-kV breakdown with a differential specific ON-resistance of 10.2 mΩ$\cdot$cm2, when accounting for current spreading through the drift region at a 45° angle. Finally, the demonstration of avalanche breakdown is shown for a 0.063-mm2 diode with a room temperature breakdown of 5.6 kV. In this work, these results were achieved via epitaxial growth of a 50-μm drift region with a very low carrier concentration of <1×1015 cm–3 and a carefully designed four-zone junction termination extension.},
doi = {10.1109/ted.2022.3154665},
journal = {IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices},
number = 4,
volume = 69,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Mar 10 00:00:00 EST 2022},
month = {Thu Mar 10 00:00:00 EST 2022}
}
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