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Title: Reliability of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors on low dislocation density bulk GaN substrate: Implications of surface step edges

Abstract

To enable gaining insight into degradation mechanisms of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors, devices grown on a low-dislocation-density bulk-GaN substrate were studied. Gate leakage current and electroluminescence (EL) monitoring revealed a progressive appearance of EL spots during off-state stress which signify the generation of gate current leakage paths. Atomic force microscopy evidenced the formation of semiconductor surface pits at the failure location, which corresponds to the interaction region of the gate contact edge and the edges of surface steps.

Authors:
;  [1];  [1];  [1]; ; ;  [2]; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;  [3]
  1. Kyma Technologies, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina 27617 (United States)
  2. Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284 (United States)
  3. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22254128
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 103; Journal Issue: 19; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY; DENSITY; DISLOCATIONS; ELECTROLUMINESCENCE; ELECTRON MOBILITY; FAILURES; GALLIUM NITRIDES; LEAKAGE CURRENT; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; SUBSTRATES; SURFACES; TRANSISTORS

Citation Formats

Killat, N., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk, Montes Bajo, M., Kuball, M., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk, Paskova, T., Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, Evans, K. R., Leach, J., Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284, Li, X., Özgür, Ü., Morkoç, H., Chabak, K. D., Crespo, A., Gillespie, J. K., Fitch, R., Kossler, M., Walker, D. E., Trejo, M., Via, G. D., and Blevins, J. D. Reliability of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors on low dislocation density bulk GaN substrate: Implications of surface step edges. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4829062.
Killat, N., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk, Montes Bajo, M., Kuball, M., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk, Paskova, T., Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, Evans, K. R., Leach, J., Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284, Li, X., Özgür, Ü., Morkoç, H., Chabak, K. D., Crespo, A., Gillespie, J. K., Fitch, R., Kossler, M., Walker, D. E., Trejo, M., Via, G. D., & Blevins, J. D. Reliability of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors on low dislocation density bulk GaN substrate: Implications of surface step edges. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4829062
Killat, N., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk, Montes Bajo, M., Kuball, M., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk, Paskova, T., Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, Evans, K. R., Leach, J., Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284, Li, X., Özgür, Ü., Morkoç, H., Chabak, K. D., Crespo, A., Gillespie, J. K., Fitch, R., Kossler, M., Walker, D. E., Trejo, M., Via, G. D., and Blevins, J. D. 2013. "Reliability of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors on low dislocation density bulk GaN substrate: Implications of surface step edges". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4829062.
@article{osti_22254128,
title = {Reliability of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors on low dislocation density bulk GaN substrate: Implications of surface step edges},
author = {Killat, N., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk and Montes Bajo, M. and Kuball, M., E-mail: Nicole.Killat@bristol.ac.uk, E-mail: Martin.Kuball@bristol.ac.uk and Paskova, T. and Materials Science and Engineering Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 and Evans, K. R. and Leach, J. and Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284 and Li, X. and Özgür, Ü. and Morkoç, H. and Chabak, K. D. and Crespo, A. and Gillespie, J. K. and Fitch, R. and Kossler, M. and Walker, D. E. and Trejo, M. and Via, G. D. and Blevins, J. D.},
abstractNote = {To enable gaining insight into degradation mechanisms of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors, devices grown on a low-dislocation-density bulk-GaN substrate were studied. Gate leakage current and electroluminescence (EL) monitoring revealed a progressive appearance of EL spots during off-state stress which signify the generation of gate current leakage paths. Atomic force microscopy evidenced the formation of semiconductor surface pits at the failure location, which corresponds to the interaction region of the gate contact edge and the edges of surface steps.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4829062},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22254128}, journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
issn = {0003-6951},
number = 19,
volume = 103,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Nov 04 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Mon Nov 04 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}