학술논문

Understanding High-Energy 75-MeV Sulfur-Ion Irradiation-Induced Degradation in GaN-Based Heterostructures: The Role of the GaN Channel Layer
Document Type
Periodical
Source
IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices IEEE Trans. Electron Devices Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on. 68(1):24-28 Jan, 2021
Subject
Components, Circuits, Devices and Systems
Engineered Materials, Dielectrics and Plasmas
MODFETs
HEMTs
Gallium nitride
Radiation effects
Threshold voltage
Wide band gap semiconductors
Aluminum gallium nitride
Buffer layers
degradation
gallium nitride
heavy-ion irradiation
high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs)
III-V semiconductors
radiation effects
reliability
threshold voltage
wide bandgap semiconductors
Language
ISSN
0018-9383
1557-9646
Abstract
AlInN/GaN on Si high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are irradiated with various fluences of 75-MeV sulfur ions to study the radiation-induced degradation mechanisms. Heavy-ion irradiation has been found to reduce saturation ON- and OFF-state current and, at higher fluence, to induce a large positive threshold voltage shift. Irradiated structures reveal a consistent carrier density and mobility reduction as a function of fluence. To demonstrate the buffer-induced threshold shift, a series of samples with various GaN channel layer thicknesses defined by carbon-doped GaN buffer layers are characterized. By comparison of the threshold voltage of nonirradiated devices with reduced channel layer thickness, we assign the observed effects mainly to carrier depletion. Thus, formation of acceptor-like traps upon irradiation is concluded as primary degradation mechanism in GaN-based HEMTs. AlInN/GaN HEMT structures are, therefore, more tolerant to heavy-ion irradiation than AlGaN/GaN transistors as their intrinsic channel conductivity is higher.