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Bulk Breakdown in AlGaN/GaN HFETs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

G. Gradinaru ,
N. C. Kao ,
R. Gaska ,
J. Yang ,
Q. Chen ,
M. A. Khan  and
T. S. Sudarshan
G. Gradinaru
Affiliation:
ECE Department, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, [email protected]
N. C. Kao
Affiliation:
ECE Department, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, [email protected]
T. S. Sudarshan
Affiliation:
ECE Department, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, [email protected]
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Abstract

A significant source current generated by a carrier multiplication process is observed at large drain voltages in the subthreshold regime, along with simultaneous increase of the gate current and light emission signal. Provided no on-surface premature breakdown takes place, a bulk channel avalanche breakdown process is proposed as the dominant breakdown mechanism for a large range of gate-to-source dc voltages. This process in the GaN channel is responsible for the excess source and drain currents, light emission, and excess gate current beyond its normal value measured in a gate-to-drain diode configuration. The role of the gate bias in controlling the channel vs. the gate breakdown mechanisms is described.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 512: Symposium F – Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for High Power, High Frequency , 1998 , 309
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

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