Stability, Reliability, and Robustness of GaN Power Devices: A Review

Gallium nitride (GaN) devices are revolutionarily advancing the efficiency, frequency, and form factor of power electronics. However, the material composition, architecture, and physics of many GaN devices are significantly different from silicon and silicon carbide devices. These distinctions result in many unique stability, reliability, and robustness issues facing GaN power devices. This article reviews the current understanding of these issues, particularly those related to dynamic switching, and their impacts on system performance. Instead of delving into reliability physics, this article intends to provide power electronics’ engineers the necessary information for deploying GaN devices in the existing and emerging applications, as well as provide references for the qualification evaluations of GaN power devices. The issues covered in this article include the dynamic instability of device parameters (e.g., on-resistance, threshold voltage, and output capacitance), the device robustness in avalanche, overvoltage and short-circuit conditions, the device's switching reliability and lifetime, as well as the device's ruggedness under radiation and extreme (cryogenic and elevated) temperatures. Knowledge gaps and immediate research opportunities in the relevant fields are also discussed.