Design and Failure Mechanism Analysis of a High-Power Limiter at DC-6 GHz With GaAs PIN Technology

This article examines the electrical-thermal-stress effects of a high-power handling limiter operating at DC-6 GHz, utilizing gallium arsenide positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) technology for protection against intentional electromagnetic interference. The limiter's performance is evaluated under high-power microwave induced pulse injection at 2 GHz, with varying pulse widths and a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 50 Hz. Destruction of the limiter is observed when the pulse width and input power reach 3 μs and 63 dBm, respectively. The failure mechanisms are analyzed in three aspects. First, the thermal distribution of the limiter's microstrip lines is understood through equivalent circuit analysis of the PIN diodes. The characteristics of the limiter across different frequencies are also investigated, with a focus on the power levels of PIN diodes near the limiter's input. Additionally, owing to the observed differences in heat-induced discoloration on the two PIN diodes near the input port, their thermal and stress effects are compared by incorporating temperature boundary conditions and absorbed power in the analysis. Thermal accumulation in the PIN diodes is further explored under a higher PRF of 100 kHz. Finally, the thermal and stress effects on the bonding wire interconnects near the limiter's input are considered. Postmeasurement observations reveal damage to both the bonding wire and the PIN diodes, indicating that the bonding wire fails after the PIN diodes.