Influence of Neutron Irradiation on Electron Traps Existing in GaN-Based Transistors

This paper shows the impact of low fluence neutron irradiation on AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, AlInN/GaN HEMTs and AlInN/GaN MOS-HEMTs. We have shown that the technological structure of devices and the presence of electron traps in the devices seems to play a major role on the evolution of dc electrical characteristics of irradiated GaN based transistors. After having degrading the electrical performances of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with an electrical stress, we have shown that it is possible to improve the electrical characteristics of the stressed devices by a neutron irradiation. Moreover, we have also reported that the degradation induced by neutron irradiation is more important for the AlInN/GaN HEMTs with a gate interfacial oxide than for the AlInN/GaN HEMTs without a gate interfacial oxide.