Trap assisted avalanche instability and safe operating area concerns in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

This work reports the very first systematic study on the physics of avalanche instability and SOA concerns in AlGaN/GaN HEMT using sub-μs pulse characterization, post stress degradation analysis, well calibrated TCAD simulations and failure analysis by SEM and TEM. Impact of electrical, as well as thermal effects on SOA boundary and avalanche instability are investigated. Trap assisted cumulative nature of degradation is studied in detail, which was discovered to be the root cause for avalanche instability in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. Post failure SEM/TEM analysis reveal distinct failure modes in presence and absence of carrier trapping.