The Effect of Proton Irradiation in Suppressing Current Collapse in AlGaN/GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistors

Almost complete suppression of dynamic ON-resistance in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors is obtained by proton irradiation. In this paper, both small and large power transistors are characterized before and after 3-MeV proton irradiation at different fluences. The irradiated devices show a high robustness and for specific fluences unaltered threshold voltage and static ON-resistance. However, for fluences higher than 10¹³ cm^-2, the dynamic ON-resistance is almost completely suppressed at 600 V and T = 150 °C. After irradiation, a measurable increase in OFF-state leakage current is observed, indicating an increase in the unintentionally doped (UID) GaN layer conductivity. We propose a technology computer-aided design supported model in which this conductivity increase leads to an increased deionization rate, ultimately reducing the dynamic ON-resistance.