Impact of carbon impurities on the initial leakage current of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

W. A. Sasangka; Y. Gao; C. L. Gan; C. V. Thompson

doi:10.1016/j.microrel.2018.06.048

Impact of carbon impurities on the initial leakage current of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

W. A. Sasangka, Y. Gao, C. L. Gan^*, C. V. Thompson

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We have systematically studied the origin of high gate-leakage currents in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Devices that initially had a low gate-leakage current (good devices) are compared with ones that had a high gate-leakage current (bad devices). The apparent zero-bias Schottky barrier height of bad devices (0.4 < ϕ_B0 < 0.62 eV) was found to be lower than that of the good devices (ϕ_B0 = 0.79 eV). From transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis, we found that this difference is due to the presence of carbon impurities in the nickel layer in the gate region.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	393-396
Number of pages	4
Journal	Microelectronics Reliability
Volume	88-90
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microrel.2018.06.048
Publication status	Published - Sept 2018
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Condensed Matter Physics
Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs
Carbon impurities
EELS
Leakage current
Schottky barrier height
TEM

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10.1016/j.microrel.2018.06.048

Cite this

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title = "Impact of carbon impurities on the initial leakage current of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors",

abstract = "We have systematically studied the origin of high gate-leakage currents in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Devices that initially had a low gate-leakage current (good devices) are compared with ones that had a high gate-leakage current (bad devices). The apparent zero-bias Schottky barrier height of bad devices (0.4 < ϕB0 < 0.62 eV) was found to be lower than that of the good devices (ϕB0 = 0.79 eV). From transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis, we found that this difference is due to the presence of carbon impurities in the nickel layer in the gate region.",

keywords = "AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, Carbon impurities, EELS, Leakage current, Schottky barrier height, TEM",

author = "Sasangka, {W. A.} and Y. Gao and Gan, {C. L.} and Thompson, {C. V.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2018",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1016/j.microrel.2018.06.048",

language = "English",

volume = "88-90",

pages = "393--396",

journal = "Microelectronics Reliability",

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T1 - Impact of carbon impurities on the initial leakage current of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

AU - Sasangka, W. A.

AU - Gao, Y.

AU - Gan, C. L.

AU - Thompson, C. V.

PY - 2018/9

Y1 - 2018/9

N2 - We have systematically studied the origin of high gate-leakage currents in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Devices that initially had a low gate-leakage current (good devices) are compared with ones that had a high gate-leakage current (bad devices). The apparent zero-bias Schottky barrier height of bad devices (0.4 < ϕB0 < 0.62 eV) was found to be lower than that of the good devices (ϕB0 = 0.79 eV). From transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis, we found that this difference is due to the presence of carbon impurities in the nickel layer in the gate region.

AB - We have systematically studied the origin of high gate-leakage currents in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Devices that initially had a low gate-leakage current (good devices) are compared with ones that had a high gate-leakage current (bad devices). The apparent zero-bias Schottky barrier height of bad devices (0.4 < ϕB0 < 0.62 eV) was found to be lower than that of the good devices (ϕB0 = 0.79 eV). From transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis, we found that this difference is due to the presence of carbon impurities in the nickel layer in the gate region.

KW - AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

KW - Carbon impurities

KW - EELS

KW - Leakage current

KW - Schottky barrier height

KW - TEM

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DO - 10.1016/j.microrel.2018.06.048

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85054840040

SN - 0026-2714

VL - 88-90

SP - 393

EP - 396

JO - Microelectronics Reliability

JF - Microelectronics Reliability

ER -

Impact of carbon impurities on the initial leakage current of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

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