Analysis of the thermal behavior of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

The thermal behavior of state-of-the-art multifinger AlGaN/GaN HEMTs grown on SiC is thoroughly analyzed under steady-state and dynamic conditions. Accurate 3-D FEM simulations – based on a novel in-house tool devised to automatically build the device mesh – are performed using a commercial software to explore the influence of various layout and technological solutions on the temperature field. An in-house routine is employed to determine the Foster/Cauer networks suited to describe the dynamic heat propagation through the device structure. To conclude, various experimental techniques are employed to assess the thermal resistance and to allow the monitoring of the thermal impedance versus time of the transistors under test.