Impact of gate stack on the stability of normally-Off AlGaN/GaN power switching HEMTs

We have examined the response of AlGaN/GaN power switching HEMTs to electrical bias stress. Three different gate stack structures were studied. In devices containing a ~ 5 nm thick AlGaN layer in the gate stack, both positive and negative shifts in the threshold voltage were observed following high blocking voltage stress, consistent with a short initial period of electron trapping followed by a longer period of de-trapping. Correlated changes in reverse bias leakage current were also observed, although this also occurred in devices containing only residual AlGaN in the gate stack. The data have been explained by a field-enhanced emission model in which an electron trapping to de-trapping transition occurs. The exact nature of the transition is found to be sensitive to a variety of parameters including trap energy, geometry, and initial and boundary conditions.