Recent advances on the understanding of the physics of failure of GaN on SiC FET technology

GaN on SiC high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is the most promising III-V semiconductor technology to deliver large RF power densities (5 W/mm and beyond) at high frequency (~10 Ghz and beyond). This performance can be achieved because of the large bandgap of GaN that allows for high critical fields and thus high voltage operation and high RF power densities at small drain-source spacing, because of the existence of an even higher heterobarrier (AlGaN) with a reasonable lattice mismatch, capable of providing the conduction band discontinuity required for effective carrier confinement, and because of the existence of a semi insulating substrate (SiC) with excellent thermal and insulating properties on which GaN of reasonable quality can be grown.