Title :
Broad-band electromagnetic radiation damage in GaAs MESFETs
Author :
McAdoo, J.H. ; Bollen, W.M. ; Catoe, W. ; Kaul, R.
Author_Institution :
Mission Research Corp., Newington, VA, USA
Abstract :
The authors address energy levels below the burnout level associated with single-pulse failure, when a MESFET may be subjected to numerous pulses, each of which modifies the MESFET´s physical properties. A failure mechanism was observed for SiN/sub 2/-passivated MESFET devices exposed to fast risetime DC video pulses. The intensity of the pulses was about 33% of the value required to cause single-pulse failure. The failure mechanism, which degrades performance by surface flashover and erosion of the passivation layer, eventually leads to sputtering of the gate-source metallization. The results were observed by using a combination of optical, electron, and X-ray micrographs, plus MESFET terminal parameters.<>
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; Schottky gate field effect transistors; failure analysis; flashover; gallium arsenide; passivation; radiation effects; semiconductor device testing; solid-state microwave devices; GaAs; MESFET; SiN/sub 2/ passivation layer erosion; X-ray micrographs; broadband EM radiation damage; electron microscopy; energy levels; failure mechanism; fast risetime DC video pulses; gate source metallization sputtering; optical microscopy; single-pulse failure; surface flashover; terminal parameters; Degradation; Electromagnetic radiation; Energy states; Failure analysis; Flashover; Gallium arsenide; MESFETs; Optical pulses; Passivation; Silicon compounds;
Conference_Titel :
Microwave Symposium Digest, 1992., IEEE MTT-S International
Conference_Location :
Albuquerque, NM, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-0611-2
DOI :
10.1109/MWSYM.1992.188175
