GaN Integration Technology, an Ideal Candidate for High-Temperature Applications: A Review

Abstract

In many leading industrial applications such as aerospace, military, automotive, and deep-well drilling, extreme temperature environment is the fundamental hindrance to the use of microelectronic devices. Developing an advanced technology with robust electrical and material properties dedicated for high-temperature environments represents a significant progress allowing to control and monitor the harsh environment regions. It may avoid using cooling structures while improving the reliability of the whole electronic systems. As a wide bandgap semiconductor, gallium nitride is considered as an ideal candidate for such environments, as well as in high-power and high-frequency applications. We review in this paper the main reasons that offer superiority to GaN devices over better-known technologies such as silicon (Si), silicon-on-insulator, gallium arsenide (GaAs), silicon germanium (SiGe), and silicon carbide (SiC). The theory of operation and main challenges at high temperature are discussed, notably those related to materials and contacts. In addition, the main limitations of GaN, including the technological (thermal and chemical) and intrinsic (current collapse and device self-heating) features are provided. In addition, the GaN devices recently developed for high-temperature applications are examined.