Investigation of the leakage mechanism in multi-channel GaN-on-Si SBDs

Abstract

This work presented the reverse leakage current (I R) mechanisms in multi-channel GaN-on-Si Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs). The device showed excellent performances in both ON and OFF-states thanks to the advanced multi-channel tri-gate architecture. The I R is dominated by thermal field emission at 25 °C–75 °C before pinch-off of the 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel in the Schottky region, due to the thinned Schottky barrier, which turned to be thermal emission (TE)-dominated under further elevated temperatures resulted from the small Schottky barrier height. Once the 2DEG channel is pinched off by the tri-anode, the I R is firstly dominated by Poole–Frenkel emission and then is trap-assisted tunneling after the full depletion of the channels beneath the field plates. These results are supported by excellent consistency between experimental results and theoretical models, offering a key understanding of multi-channel SBDs and shedding lights on this promising multi-channel technology for future energy conversion.