Abstract
In this study, we investigated the operational characteristics of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) by applying the copper-filled trench and via structures for improved heat dissipation. Therefore, we used a basic T-gate HEMT device to construct the thermal structures. To identify the heat flow across the device structure, a thermal conductivity model and the heat transfer properties corresponding to the GaN, SiC, and Cu materials were applied. Initially, we simulated the direct current (DC) characteristics of a basic GaN on SiC HEMT to confirm the self-heating effect on AlGaN/GaN HEMT. Then, to verify the heat sink effect of the copper-filled thermal structures, we compared the DC characteristics such as the threshold voltage, transconductance, saturation current, and breakdown voltage. Finally, we estimated and compared the lattice temperature of a two-dimensional electron gas channel, the vertical lattice temperature near the drain-side gate head edge, and the transient thermal analysis for the copper-filled thermal trench and via structures. Through this study, we could optimize the operational characteristics of the device by applying an effective heat dissipation structure to the AlGaN/GaN HEMT.
Highlights
AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are used as power-amplifying devices because of their advantages, such as high breakdown voltage, wide bandgap, and stability at high temperatures of up to approximately 1000 K [1–4]
The field plate technique can be used to redistribute the heat and electric field concentrated near the drain-side gate head edge, thereby improving the breakdown direct current (DC) characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs
In this study, the overall lattice temperature inside the 2-DEG channel was reduced by using copper-filled thermal structures
Summary
AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are used as power-amplifying devices because of their advantages, such as high breakdown voltage, wide bandgap, and stability at high temperatures of up to approximately 1000 K [1–4]. GaN based devices are still operational even if they exhibit deterioration and unstable behavior at high temperatures. The self-heating effect (SHE), which causes a gate leakage current, breakdown voltage degradation, and a negatively sloped saturation curve, has become a major issue in power amplification devices [5–9]. To propose an optimized thermal structure for the heat sink, we simulated the DC and thermal characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs by considering the application of copper-filled structures to a SiC substrate. To investigate tthhee eelleeccttrriiccaall ooppeerraattiioonnaall ddeeggrraaddaattiioonnccaauusseeddbbyySSHHEE,, wwee ffiirrsstt ssiimmuullaatteedd tthhee tthheerrmmaall eeffffeeccttss oonn tthhee DDCC cchhaarraacctteerriissttiiccss ooff aa ccoonnvveennttiioonnaall bbaassiicc GGaaNN oonn SSiiCC ((BBGGSS)) HHEEMMTT ssttrruuccttuurree. AAddddiittiioonnaalllyly,, sstteeaaddyy--ssttaattee tthheerrmmaall cchhaarraacctteerriissttiiccss,, ssuucchh aass tthheellaatteerraallllaattttiicceetteemmppeerraattuurreeiinnssiiddeetthheettwwoo--ddiimmeennssiioonnaall eelleeccttrroonn ggaass ((22--DDEEGG))cchhaannnneellaannddththeevveertritciaclallaltattitciecetetmempepreartautruerdeudruinrigndgedveicveicoepoepraetriaotniofnolfloowlloewd ebdy baytraantrsainensitetnhtetrhmearml aanlaalnyasilsyswiserweedreiscduisscsuedss.ed
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