Time-Dependent Threshold Voltage Instability Mechanisms of p-GaN Gate AlGaN/GaN HEMTs Under High Reverse Bias Conditions

Abstract

In this article, we experimentally investigate the degradation mechanisms of GaN high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with p-type gate during long-term hightemperature reverse bias (HTRB) stress and negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) stress. Based on a number of stress/recovery experiments, we demonstrate that HTRB stress could lead to hole emission in the p-GaN layer, making threshold voltage (Vth) positively shift, while NBTI stress could result in detrapping at the AlGaN/GaN interface or the AlGaN layer and make Vth negatively shift. It is also found that the temperature rise can suppress the positive Vth shift and accelerate its recovery process in HTRB experiments.