Degradation of 2DEG transport properties in GaN-capped AlGaN/GaN heterostructures at 600 °C in oxidizing and inert environments

Thermal annealing is a widely used strategy to enhance semiconductor device performance. However, the process is complex for multi-material multi-layered semiconductor devices, where thermoelastic stresses from lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient mismatch may create more defects than those annealed. We propose an alternate low temperature annealing technique, which utilizes the electron wind force (EWF) induced by small duty cycle high density pulsed current. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we intentionally degrade AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with accelerated OFF-state stressing to increase ON-resistance ∼182.08% and reduce drain saturation current ∼85.82% of pristine condition at a gate voltage of 0 V. We then performed the EWF annealing to recover the corresponding values back to ∼122.21% and ∼93.10%, respectively. The peak transconductance, degraded to ∼76.58% of pristine at the drain voltage of 3 V, was also recovered back to ∼92.38%. This recovery of previously degraded transport properties is attributed to approximately 80% recovery of carrier mobility, which occurs during EWF annealing. We performed synchrotron differential aperture x-ray microscopy measurements to correlate these annealing effects with the lattice structural changes. We found a reduction of lattice plane spacing of (001) planes and stress within the GaN layer under the gate region after EWF annealing, suggesting a corresponding decrease in defect density. Application of this low-temperature annealing technique for in-operando recovery of degraded electronic devices is discussed.

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Role of mechanical stress localizations on the radiation hardness of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Al-Mamun,

Rasel,

Islam

et al. 2024

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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Multi-material, multi-layered systems such as AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMTs) contain residual mechanical stresses that arise from sharp contrasts in device geometry and materials parameters. These stresses, which can be either tensile or compressive, are difficult to detect and eliminate because of their highly localized nature. We propose that their high stored internal energy make potential sites for defect nucleation sites under radiation, particularly if their locations coincide with the electrically sensitive regions of a transistor. In this study, we validate this hypothesis with molecular dynamic simulation and experiments exposing both pristine and annealed HEMTS to 2.8 MeV Au+3 irradiation. Our unique annealing process uses mechanical momentum of electrons, also known as the electron wind force (EWF) to mitigate the residual stress at room temperature. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cathodoluminescence spectra reveal the reduction of point defects and dislocations near the two-dimensional electron gas region of EWF-treated devices compared to pristine devices. The EWF-treated HEMTs showed relatively higher resilience with approximately 10% less degradation of drain saturation current and ON-resistance and 5% less degradation of peak transconductance. Both mobility and carrier concentration of the EWF-treated devices were less impacted compared to the pristine devices. Our results suggest that the lower density of nanoscale stress localization contributed to the improved radiation tolerance of the EWF-treated devices. Intriguingly, the EWF is found to modulate the defect distribution by moving the defects to electrically less sensitive regions in the form of dislocation networks, which act as sinks for the radiation induced defects and this assisted faster dynamic annealing.

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Degradation of 2DEG transport properties in GaN-capped AlGaN/GaN heterostructures at 600 °C in oxidizing and inert environments

Cited by 13 publications

References 47 publications

Application of a gateless AlGaN/GaN HEMT sensor for diesel soot particulate detection

Application of a gateless AlGaN/GaN HEMT sensor for diesel soot particulate detection

Low temperature recovery of OFF-state stress induced degradation of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

Role of mechanical stress localizations on the radiation hardness of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

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