Power device breakdown mechanism and characterization: review and perspective

Abstract

Breakdown voltage (BV) is arguably one of the most critical parameters for power devices. While avalanche breakdown is prevailing in silicon and silicon carbide devices, it is lacking in many wide bandgap (WBG) and ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) devices, such as the gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, due to the deployment of junction-less device structures or the inherent material challenges of forming p-n junctions. This paper starts with a survey of avalanche and non-avalanche breakdown mechanisms, followed by the distinction between the static and dynamic BV. Various BV characterization methods, including the static and pulse I-V sweep, unclamped and clamped inductive switching, as well as continuous overvoltage switching, are comparatively introduced. The device physics behind the time- and frequency-dependent BV as well as the enabling device structures for avalanche breakdown are also discussed. The paper concludes by identifying research gaps for understanding the breakdown of WBG and UWBG power devices.

Stability, Reliability, and Robustness of GaN Power Devices: A Review

“…In addition to trapping, some other physical processes such as impact ionization, electrothermal failure, percolation path creation, can also lead to device failure under different stresses. For example, the carriers generated in impact ionization, if not removed efficiently, can induce the destructive device breakdown [30]. In the GaN HEMT, these processes usually occur at the gate region, AlGaN/dielectric interface, GaN buffer region, transitional layers, and Si substrates.…”

“…GaN HEMTs, however, do not have the intrinsic avalanche capability [30]. The JEDEC JC 70 committee has recently identified their surge energy robustness to be a critical issue for evaluation [6].…”

“…10(b). This process is related to the breakdown mechanism of GaN HEMTs [30], [193]. When VDS approaches the dynamic BV, peak electric field is usually present near the drain or below the edge of source field plate, initiating the impact ionization.…”

Research progress and prospect of GaN Schottky diodes

“…In addition, the turn-on voltage is one of the main parameters of power diode devices that affects the P C (conduction loss), which is expressed as (P C = IV on + IR on ) [22], while the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction has higher electron concentration and electron mobility than the bulk GaN, which can theoretically achieve a lower turn-on voltage. Researchers have improved the anode structure to achieve better performance [23]. Currently, the mainstream anode structures include the recessed-anode [24,25], hybrid anode [26,27], tri-anode [28,29], etc.…”

Advances in Modeling and Suppression Methods of EMI in Power Electronic Converters of Third-Generation Semiconductor Devices

“…Traditional power electronic converters use semiconductor devices represented by silicon to realize energy conversion, but such devices have issues such as large loss, large volume, slow switching speed, and poor voltage and current resistance [1]. Therefore, power electronic devices composed of first-generation semiconductor devices have the issues of low conversion efficiency, large volume, and low operating frequency [2].…”