The present work uses finite element thermal simulations of Gallium Nitride High Electron Mobility Transistors (GaN HEMTs) to evaluate the impact of device design parameters on the junction temperature. In particular the effects of substrate thickness, substrate thermal conductivity, GaN thickness, and GaN-to-substrate thermal boundary resistance (TBR) on device temperature rise are quantified. In all cases examined, the TBR was a dominant factor in overall device temperature rise. It is shown that a TBR increase can offset any benefits offered through a more conductive substrate and that there exists a substrate thickness independent of TBR which results in a minimum junction temperature. Additionally, the decrease of GaN thickness only provides a thermal benefit at small TBRs. For TBRs on the order of 10 -4 cm 2 K/W or greater, decreasing the GaN thickness can actually increase the temperature as the heat from the highly localized source is not sufficiently spread out before crossing the GaN-substrate boundary. The tradeoff between GaN heat spreading, substrate heat spreading, and temperature rise across the TBR results in a GaN thickness with minimum total temperature rise. For the TBR values of 10 -4 cm 2 K/W and 10 -3 cm 2 K/W these GaN thicknesses are 0.8 µm and 9 µm respectively.Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it
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