Traps in GaN HEMTs: From Characterization to Model Development and Device Optimization
P. Beleniotis1, C. Zervos1, S. Krause2, H. Yazdani3, M. Rudolph1,4
Published in:
IEEE BiCMOS and Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuits and Technology Symposium (BCICTS 2025), Phoenix, USA, Oct. 12-15, ISBN: 979-8-3315-9172-4 (2025).
Abstract:
This paper reviews a comprehensive strategy designed to address the impact of traps across the entire field of GaN HEMT operation. It begins with the characterization of trap levels and the measurement of trap time constants. The study then progresses to TCAD simulations to examine the location of the observed trap levels and their effect on device performance. Finally, it introduces the development of a compact trap model grounded in Shockley-Read-Hall statistics. The proposed model is capable of accurately predicting trapping effects across all combinations of voltage, temperature, and time. The paper concludes by highlighting the synergy TCAD–compact-model, underscoring its utility in device optimization schemes.
1 Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany
2 was with FBH, now with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Norway
3 was with FBH, now with Paul Drude Institute for Solid State Electronics (PDI), Germany
4 Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH), Berlin, Germany
Keywords:
GaN, traps, microwave, TCAD, ASM-HEMT
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