Transconductance Overshoot, a New Trap-Related Effect in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

Abstract

DC characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with different thickness values of the undoped GaN channel layer were compared. An abnormal transconductance ( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${g}_{m}{)}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> overshoot accompanied by a negative threshold voltage ( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {TH}}{)}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> shift was observed during <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${I}_{\text {DS}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> – <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {GS}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> sweep in devices with thinner GaN layer. At the same time, a non-monotonic increase in gate current was observed. In OFF-state, electron trapping occurs in the undoped GaN layer or at the GaN/AlN interface, leading to a positive <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {TH}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> shift. When the device is turning on at a sufficiently high <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {DS}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> , electron de-trapping occurs due to trap impact-ionization; consequently, <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${V}_{\text {TH}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and therefore <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${I}_{\text {D}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> suddenly recovers, leading to the <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${g}_{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> overshoot effect. These effects are attributed to electron trap impact-ionization and consequent modulation of the device’s electric field.