Degradation Characteristics of AlGaN/GaN MOS-Heterostructure FETs by Alpha-Particle Irradiation

Abstract

AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor heterostructure field effect transistors (MOS-HFETs) and schottky HFETs were irradiated with 18 MeV alpha-particles. Irradiated devices showed degradation in current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics. After irradiation, both devices exhibited the positive shift of threshold voltage (V-th) and the increase of on-resistance (R-on). We also observed the increase of contact (R-C) and sheet resistance (R-sh) as irradiation fluence increased. Post-irradiation characteristics were attributed to irradiation-induced displacement damage with strong dependence on fluence. Hall pattern measurement confirmed significant degradation of carrier transport property by alpha-particle irradiation. Extracted density of oxide interface states was also increased after irradiation. (c) The Author(s) 2017. Published by ECS. All rights reserved.