Trapping mechanisms in GaN-based MIS-HEMTs grown on silicon substrate

In this work we report on the three dominant trapping mechanisms affecting the dynamic performance of a double-heterostructure GaN-based MIS-HEMT grown on silicon substrate. In the OFF-state, with high drain voltage and pinched-off 2DEG, the dominant mechanism is the charge-trapping in the gate-drain access region caused by the transversal drain-to-substrate potential. This effect causes the dynamic increase of the ON-resistance, and is positively temperature-dependent, thus of great concern for high-temperature operation. In the SEMI-ON-state, due to the presence of high V-DS and relatively high I-DS, an additional trapping mechanism emerges, involving the injection of hot electrons from the 2DEG into trap states located in the GaN-buffer or in the AlGaN barrier. This mechanism, critical in hard-switching operations, affects both the ON-resistance and the V-TH. Finally, when the gate is positively biased (gate overdrive state) trapping of electrons happens in the gate dielectric layer(s), leading to strong metastable V-TH instabilities.