Work

Mechanism analysis and protection design of GaN HEMTs induced by high-power microwave pulse

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study investigates the damage mechanisms induced by HPM stress in GaN HEMTs using Sentaurus TCAD numerical simulations and proposes corresponding multi-scale protection strategies. A comprehensive simulation model of a depletion-mode GaN HEMT was established. The analysis of the evolution of internal electric field, current density, and temperature profiles under HPM stress reveals that the failure mechanism is primarily attributed to an electro-thermal positive feedback loop between the gate and source, leading to thermal accumulation and eventual thermal breakdown when the lattice temperature reaches the melting point of GaN. Based on this understanding, protection strategies were developed through structural optimization. The results demonstrate that moderately increasing the gate length (0.25–0.3 μ m), extending the field plate length (1.85–2.25 μ m), and optimizing the channel layer thickness (0.4–0.6 μ m) effectively reduce the internal electric field and current density, thereby mitigating thermal accumulation and enhancing HPM resilience without significantly compromising DC performance.

Source: Nanotechnology

DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ae3c1b

Authors: Dong Xing, Hongxia Liu, Mengwei Su, Xingjun Liu, Chang Liu

Institutions: Xidian University, China Electronic Product Reliability and Environmental Test Institute

Language: English

Topic: GaN-based semiconductor devices and materials

Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,325

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China