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Al2O3–AlGaN/GaN metal–insulator–semiconductor high-electron-mobility transistors (MIS-HEMTs) featuring indium tin oxide transparent gate electrode are fabricated for the purpose of evaluating the gate reliability. The transparent gate electrode allows electroluminescence (EL) observation in the region directly under the gate, which cannot be performed in conventional MIS-HEMTs with opaque gate electrode. Normally OFF transparent-gate MIS-HEMTs were realized by implanting fluorine ions into the AlGaN barrier prior to the deposition of Al2O3. The dependence of EL on bias condition was investigated with the color of EL resolved by filters. Gate dielectric degradation in MIS-HEMTs was induced by OFF state drain-bias stress, as detected by the increased gate leakage current. Location of the gate degradation could be clearly identified by EL imaging through the transparent gate. From the EL image, the passivation layer under the overhang of T-shaped gate is found to be vulnerable to OFF-state stress, which is confirmed by simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate in detail the influence of AlN passivation on dynamic ON-resistance ( \(R_{\mathrm{{\scriptstyle ON}}}\) ) and electric field ( \(E\) -field) distribution in high-voltage AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on a Si substrate based on pulsed \(I\) – \(V\) measurements, electroluminescence (EL) microscopy, and 2-D physics-based numerical device simulations. It is found that the dynamic \(R_{\mathrm{{\scriptstyle ON}}}\) increase has been significantly suppressed to below 10% at various temperatures ranging from −50 to 200 °C owing to the effective and robust compensation of deep acceptor-like trap states at the AlN/GaN (passivation/cap) interface by the additional positive polarization charges induced in the epitaxial AlN thin passivation layer grown in a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that highly suppressed current collapse in an AlGaN/GaN HEMT on a Si substrate within a wide temperature range is ever reported. By monitoring the dynamic \(R_{\mathrm{{\scriptstyle ON}}}\) for 100 consecutive 133-kHz switching cycles, its variation is observed to be less than 2.5%, indicating excellent stability of the passivation effectiveness. The electric field in an AlN-passivated device is found to be well confined at the drain-side gate edge, as shown in EL measurement and numerical simulation results. This phenomenon directly suggests that the virtual gate effect arising from surface trap charging has been effectively alleviated by the AlN passivation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]