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Time-resolved photocurrent (TRPC) spectroscopy with a variable-wavelength sub-bandgap light excitation was used to study the dynamics of the decaying photocurrent generated in the heterostructures of the AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) layers. In AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, reliability of the device is degraded due to the prevalence of current collapse. It is recognized that electrically active deep level defects at the surface/interfaces and the bulk in the HEMTs layers can contribute to the unwanted current collapse effect. Therefore, it is of great importance to analyze the deep level defects if the reliability of the HEMTs device is to be improved. In this research, TRPC spectroscopy was used to elucidate the origin and nature of the deep level defects by analyzing the time evolution of the photocurrent decay excited at different wavelengths of light. The two devices that show similar characteristics for wavelength-dependency on photocurrent generation were chosen, and TRPC spectroscopy was conducted on these devices. Although the two samples show similar characteristics for the wavelength-dependency on photocurrent generation, they exhibited dissimilar time-dependent photocurrent decay dynamics. This implies that TRPC spectroscopy can be used to distinguish the traps which have different origins but have the same de-trapping energy. Scopus

We have demonstrated that the depth-dependent defect distribution of the deep level traps in the AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) epi-structures can be analyzed by using the depth-resolved ultra-violet (UV) spectroscopic photo current-voltage (IV) (DR-UV-SPIV). It is of great importance to analyze deep level defects in the AlGaN/GaN HEMT structure, since it is recognized that deep level defects are the main source for causing current collapse phenomena leading to reduced device reliability. The AlGaN/GaN HEMT epi-layers were grown on a 6 in. Si wafer by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The DR-UV-SPIV measurement was performed using a monochromatized UV light illumination from a Xe lamp. The key strength of the DR-UV-SPIV is its ability to provide information on the depth-dependent electrically active defect distribution along the epi-layer growth direction. The DR-UV-SPIV data showed variations in the depth-dependent defect distribution across the wafer. As a result, rapid feedback on the depth-dependent electrical homogeneity of the electrically active defect distribution in the AlGaN/GaN HEMT epi-structure grown on a Si wafer with minimal sample preparation can be elucidated from the DR-UV-SPIV in combination with our previously demonstrated spectroscopic photo-IV measurement with the sub-bandgap excitation.