Dynamic On-Resistance in GaN Power Devices: Mechanisms, Characterizations, and Modeling

By Shu Yang, Shaowen Han, Kuang Sheng, Kevin J. Chen. IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics, 2019

149 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Gallium nitride (GaN) power devices enable power electronic systems with enhanced power density and efficiency. Dynamic on-resistance (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) degradation (or current collapse), originating from buffer trapping, surface trapping and gate instability, has been regarded as a primary challenge for the lateral GaN-on-Si power devices. In this paper, we present an overview and discussion of the mechanisms, characterizations, modeling, and solutions for the degradation of dynamic <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> in GaN power devices. The complex dynamics of acceptor/donor buffer traps and their impacts on dynamic <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> have been analyzed and revealed by TCAD simulations and high-voltage back-gating measurements. The gate instability-induced dynamic <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> increase in different GaN device technologies and the role of gate overdrive are also discussed. Wafer-level and board-level characterization techniques enabling accurate dynamic <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> evaluation are reviewed. The dynamic <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> performance of the state-of-the-art commercial GaN devices is presented, and a behavioral model with the dynamic <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R_{\mathrm{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> degradation taken into consideration has been implemented for circuit analysis. The latest progress in GaN device technologies for enhanced dynamic performance is also reviewed and discussed.

Subfields: Condensed Matter Physics, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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