Hot electron generation under large-signal radio frequency operation of GaN high-electron-mobility transistors

In order to assess the underlying physical mechanisms of hot carrier-related degradation such as defect generation in millimeter-wave GaN power amplifiers, we have simulated the electron energy distribution function under large-signal radio frequency conditions in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility tr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2017-07, Vol.111 (1)
Main Authors: Latorre-Rey, Alvaro D., Sabatti, Flavio F. M., Albrecht, John D., Saraniti, Marco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum gallium nitrides
Applied physics
Computer simulation
Degradation
Distribution functions
Electron energy distribution
High electron mobility transistors
Millimeter waves
Power
Power amplifiers
Radio frequency
Radio signals
Receivers & amplifiers
Reliability analysis
Semiconductor devices
Signal generation
Transistors
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Summary:In order to assess the underlying physical mechanisms of hot carrier-related degradation such as defect generation in millimeter-wave GaN power amplifiers, we have simulated the electron energy distribution function under large-signal radio frequency conditions in AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors. Our results are obtained through a full band Monte Carlo particle-based simulator self-consistently coupled to a harmonic balance circuit solver. At lower frequency, simulations of a Class AB power amplifier at 10 GHz show that the peak hot electron generation is up to 43% lower under RF drive than it is under DC conditions, regardless of the input power or temperature of operation. However, at millimeter-wave operation up to 40 GHz, RF hot carrier generation reaches that from DC biasing and even exceeds it up to 75% as the amplifier is driven into compression. Increasing the temperature of operation also shows that degradation of DC and RF characteristics are tightly correlated and mainly caused by increased phonon scattering. The accurate determination of the electron energy mapping is demonstrated to be a powerful tool for the extraction of compact models used in lifetime and reliability analysis.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4991665