Title :
Gate breakdown in MESFETs and HEMTs
Author :
Trew, Robert J. ; Mishra, Umesh K.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC, USA
Abstract :
A new model for gate breakdown in MESFETs and HEMTs is presented. The model is based upon a combination of thermally assisted tunneling and avalanche breakdown. When thermal effects are considered it is demonstrated that the model predicts increasing drain-source breakdown as the gate electrode is biased towards pinch-off, in agreement with experimental data. The model also predicts the gate current versus bias behavior observed in experimental data. The model is consistent with various reports of breakdown and light emission phenomena reported in the literature.<>
Keywords :
Schottky gate field effect transistors; high electron mobility transistors; impact ionisation; semiconductor device models; tunnelling; HEMTs; MESFETs; avalanche breakdown; breakdown phenomena; drain-source breakdown; gate breakdown; gate current versus bias; light emission phenomena; thermal effects; thermally assisted tunneling; Avalanche breakdown; Breakdown voltage; Electric breakdown; Electrodes; HEMTs; MESFETs; MODFETs; Predictive models; Temperature; Tunneling;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
