Title :
Comparative study of hot-electron reliability of PHEMT vs. MESFET for high efficiency power amplifiers
Author :
Tkachenko, Y. ; Klimashov, A. ; Wei, C. ; Zhao, Y. ; Bartle, D.
Author_Institution :
Alpha Ind. Inc., Woburn, MA, USA
Abstract :
Hot electron induced degradation of PHEMTs and MESFETs was compared. For both types of transistor, a decrease of open channel current, a small increase of near pinch-off current, an increase of breakdown voltage and on resistance are observed as a result of stress. For both types of devices hot electron injection into SiN passivation and hot hole injection into the buffer is responsible for degradation. The (Stress)x(Lifetime) figure of merit for PHEMT is 1.3 A A/spl middot/hr/cm, which is one order of magnitude lower than that for MESFET.
Keywords :
hot carriers; microwave field effect transistors; microwave power amplifiers; microwave power transistors; power HEMT; power MESFET; semiconductor device breakdown; semiconductor device reliability; MESFET; PHEMT; SiN; SiN passivation; breakdown voltage; buffer layer; high efficiency power amplifiers; hot electron induced degradation; hot electron injection; hot hole injection; hot-electron reliability; near pinch-off current; on resistance; open channel current; pseudomorphic HEMT; Degradation; Electron traps; Hot carriers; MESFETs; PHEMTs; Passivation; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Silicon compounds; Stress;
Conference_Titel :
Microwave Symposium Digest, 1999 IEEE MTT-S International
Conference_Location :
Anaheim, CA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5135-5
DOI :
10.1109/MWSYM.1999.779880
