Characterization of 1.8-MeV proton-irradiated AlGaN/GaN field-effect transistor structures by nanoscale depth-resolved luminescence spectroscopy

Author

White, B.D. ; Bataiev, M. ; Brillson, L.J. ; Choi, B.K. ; Fleetwood, D.M. ; Schrimpf, R.D. ; Pantelides, S.T. ; Dettmer, R.W. ; Schaff, W.J. ; Champlain, J.G. ; Mishra, U.K.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH, USA

Volume

49

Issue

6

fYear

2002

fDate

12/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2695

Lastpage

2701

Abstract

We have used depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy to examine AlGaN/GaN modulation-doped field-effect transistors that display degraded source-drain current characteristics after 1.8-MeV proton irradiation, along with bulk heterojunction field-effect transistor material after similar proton irradiation. For both cases, we have observed distinct changes in spectral emission features due to decreased internal electric-field strength and new point defects within different layers of the device structure with nanometer-scale depth resolution. These changes can account for the degraded electrical characteristics.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; cathodoluminescence; gallium compounds; high electron mobility transistors; point defects; proton effects; two-dimensional electron gas; wide band gap semiconductors; 1.8 MeV; AlGaN-GaN; AlGaN/GaN MODFET; HEMT; bulk HFET material; degraded electrical characteristics; degraded source-drain current characteristics; depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy; field-effect transistors; heterojunction field-effect transistor; high electron mobility transistor; internal electric-field strength; modulation-doped FET; nanoscale depth-resolved luminescence spectroscopy; point defects; proton-irradiated transistor structures; spectral emission features; Aluminum gallium nitride; Degradation; Epitaxial layers; FETs; Flat panel displays; Gallium nitride; Luminescence; Nanostructures; Protons; Spectroscopy;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TNS.2002.805427

Filename

1134206