High Performance Vertical GaN-on-GaN p-n Power Diodes With Hydrogen-Plasma-Based Edge Termination
- 16 May 2018
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in IEEE Electron Device Letters
- Vol. 39 (7) , 1018-1021
Abstract
This letter reports the first implementation of a hydrogen-plasma-based edge termination technique (HPET) in vertical GaN p-n power diodes grown on bulk GaN substrates using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. The device with a 9-μm-thick drift layer exhibited a high breakdown voltage (V bd ) of 1.57 kV, a low ON-resistance (R ON ) of 0.45 mQ · cm 2 (or 0.70 mQ · cm 2 with current spreading considered) and a high Baliga's figure-of-merit (V bd 2 /R ON ) of 5.5 GW/cm 2 (or 3.6 GW/cm 2 ) without passivation or field plate, which are close to the theoretical limit of GaN. This technique enabled a significant reduction in leakage current (-10 6 times at -300 V) and a huge enhancement in V bd (from -300 V to 1.57 kV). Furthermore, the device showed good forward characteristics with a turn-ON voltage of 3.5 V, an ON-current of -2 kA/cm 2 (or 1.3 kA/cm 2 ), an ON/OFF ratio of -10 9 , and an ideality factor of 1.4. This work shows the HPET can serve as an effective, low cost, and easy-to-implement edge termination technique for high voltage and high power GaN p-n power diodes.Keywords
Funding Information
- ARPA-E PNDIODES Program monitored by Dr. I. Kizilyalli
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