Study of proton irradiation effects on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were exposed to 3 MeV protons at fluences of 6 × 1013, 4 × 1014 and 1 × 1015 protons/cm2. The drain saturation currents decreased by 20% and the maximum transconductance decreased by 5% at the highest fluence. As the fluence increased, the threshold voltage shifted more positive values. After proton irradiation, the gate leakage current increased. The Schottky barrier height changed from 0.63 eV to 0.46 eV, and the ideality factor from 2.55 to 3.98 at the highest fluence. The degradations of electrical characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs are caused by displacement damages induced by proton irradiation. The density of vacancies at different proton fluence can be calculated from SRIM. Being an acceptor-like defect, the Ga vacancy acts as a compensation center. While N vacancy acts as a donor. Adding the vacancies model into Slivaco device simulator, simulation results match well with the trends of experimental data. Hall measurement results also indicate the concentration and mobility of 2DEG decrease after proton irradiation. It is concluded that the Ga vacancies introduced maybe the primary reason for the degradation of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs performance.