Comparison between trap and self-heating induced mobility degradation in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

•We compare the degradation in mobility due to bulk traps and self-heating in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs.•Scattering from charged traps limits mobility in the 2DEG.•Mobility near the gate–drain region is temperature limited.

Mobility degradation due to scattering from radiation-induced defects is compared to that produced by self-heating in proton-irradiated AlGaN/GaN HEMTs using experiments and simulations. After irradiation, the mobility in the 2DEG is limited by scattering from charged traps and is temperature-limited near the gate–drain access region.