Keywords

Single Event Leakage Current, GaN HEMTs, Single Event Effects, Single Event Burnout

Abstract

Gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have become popular in commercial and space applications due to their desirable material properties compared to silicon. However, their susceptibility to radiation-induced single-event effects (SEE) remains a critical reliability concern. This work investigates on permanent SEE in GaN-based power devices, including single-event leakage current (SELC) and single-event burnout (SEB). The dependence of SEE susceptibility on electric field, ion angle of incidence, current rating, and metallization layers is investigated and conclusions are presented. Heavy-ion irradiation experiments demonstrate that the worst-case condition occurs at near-normal incidence (0°–15°), where charge deposition most effectively overlaps high-field regions near the gate edge, which is different than vertical power devices. The maximum electric field in the device’s off-state, as well as the current rating of the device also play an important role in determining single event susceptibility. It is found that higher drain biases as well as higher current ratings result in more permanent single event damage in the form of SELC events and SEB, and this is consistent with previous study. This may be due to increased electric field crowding or larger sensitive volumes during the off-state condition. Metallization layers in GaN HEMTs may also impact radiation tolerance as the presence of high Z materials in those layers results in secondary particles from nuclear collisions with the incident ion. These particles broaden the effective ionization track and may decrease the safe operating area of GaN-based power devices. Together, these results are important to consider when qualifying and planning derating strategies for GaN-based power devices in radiation environments.

Completion Date

2026

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Enxia Zhang

Degree

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (M.S.E.E.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Identifier

DP0053275

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