Displacement damage effects on the p-GaN HEMT induced by neutrons at Back-n in the China Spallation Neutron Source

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/addd80

Abstract Irradiation experiments on p-GaN gate high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) were conducted using neutrons at Back-streaming White Neutron (Back-n) facility at the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS). Two groups of devices were float-biased, while one group was ON-biased. Post-irradiation analysis revealed that the electrical performance of the devices exhibited progressive degradation with increasing Back-n fluence, with the ON-biased group demonstrating the most pronounced deterioration. This degradation was primarily characterized by a negative shift in the threshold voltage, a significant increase in reverse gate leakage current, and a slight reduction in forward gate leakage. Further analysis of the gate leakage current and capacitance-voltage characteristics indicated an elevated concentration of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), attributed to donor-type defects introduced within the barrier layer by Back-n irradiation. These defects act as hole traps, converting into fixed positive charges that deepen the quantum-well conduction band, thereby enhancing the 2DEG density. Additionally, through the trap-assisted tunneling mechanism, these defects serve as tunneling centers, increasing the probability of electron tunneling and consequently elevating the reverse gate leakage current.

Keywords: displacement damage effects HEMT Back-n CSNS threshold voltage shift

Received: 02 February 2025
Revised: 13 May 2025
Accepted manuscript online: 28 May 2025

PACS:	61.80.Hg	(Neutron radiation effects)
	71.55.Eq	(III-V semiconductors)
	73.40.Kp	(III-V semiconductor-to-semiconductor contacts, p-n junctions, and heterojunctions)

Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 12120101005, U2030104, 12175174, 11975174, and 12105229), State Key Laboratory Foundation of Laser Interaction with Matter (Grant Nos. SKLLIM1807 and SKLLIM2106), the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF (Grant No. GZC20241372), and National Key Laboratory of Intense Pulsed Radiation Simulation and Effect (Grant No. NKLIPR2419).

Corresponding Authors: Wei Chen, Yong-Tao Zhao
E-mail: chenwei@nint.ac.cn;zhaoyongtao@xjtu.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Yu-Fei Liu(刘宇飞), Li-Li Ding(丁李利), Yuan-Yuan Xue(薛院院), Shu-Xuan Zhang(张书瑄), Wei Chen(陈伟), and Yong-Tao Zhao(赵永涛) Displacement damage effects on the p-GaN HEMT induced by neutrons at Back-n in the China Spallation Neutron Source 2025 Chin. Phys. B 34 106102

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Displacement damage effects on the p-GaN HEMT induced by neutrons at Back-n in the China Spallation Neutron Source

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