Damage Effect and Mechanism of p-GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistors in HIRF Environment

In this article, the damage effect and mechanism of p-type GaN (p-GaN) high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) are studied under a high-intensity-radiated field environment. The Sentaurus Technology Computer-Aided Design platform was adopted to build the device model. The effect of different sizes of p-GaN gate structure in the device are discussed, and the damage effects of electric field strength, current density, and maximum temperature on the device are studied. The power damage threshold and the period damage threshold at the same time span are verified, and the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) power damage equation applicable to this device structure is obtained. The results show that the average temperature of the device varies with the gate input signal. The time from the sharp accumulation of temperature to the breakdown of the device constitutes a quarter of the total, and the breakdown of the device is only instantaneous. Furthermore, the longer the length of the p-GaN, the longer the breakdown time of this device; the sparser the distribution of the electric field; and the better the effect of electromagnetic protection. This device is used in aerospace equipment to improve the safety of electronic systems and reduce the risk of electromagnetic damage.