Solutions To Improve HBM ESD Robustness of GaN RF HEMTs

Gallium Nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) exhibit 3 different types of HBM failures, namely, reverse Schottky electric field (REF) failure, 2DEG channel constant power (CP) failure and forward Schottky current crowding (CC) failure. HBM robustness of each failure can be improved by ~75% to ~200% by increasing the gate-ohmic spacing or by increasing device width. Increasing field plate length increases HBM robustness against REF by ~50%. Similarly using a back barrier helps increase HBM robustness against CP failure by ~60%.