High Voltage Vertical GaN p-n Diodes with Hydrogen-Plasma Based Guard Rings

Houqiang Fu, Jossue Montes, Xuguang Deng, Xin Qi, Stephen M. Goodnick, Fernando A. Ponce, Yuji Zhao, Kai Fu, Shanthan R. Alugubelli, Chi Yin Cheng, Xuanqi Huang, Hong Chen, Tsung Han Yang, Chen Yang, Jingan Zhou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

This letter demonstrates novel hydrogen-plasma based guard rings (GRs) for high voltage vertical GaN p-n diodes grown on bulk GaN substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The GR structure can significantly improve breakdown voltages (BV) and critical electric fields (Ec) of the devices. Not having field plates or passivation, the p-n diodes with a 9 μm drift layer and 10 GRs showed BV/on-resistance (Ron) of 1.70 kV/0.65 mΩ cm2, which are close to the GaN theoretical limit. Moreover, the device also exhibited good rectifying behaviors with an on-current of 2.6 kA/cm2, an on/off ratio of 1010, and a turn-on voltage of 3.56 V. This work represents one of the first effective GR techniques for high performance kV-class GaN p-n diodes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number8906086
Pages (from-to)127-130
Number of pages4
JournalIEEE Electron Device Letters
Volume41
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2020

Keywords

  • Gallium nitride
  • edge termination
  • guard ring
  • p-n diodes
  • power electronics
  • wide bandgap semiconductor

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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