Nanoscale Mapping of Temperature and Dissipation Rate in Wide-Bandgap High Electron Mobility Transistors
Abstract
Gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) have become the technology of choice for high-power and high-frequency applications. However, the frequency, output power, and reliability of GaN HEMTs are thermally-limited by the energy dissipation at the device channel and substantial nanoscale near-channel thermal resistances which can lead to hot spot formation during device operation. To solve this thermal bottleneck, detailed nanoscale understanding of energy dissipation and thermal transport across buried device layers are required. We propose a series of cross-sectional Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM) experiments on the cleaved cross section of GaN HEMT devices operating under DC and RF conditions. The proposed measurements will provide two-dimensional nanoscale maps of temperature, heat generation rate, and localized thermal resistance across buried layers of high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) with a spatial resolution of less than 7 nm and temperature resolution in the millikelvin range. The insights provided by the proposed experiments enable informed design of device structures and interfaces to address the thermal dissipation bottleneck, leading to improved power and frequency performance. Furthermore, the proposed in-situ technique will be readily applicable to other (ultra) wide-bandgap devices, providing a detailed nanoscale picture of dissipation and thermal transport.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 06, 2025
- Source ID
- FA95502410174
Entities
People
- Amin Reihani
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Rutgers University
- United States Air Force