(Invited) Recent Progress in Medium-Voltage Vertical GaN Power Devices
Authors: Yates Luke , Binder Andrew T. , Rice Anthony , Armstrong Andrew M. , Steinfeldt Jeffrey , Abate Vincent M. , Smith Michael L. , Rummel Brian D. , Glaser Caleb E. , Allerman Andrew A. , Crawford Mary H. , Gunning Brendan P. , Aktas Ozgur , Anderson Travis J. , Hobart Karl D. , Koehler Andrew , Jacobs Alan G. , Gallagher James C , Mahadik Nadeemullah , Tadjer Marko , Ebrish Mona , Shankar Bhawani , Zeng Ke , Chowdhury Srabanti , Cooper James A. , Kaplar Robert J. 
Published: February 2024

Vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power devices continue to garner interest in multiple power conversion applications requiring a medium-voltage (1.2 – 20 kV) capability. Currently, silicon carbide (SiC) is addressing this voltage range, however, with a comparable critical electric field and superior mobility, GaN is expected to offer advantages in applications where fast switching and avalanche breakdown response times are desired. While uses in electric vehicles, solid-state transformers, and renewable energy conversion are being actively explored, the potential of a vertical GaN device for electric grid protection in the form of an electromagnetic pulse arrestor is a unique proposition that requires very fast transient capabilities (<1 µs pulse widths with rise-times on the order of 10 ns). However, vertical GaN devices are significantly less mature than present SiC offerings. Specifically, low-doped, thick epitaxial growth of GaN via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) still presents many challenges, and advancements in processing, manufacturability, and failure analysis are needed.

In this work, we describe our efforts to address the above issues and advance the state-of-the-art in vertical GaN PN diode development. We have successfully demonstrated an MOCVD-grown, 50 µm thick, low-doped (<1015 cm-3) drift region on a GaN substrate that was processed into relatively large-area (1 mm2) PN diodes capable of achieving a 6.7 kV breakdown. Temperature-dependent breakdown was observed, consistent with the avalanche process. The devices consisted of a 4-zone step-etched junction termination extension (JTE), where the breakdown region was visualized via electroluminescence (EL) imaging. Ongoing work aims to scale the current capability of the medium-voltage diodes through a parallel interconnect design that negates defective or poor performing diodes. Further investigation of edge termination structures was explored using a bevel approach, where we studied the relationship between the bevel angle and p-doping. It was found that a very shallow angle of only 5° accompanied by a 500 nm p-region consisting of 3×1017 cm-3 Mg concentration resulted in a consistent 1.2 kV breakdown for an 8 µm thick, 1.6×1016 cm-3 doped drift region. EL imaging confirmed uniform breakdown, and temperature dependence was demonstrated. The bevel approach was then implemented on a diode structure with a 20 µm thick drift region capable of 3.3 kV breakdown, where an unclamped inductive switching (UIS) test was performed to evaluate the impact of a field plate design on avalanche uniformity and ruggedness.

A parallel effort to establish a foundry process for vertical GaN devices has been underway. Initially, this focus was on comprehensive studies of GaN wafer metrology using capacitance-voltage (C-V) mapping, optical profilometry, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) mapping. A machine learning algorithm was implemented to identify defective regions and produce a yield prediction for each GaN wafer prior to processing. A hybrid edge termination structure consisting of implanted guard rings (GR) and JTEs was developed in coordination with a controlled experiment that varied the anode thickness, and therefore the remaining p-GaN after implantation. It was observed that thinner p-GaN regions under the JTE/GR region resulted in a significant (>100x) reduction in leakage current under reverse-bias conditions. This process has resulted in 1.2-kV-class devices with up to 18 A forward current for a 1 mm2 device with a specific on-resistance of 1.2 mOhm-cm2. The foundry effort has since been extended to 3.3-kV-class devices that utilize 25 µm thick drift layers with ~2-4×1015 cm-3 doping. These devices have demonstrated up to 3.8 kV breakdown with leakage currents <1 nA up to 3 kV. More than 40 wafers have been processed to date, resulting in >20,000 devices. Statistical variations in I-V and C-V characteristics will be discussed. Packaging process development and analysis are underway to develop electrical stress procedures and identify fundamental failure mechanisms. Finally, a pulse arrested spark discharge (PASD) setup, capable of up to 15 kV pulsed operation in 100 V steps, was implemented to quantify the time response of avalanche breakdown. Initial results on a packaged 800 V device showed a ~1 ns response time during breakdown, which reinforces the potential EMP grid protection applicability.

This work was supported by the ARPA-E OPEN+ Kilovolt Devices Cohort directed by Dr.Isik Kizilyalli. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525. This paper describes objective technical results and analysis. Any subjective views or opinions that might be expressed in the paper do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy of the United States Government.