650 V Highly Reliable GaN HEMTs on Si Substrates over Multiple Generations: Matching Silicon CMOS Manufacturing Metrics and Process Control

Abstract

Manufacturing readiness of the world's first highly reliable 650V GaN HEMT is demonstrated with high process capability (CpK>1.6) for leakage and on resistance. This technology was developed in a Si-CMOS compatible 6-inch foundry and has been demonstrated with over one thousand wafers worth of data spread over two generations of technology nodes covering multiple products and packages collected during ramp up post qualification. Silicon manufacturing processes are employed including gold-free processes that avoid the use of evaporation/liftoff typical to compound semiconductors. Probe yield and Line yield for the GaN process now matches mature Si-CMOS process running in the same fabrication facility. Extended qualification results beyond JEDEC standard are also shown for GaN products for the first time. Products in cascode configuration were tested. Wide bandgap high speed and high voltage GaN devices significantly reduce the system size and improve energy efficiency of power conversion in all areas of electricity conversion, ranging from PV inverters to electric vehicles making the above results significant and making GaN high volume production a reality.