Direct investigation of localized leakage currents in GaN-on-sapphire pn-diodes

Kinstler A, Neumann R, Taylor AA, Besendörfer S, Meißner E, Weingärtner R, Brunner F, Brusaterra E, Bahat Treidel E, Schulze J (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Scientific Reports Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Journals - Option B

Book Volume: 15

Article Number: 39578

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-25338-0

Abstract

The reliability and robustness of GaN devices continues to suffer from the influence of high dislocation densities. Our group has previously linked dislocations with current leakage paths. In this study, we investigated the localized electroluminescence (EL) signals of these leakage paths in reverse biased GaN pn-diodes grown on a sapphire substrate for their electrical and structural properties. We show that EL signal correlated leakage currents can be modeled by trap-assisted-tunneling (TAT) through segregated impurities at a dislocation. Leakage currents in devices without these leakage paths can be modeled by the Poole-Frenkel (PF) and phonon-assisted-tunneling (PAT) mechanisms. Additionally, we show that this reverse bias leakage, that has historically been attributed to specific dislocation types, cannot be attributed to a specific Burgers vector type.

Authors with CRIS profile

Alexander Kinstler Lehrstuhl für Elektronische Bauelemente Elke Meißner Lehrstuhl für Elektronische Bauelemente Jörg Schulze Lehrstuhl für Elektronische Bauelemente

Involved external institutions

Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH) DE Germany (DE) Infineon Technologies AG DE Germany (DE) Infineon Technologies Austria AG AT Austria (AT) Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Systeme und Bauelementetechnologie (IISB) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kinstler, A., Neumann, R., Taylor, A.A., Besendörfer, S., Meißner, E., Weingärtner, R.,... Schulze, J. (2025). Direct investigation of localized leakage currents in GaN-on-sapphire pn-diodes. Scientific Reports, 15. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-25338-0

MLA:

Kinstler, Alexander, et al. "Direct investigation of localized leakage currents in GaN-on-sapphire pn-diodes." Scientific Reports 15 (2025).

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