【International Papers】Featured丨Perspective on breakdown in Ga₂O₃ vertical rectifiers

      Stephen Pearton is an American materials scientist, engineer, and Distinguished Professor at the University of Florida. Pearton's work focuses on the use of advanced materials in areas such as laser diodes, nanomaterial applications, and similar applications.

      Pearton is a recipient of the J.J. Ebers Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the David Adler Lectureship Award in the Field of Materials Physics from the American Physical Society. He is also a Fellow of multiple professional or academic societies, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Physical Society, the Materials Research Society, and the American Vacuum Society.

Abstract

      While Ga₂O₃ rectifiers have shown promising performance, there is a lack of consensus on the significance of the few device breakdown results above 10 kV. We provide some perspective on how these are achieved and areas where a greater understanding of breakdown mechanisms, testing protocols, and wafer handling is needed to advance the technology.

FIG. 1. (a) Schematic of a Ga₂O₃ vertical rectifier showing punch-through and non-punch-through field profiles, as well as the use of either a Schottky or heterojunction anode. (b) shows experimental points from our group for the breakdown of small-area punch-through rectifiers plotted on a theoretical graph of breakdown vs drift layer thickness and doping. For the experimental points, the results are grouped into three ranges of thickness.

DOI：

doi.org/10.1116/6.0004146