Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer

Dong, Wei; Zhang, Shuhan; Fan, Qian; Ni, Xianfeng; Gu, Xing

doi:10.3390/electronics15112423

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Open AccessArticle

Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer

by

Wei Dong

,

Shuhan Zhang

,

Qian Fan

,

Xianfeng Ni

^* and

Xing Gu

^*

Institute of Next Generation Semiconductor Materials, Southeast University, Suzhou 215123, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Electronics 2026, 15(11), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15112423

Submission received: 23 April 2026 / Revised: 30 May 2026 / Accepted: 1 June 2026 / Published: 2 June 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in GaN Semiconductors Technology: Materials & Devices for the Next Generation of High-Efficiency Power Electronics)

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Abstract

This study systematically investigates the intrinsic vertical breakdown characteristics of 8-inch GaN-on-Si high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) buffer layers (extending up to the GaN channel layer) using a vertical electrode configuration. By comparing samples with different carbon doping doses, AlN insertion layers, and superlattice cycle numbers (buffer layer thickness), combined with Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) simulations, the relevant mechanisms are revealed. The results show that buffer layer thickness is a critical factor determining the vertical breakdown voltage. Its increase effectively reduces the longitudinal average electric field, widens the depletion region, and increases the breakdown voltage by approximately 50%. Carbon doping compensates for carriers and suppresses leakage through deep-level acceptor traps. Inserting thin AlN layers into the superlattice has a limited effect on improving breakdown voltage. This research provides clear experimental guidance for the optimal design of high-voltage GaN HEMT buffer layers from both material and physical perspectives.

Keywords: HEMT; GaN-on-Si; buffer layer; superlattice; carbon doping; TCAD

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MDPI and ACS Style

Dong, W.; Zhang, S.; Fan, Q.; Ni, X.; Gu, X. Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer. Electronics 2026, 15, 2423. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15112423

AMA Style

Dong W, Zhang S, Fan Q, Ni X, Gu X. Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer. Electronics. 2026; 15(11):2423. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15112423

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dong, Wei, Shuhan Zhang, Qian Fan, Xianfeng Ni, and Xing Gu. 2026. "Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer" Electronics 15, no. 11: 2423. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15112423

APA Style

Dong, W., Zhang, S., Fan, Q., Ni, X., & Gu, X. (2026). Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer. Electronics, 15(11), 2423. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15112423

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Decoupling and Optimization of Intrinsic Vertical Breakdown in 8-Inch GaN-on-Si HEMT Buffer

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