Modeling of forward gate leakage current for normally off pGaN/AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

We have developed a generalized numerical model for gate leakage current ( I G ) in normally off pGaN/AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors. Across all devices, leakage primarily occurs via Fowler-Nordheim tunneling (FNT) with Trap assisted tunneling (TAT) responsible for some additional leakage at low gate bias in some devices. The model is validated against experimental data available in the literature for different devices from multiple research groups. A single model with a consistent set of parameters fits the voltage and temperature dependence of the leakage current for devices with different Schottky contact materials, device dimensions, and fabrication processes.