Radiation Effects on β-Ga2O3 Materials and Devices

Ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors have the potential for extreme radiation tolerance due to their inherently high bond energies along with their high figures of merit for power and RF electronics. Among these materials, β-Ga2O3, although in its early stage of development, is gathering significant interest due to its favorable properties and the availability of native substrates. β-Ga2O3 has significantly lower radiation-induced carrier concentration reduction than incumbent wide bandgap semiconductors such as GaN. This chapter reviews the status of high-energy ionizing and nonionizing radiation studies on β-Ga2O3 with a focus on characterizing the radiation-induced defects formed using quantitative defect spectroscopy techniques. The potential physical defect configurations and sources are discussed, along with the sensitivity of specific traps to different types of radiation. Additionally, some initial studies on the impact of radiation on transistor static change and metastability are reviewed, which will be critical to device design and device reliability in the future. Finally, thermal recovery and annealing of irradiation induced defects is considered, with early results showing promise in the ability to fully recover damage. The topics presented here highlight areas of importance for further development of the reliability of β-Ga2O3 devices.