High power RF device performance
decreases as operation temperature increases (e.g. decreasing electron
mobility affects cut-off frequencies and degrades device reliability).
Therefore determination of device temperature is a key issue for device
topology optimisation. In this work the temperature variation of AlGaN/GaN
high-electron-mobility transistors grown either on silicon or sapphire
substrate under bias operation was measured by micro Raman scattering
spectroscopy. Temperature measurements up to power dissipation of 16 W for
4 mm development devices were carried out and a peak temperature of 650 K was
determined. The difference of thermal resistance for similar devices grown
on the two different substrates was assessed. The thermal resistances of
different device topologies were compared to optimise the component design.