Accelerated life testing and failure analysis of single stage MMIC amplifiers

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices Vol. 41; no. 8; pp. 1435 - 1443
• Main Authors: Christianson, K.A., Roussos, J.A., Anderson, W.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.08.1994; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit testing; Degradation; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Failure analysis; Field effect MMICs; Life estimation; Life testing; MESFETs; Microwave FET integrated circuits; Microwave integrated circuits; Monolithic integrated circuits; Testing, measurement, noise and reliability; Accelerated aging test; Failure analysis; Microwave circuit; Microwave amplifier; Monolithic integrated circuit; Life test; Experimental study; Reliability; Metal semiconductor field effect transistor; Electrical characteristic
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/16.297740

Single stage monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers have been high temperature accelerated life tested under DC+RF biasing conditions. Most of the circuits failed parametrically due to a gradual decrease in RF output power. Failure analysis revealed localized reduction of the gate breakdown characteristics of the metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET). This was occurring through degradation of the GaAs surface Si/sub 3/N/sub 4/ passivation layer interface in the channel region of the MESFET, resulting in a reduction in the number of surface states. The few catastrophically failed MMIC's are believed to represent a special case of this degradation process which occurred very rapidly. In contrast to the transistor, the other components of the circuits were unchanged following life test.< >