Setup for Repetitive Short Circuit Measurement of GaN-Devices with In-Situ Parameter Monitoring

GaN HEMTs impress with their low on-state resistance and small switching losses. However, the small chip size poses challenges regarding the short circuit capability, which is crucial for reliable operation and lifetime. This work presents a test bench for short circuit characterization of GaN HEMTs with the goal to monitor the state of health of the DUT and gain deeper insight into the mode of degradation. The test setup uses automated in-situ measurements of device parameters to assess its degradation. Those measurements require specialized gate driver circuits and pulse patterns to achieve both application-oriented switching and accurate incircuit measurements. The preliminary results show that the gate current cannot be used as an indicator for the health status of the studied component.