Physics-Based SPICE Models of p-GaN n-Channel and p-Channel FETs Toward GaN Complementary Circuit Simulation and Insights

The p-type gate gallium nitride high-electron-mobility transistors (p-GaN HEMTs) have been the subject of aggressive research in the power semiconductor community, while there have also been experimental developments toward the demonstration of p-channel GaN FETs. The growing adoption of p-channel GaN FETs, along with normally-off p-GaN FETs, has highlighted the need for physics-based SPICE models to support device optimization and circuit simulation for complementary GaN circuit design. While there have been efforts toward developing physics-based models to aid the GaN technology development, there is a need for extensive physics-based SPICE-compatible modeling frameworks for advancing p-GaN complementary circuit simulation, essentially facilitating device-to-circuit interaction. To facilitate this need, we present a physics-based, SPICE-compatible complementary GaN model, as an extension of our in-house NITSRI-GaN model, which exploits the use of the Lambert-W function in achieving an explicit formulation of the model, rendering it SPICE-compatible while preserving the underlying physics of the electron and hole quantum wells for electrostatics and carrier transport. The model results are validated against experimental device and circuit characteristics, and insights are drawn taking advantage of the physics-based model core.