We report vertical GaN-on-GaN p-n diodes with a breakdown voltage (BV) of 1.7 kV and a low differential specific ON-resistance R ON of 0.55 mQ · cm 2 with current spreading considered (or 0.4 mQ · cm ...2 using the diode bottom mesa size), resulting in a figure-of-merit (V B 2 /R ON ) of 5.3 GW/cm 2 (or 7.2 GW/cm 2 ). These devices exhibit a current swing over 14 orders of magnitude and a low ideality factor of 1.3. Temperature dependent I-V measurements show that the BV increases with increasing temperature, a signature of avalanche breakdown.
