We proposed AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) using thermal oxidation for NiOx passivation. Auger electron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and pulsed I-V were used to study oxidation features. The oxidation process diffused Ni and O into the AlGaN barrier and formed NiOx on the surface. The breakdown voltage of the proposed device was 1520 V while that of the conventional device was 300 V. The gate leakage current of the proposed device was 3.5 ${mu}A/mm$ and that of the conventional device was 1116.7 ${mu}A/mm$. The conventional device exhibited similar current in the gate-and-drain-pulsed I-V and its drain-pulsed counterpart. The gate-and-drain-pulsed current of the proposed device was about 56 % of the drain-pulsed current. This indicated that the oxidation process may form deep states having a low emission current, which then suppresses the leakage current. Our results suggest that the proposed process is suitable for achieving high breakdown voltages in the GaN-based devices.