Power Electronic Devices Enabled by Bulk GaN Substrates
Event details
| Date | 15.05.2014 |
| Hour | 14:00 › 15:00 |
| Speaker |
Dr. Isik C. Kizilyalli, Founder/CTO of Avogy Inc. Bio: Isik C. Kizilyalli received the B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. (1982, 1984, and 1988) degrees from the University of Illinois in Urbana. His doctoral thesis was completed under the supervision of Prof. Karl Hess in the area of computational semiconductor device physics. His career since spans fundamental research in semiconductors to technology development, and commercialization of innovation. He is the founder of Avogy Inc., a venture backed start-up concerned with power electronics, energy efficiency, and smart grid technologies where he has held the positions of CEO and currently CTO. Previously he was with AT&T Bell Laboratories and its spin outs Lucent Technologies and Agere systems, followed by Nitronex Corporation, and solar PV startup Alta Devices. Dr. Kizilyalli was elected a Fellow of the IEEE for his contributions to Integrated Circuit Technology. He received the Bell Laboratories’ Distinguished Member of Technical Staff award in recognition for his contributions to CMOS transistor design. Dr. Kizilyalli and his team have received the Best Paper Award at IEEE International Conference on Power Semiconductors and ICs (ISPSD) in 2013. He has authored or coauthored 100 papers and holds 53 U.S. patents. |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract:
Fast switching power semiconductor devices are the key to increasing the efficiency and reducing the size of power electronic systems. For the last three decades, silicon power devices (MOSFETS, IGBTs, and diodes) have dominated the power device market. During this time there have been tremendous improvements in silicon power device performance. However, these devices are now approaching the physical limits of silicon. Alternative wide-band gap semiconductor materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are enabling a new generation of power devices that will far exceed the performance of silicon-based devices. Wide band-gap semiconductors enable continued improvement of the efficiency and reduced system size of power electronics. SiC diodes have already been commercialized and they are increasingly utilized in applications that demand higher efficiency and reliability. However, there is great interest in developing GaN-based power devices because the fundamental material based figure-of-merit of GaN is at least 5X better than SiC and more than 100X over Si.
This presentation will provide an introduction to power electronics. Subsequently, the power-device figure-of-merit governed by the physical properties of the semiconductor material will be derived for Si, SiC, and GaN. It will be demonstrated that the full potential of the GaN material system can be realized by fabricating vertical devices growing low defect density epitaxial GaN layers on bulk GaN substrates. Published results from Si and SiC devices along with lateral (horizontal) GaN power devices fabricated on SiC or silicon substrates are compared with the True GaN™ approach. World record device performance results will be shown for p-n diode devices with breakdown voltages of 600 to 4000 V aided by a novel edge termination technique. By area scaling and properly thinning the substrates diode currents approach 400A. A 3A 1.5kV normally-off vertical transistor structure fabricated on bulk GaN substrates is also introduced. Fundamental GaN material parameters such as electron mobility and impact ionization rates can be extracted from the devices fabricated. Temperature characterization data, switching behavior in a boost circuit, and results from reliability testing will prove that applications such as server farms, inverters for solar and wind, motor drives, and hybrid/electric vehicles will all benefit from this newly emerging field of power semiconductor devices enabled by bulk GaN substrates.
Fast switching power semiconductor devices are the key to increasing the efficiency and reducing the size of power electronic systems. For the last three decades, silicon power devices (MOSFETS, IGBTs, and diodes) have dominated the power device market. During this time there have been tremendous improvements in silicon power device performance. However, these devices are now approaching the physical limits of silicon. Alternative wide-band gap semiconductor materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are enabling a new generation of power devices that will far exceed the performance of silicon-based devices. Wide band-gap semiconductors enable continued improvement of the efficiency and reduced system size of power electronics. SiC diodes have already been commercialized and they are increasingly utilized in applications that demand higher efficiency and reliability. However, there is great interest in developing GaN-based power devices because the fundamental material based figure-of-merit of GaN is at least 5X better than SiC and more than 100X over Si.
This presentation will provide an introduction to power electronics. Subsequently, the power-device figure-of-merit governed by the physical properties of the semiconductor material will be derived for Si, SiC, and GaN. It will be demonstrated that the full potential of the GaN material system can be realized by fabricating vertical devices growing low defect density epitaxial GaN layers on bulk GaN substrates. Published results from Si and SiC devices along with lateral (horizontal) GaN power devices fabricated on SiC or silicon substrates are compared with the True GaN™ approach. World record device performance results will be shown for p-n diode devices with breakdown voltages of 600 to 4000 V aided by a novel edge termination technique. By area scaling and properly thinning the substrates diode currents approach 400A. A 3A 1.5kV normally-off vertical transistor structure fabricated on bulk GaN substrates is also introduced. Fundamental GaN material parameters such as electron mobility and impact ionization rates can be extracted from the devices fabricated. Temperature characterization data, switching behavior in a boost circuit, and results from reliability testing will prove that applications such as server farms, inverters for solar and wind, motor drives, and hybrid/electric vehicles will all benefit from this newly emerging field of power semiconductor devices enabled by bulk GaN substrates.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Organizer
- Prof. Giovanni De Micheli, EE Institute Director