Optimum semiconductors for high-power electronics

Abstract

Elemental and compound semiconductors, including widebandgap semiconductors, are critically examined for high-power electronic applications in terms of on-state resistance, power loss caused by junction leakage, heat conduction, radiation hardness, high-frequency performance, and high-temperature operation. Based on a new analysis applicable to a wide range of semiconducting materials and by using the available measured physical parameters, it is shown that widebandgap semiconductors such as SIC and diamond could offer significant advantages compared to either silicon or group 111-V compound semiconductors for these applications. The new analysis uses peak electric field strength at avalanche breakdown as a critical material parameter for evaluating the quality of a semiconducting material for highpower electronics. Theoretical calculations show improvement by orders of magnitude in the on-resistance, twentyfold improvement in the maximum frequency of operation, and potential for successful operation at temperatures beyond 600°C for diamond high-power devices. New figures of merit for power-handling capability that emphasize electrical and thermal conductivities of the material are derived and are applied to various semiconducting materials. It is shown that improvement in power-handling capabilities of semiconductor devices by three orders of magnitude is feasible by replacing silicon with silicon carbide; improvement in power-handling capability by six orders of magnitude is projected for diamond-based devices.

High-temperature characteristics of SiC Schottky barrier diodes related to physical phenomena

“…Wide bandgap semiconductor devices have attracted attention for potentially overcoming the performance limitations of semiconductor devices, which result from the material properties of conventional semiconductor Si [1]. SiC in particular has been seen as an ideal semiconductor material for high voltage power devices, due to its high critical breakdown electric field and large thermal conductivity [2,3].…”

Отделение эпитаксиальных гетероструктур III-N/SiC от подложки Si и их перенос на подложки других типов

“…• C и соотношении потоков NH 3 Затем полученные образцы были подвергнуты химиче-скому травлению в растворе, содержащем смесь азотной и плавиковой кислот, а также воду в соотношении 4 : 1 : 5 соответственно. Такая смесь эффективно удаляет крем-ний [17].…”

“…Основными полупроводниковыми материалами, ис-пользующимися для производства приборов силовой электроники в настоящее время, являются: кремний (Si), арсенид галлия (GaAs), карбид кремния (SiC), и нитрид галлия (GaN) [1][2][3]. В основном предпочтение отдается таким материалам, как SiC и GaN, поскольку они зна-чительно превосходят по ряду физических параметров Si и GaAs.…”

Ensemble Monte Carlo Study of Electron Transport in Bulk Indium Nitride

“…Of the emerging wide band-gap semiconductors, the most promising candidates for power field effect transistors, FETs, are SiC and the III-nitrides. It is well known that SiC or GaN based transistors offer significantly higher maximum output power than comparable structures made from GaAs or Si [1,2]. Owing to their relatively wide and direct energy band-gap, the III-nitride semiconductors are in addition particularly useful for UV and blue-light photonic detectors and emitters.…”