Here’s a RoundUp of this week’s must-read news about SiC, GaN, and Wide Bandgap Materials!
SiC News
Space-Proofing Power: CoolCAD’s Mission To Radiation-Harden Power Semiconductor Devices
Dr. Akin Akturk examines the crucial problem of radiation-induced malfunctions in power semiconductor devices used in space applications. The author starts by citing NASA’s technological goals for power devices in space, highlighting specific areas that need improvement. The analysis includes the assessment of risks posed by both terrestrial and space radiation, as well as the investigation of potential failure modes. Additionally, the study explores the existing measures employed to minimize these risks. He explores the technological obstacles and the ongoing studies that are influencing engineering methods to improve radiation resilience. Finally, he emphasizes CoolCAD Electronics’ SiC-based technology, which offers sophisticated radiation-hardened power devices that are in line with NASA’s ambitious goals.
ROHM showcasing EcoGaN and SiC power semiconductors at PCIM Europe
ROHM will showcase its latest power semiconductor solutions, with a particular emphasis on wide-bandgap devices, at booth 304 (hall 9) during the Power, Control and Intelligent Motion (PCIM) Europe 2024 trade event in Nuremberg, Germany from 11 to 13 June.
The company’s range includes silicon carbide (SiC), silicon (Si), and gallium nitride (GaN) is specifically tailored to meet the requirements of different industries, with a particular emphasis on e-mobility and power supply applications.
ROHM is introducing new silicon carbide (SiC) power modules specifically designed for automotive applications. Furthermore, ROHM is presenting the transition of its manufacturing process to 8-inch SiC wafers and offering further insights into its SiC product advancement.
ROHM’s 4th Generation SiC MOSFETs provide industry-leading levels of low ON resistance, resulting in reduced switching losses. These MOSFETs also support gate-source voltages of 15V and 18V.
Electrically active defects induced by thermal oxidation and post-oxidation annealing of n-type 4H-SiC
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the defects generated in the 4H-SiC bulk material following thermal oxidation and subsequent annealing, utilizing deep level transient spectroscopy and minority carrier transient spectroscopy (MCTS). The study demonstrates the presence of multiple majority carrier traps, both shallow and deep, within the bandgap.
The majority of carrier defects are believed to originate from the injection of C interstitials from the interface during thermal oxidation and annealing. The concentration of defects decreases exponentially as we get deeper into the material. This indicates that the defects were formed at or close to the interface between SiO and SiC, and then moved towards the bulk during the process of oxidation and subsequent annealing.
Navitas Drives High-power, High-reliability, Next-gen Power Semis for AI, EV, Industrial, Solar, and Energy Storage at PCIM 2024
Navitas Semiconductor is inviting guests to attend “Planet Navitas” at PCIM 2024 (June 11th-13th) to witness the exceptional performance of their industry-leading GaN and SiC solutions across a wide range of rapidly expanding sectors and applications, spanning from 20 W to 20 MW.
The “Planet Navitas” booth showcases the cutting-edge GaN and SiC technology that powers fully-electrified EV transportation, AI data centers, industrial compressors, drives, robotics, renewable energy sourcing, and storage. It aligns with Navitas’ mission to “Electrify Our World
”. The examples provided emphasize the advantages for end-users, including enhanced mobility, extended range, quicker charging, and the ability to operate independently from the power grid. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on the potential of GaN and SiC technology to significantly reduce carbon emissions, with a projected savings of over 6 gigatons of CO2 per year by 2050.
PowerUP Asia 2024: Leading Power Semiconductor Companies to Discuss Challenges, Trends, and Latest Innovations
STMicroelectronics (ST), Texas Instruments Inc. (TI), Efficient Power Conversion Corp. (EPC), onsemi, Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, and NXP Semiconductors, which are leading power semiconductor companies, will be participating in the PowerUP Asia 2024 virtual conference. During the conference, they will discuss the most recent trends and innovations in power semiconductor development and how these advancements are contributing to the promotion of environmentally friendly electronics.
PowerUP Asia is a virtual conference and exhibition organized by AspenCore, the publisher of EETimes Asia, EETimes India, and EDN Asia. The event spans two days and is dedicated to power semiconductor technologies, specifically focusing on wide-bandgap (WBG) devices like gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC), as well as low- and high-voltage power semiconductors and related technologies. The aim of the event is to address the growing global interest in power efficiency, carbon reduction, and greener energy among electronics manufacturers.
GaN News
Gallium Nitride: A Strategic Opportunity for the Semiconductor Industry
The exponential expansion of crucial technologies like 5G telecommunications and electric mobility necessitates increased power densities, accelerated switching frequencies, and enhanced thermal resilience that beyond the capabilities of traditional silicon-based semiconductors. Gallium nitride (GaN) is being considered as a potential alternative material in the semiconductor industry. GaN is a compound semiconductor with features that make it well-suited for the development of high-power, high-frequency electronic devices in the future. Gallium Nitride (GaN) has gained prominence due to its exceptional breakdown field strength, elevated electron mobility, and broad bandgap. As a result, GaN is at the forefront of efforts to advance electronics, enabling the development of energy-efficient and high-performance devices.
GaN Semiconductor Devices Market to Cross USD 15.7 Billion by 2031 Driven by Superior Performance over Silicon
The GaN Semiconductor Devices Market is seeing substantial growth and is expected to reach a value of USD 15.7 billion by 2031. The growth of GaN devices is primarily propelled by their inherent advantages over traditional silicon-based components. Gallium Nitride (GaN) possesses exceptional attributes such as elevated energy efficiency, accelerated switching rates, and improved power handling capabilities, rendering it highly suitable for a diverse array of applications.
The SNS Insider analysis predicts that the GaN Semiconductor Devices Market will reach a size of USD 2.6 billion by 2023, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.14% throughout the forecast period. The expansion of GaN technology is propelled by its capability to provide high power density and efficiency, which significantly impacts the consumer electronics industry. The integration of this technology results in accelerated charging rates, extended durability, and reduced energy usage in laptops, cellphones, power adapters, and chargers.
Deepening the understanding of post-trench restoration
GaN-on-GaN power devices are well-known for their superior characteristics such as high breakdown voltage, large current capacity, and exceptional dynamic performance. These devices generally incorporate a trench architecture to further enhance their performance. The trench, which is usually characterized by inductively coupled plasma etching, has the effect of increasing leakage current and deteriorating the channel and blocking characteristics. To recover the performance of the device, wet etching with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) is commonly used. However, what precisely occurs during this anisotropic etching process?
A team from Zhejiang University, China, asserts that they provide the most comprehensive answer to this key subject.
EPC presenting power solutions for automotive, robotics, power tools, solar at PCIM Europe
Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) is showcasing its extensive collection of gallium nitride-based power conversion solutions at exhibition stand 318 (Hall 9) during the Power, Control and Intelligent Motion (PCIM) Europe 2024 event in Nuremberg, Germany (11–13 May). EPC, headquartered in El Segundo, CA, USA, specializes in manufacturing enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications. The company claims that its portfolio is the most comprehensive in the industry.
EPC emphasizes that its GaN-based solutions provide benefits for various applications, including DC-DC converters for 48V automotive and high-density computing, motor drives for eMobility, robotics, power tools, drones, and renewable energy. These devices are designed to prioritize efficiency, reliability, and performance.
Porotech Selects ClassOne Solstice® Single-Wafer Platform for Development and Manufacture of GaN Products
ClassOne Technology, a prominent international supplier of sophisticated electroplating and wet processing equipment for microelectronics production, and Porotech, a trailblazer in gallium nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor technology and a global provider of microLEDs without in-house fabrication facilities, have jointly declared that Porotech has chosen the ClassOne Solstice® single-wafer platform for the advancement and production of GaN products intended for applications that necessitate silicon wafer substrates.
Porotech is developing devices that specifically aim to create microLED microdisplays with ultra-high-density and energy efficiency. These microdisplays are intended for use in augmented reality (AR) applications, wearables, and smart gadgets. Porotech is utilizing its exclusive revolutionary technologies, PoroGaN® GaN-on-silicon materials platform and Dynamic Pixel Tuning® (DPT®) microLED-on-silicon (µLEDoS) technology, to advance microLED applications. These technologies can be customized to generate light at various wavelengths within the visible spectrum.
Sumitomo presents pore-assisted free-standing GaN
Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd in Japan has created a pore-assisted separation (PAS) technique to produce independent gallium nitride (GaN) substrates. This development was documented in a research paper titled “Appl. Phys. Express, v17, p055502, 2024” by Masafumi Yokoyama et al.
The researchers anticipate that the suggested approach will pave the way for the production of larger, self-supporting GaN substrates with high efficiency.
Sumitomo considers enhancing power conversion efficiency of electrical systems as a crucial factor in addressing the adverse impacts of human activities on the global environment. Gallium nitride (GaN) devices are being developed for the purpose of managing higher voltages and power densities compared to traditional electronic materials like silicon. This is due to the wide-bandgap property of GaN, which allows it to handle bigger amounts of power.
Transphorm’s SuperGaN at PCIM 2024: Surpassing SiC and e-mode GaN Capabilities in High Power Systems
Transphorm, Inc. (Nasdaq: TGAN), a dominant force in the field of durable GaN power semiconductors, has revealed that its PCIM 2024 exhibition will highlight its superior performance compared to rival wide bandgap technologies in high-power applications. Transphorm’s normally-off d-mode SuperGaN® platform offers superior electron mobility, leading to reduced crossover losses compared to Silicon Carbide. This makes it a more cost-effective and high-performing solution for a wide range of applications, including electric vehicles, datacenters/AI, infrastructure, renewable energy, and other industrial sectors.
Transphorm SuperGaN FETs are now being manufactured and used in a variety of client products that cover a wide range of power levels, ranging from 45 W power adapters to 7.5 kW power supply units (PSUs). Several of these consumer items are the initial publicly acknowledged systems utilizing GaN technology, showcasing distinct advantages made possible just by the SuperGaN platform. Some examples of the products mentioned earlier are a liquid-cooled 7.5 kW PSU designed for mission-critical datacenter and blockchain applications, a 2.7 kW server CRPS with a power density of over 82 W/in3 (the highest among all available GaN power systems), and 2.2 kW and 3 kW rack-mount 1U uninterruptible power supply (UPSes). These design victories demonstrate Transphorm’s capacity to promote the adoption of GaN technology in different application industries, which are projected to have a total addressable market (TAM) of approximately $8 billion by 2028.
Researchers investigate properties of novel materials for electronics operating in extremely hot environments
Gallium nitride (GaN) is currently employed in certain terrestrial electronic devices such as phone chargers and mobile phone towers. However, there is limited understanding among scientists regarding the behavior of gallium nitride devices at temperatures exceeding 300°, which is the maximum operational threshold for ordinary silicon electronics.
A team of scientists from MIT and other institutions conducted a comprehensive study, published in Applied Physics Letters, to investigate the properties and performance of a material at extremely high temperatures. This research is part of a long-term research project.
The researchers discovered that the gallium nitride material and connections did not experience significant degradation as a result of severe temperatures. The observers were astonished to see that the contacts maintained their structural integrity even after being exposed to a temperature of 500°C for a duration of 48 hours.
WBG News
Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Market Size to Cross USD 7.01 billion at a CAGR of 24.7% By Forecast 2030
The Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Market is expected to grow significantly from USD 1.2 billion in 2022 to USD 7.01 billion by 2030, with a strong compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.7% from 2023 to 2030.
The significant expansion is propelled by various crucial aspects, such as the increasing need for energy-efficient electronic gadgets, progress in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, and the growing acceptance of 5G technology. Wide bandgap semiconductors possess superior characteristics, including enhanced thermal conductivity, increased energy efficiency, and the capability to function at higher voltages and frequencies. These properties contribute to their integration in diverse applications, making them more attractive in the market and prompting significant investment in research and development.
Low-cost O2 plasma activation assisted direct bonding of β-Ga2O3 and Si substrates in air
The β-Ga2O3 single crystal is a recently developed semiconductor material that possesses a wide bandgap of approximately 4.8 eV and a high breakdown field strength of 8 MV cm−1. It is considered a new addition to the family of semiconductor materials, following silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). β-Ga2O3 shows promise as a promising material for the next generation of high-power devices. This is because it can be grown on a low-cost substrate using the edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) method and has a high Baliga figure of Merit (BFOM).
This study introduces an innovative method for connecting β-Ga2O3 and Si substrates directly by activating O2 plasma at ambient temperature. The activation method yielded a high degree of surface hydrophilicity and roughness.
Mineral Demands for Resilient Semiconductor Supply Chains
The United States considers the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as its main strategic rival. Furthermore, this rivalry involves an increasing competition in the technology field, in addition to conflicts in other areas. While no country can achieve complete technical self-sufficiency, the United States’ heavy dependence on China’s significant market dominance in the crucial minerals industry for semiconductor supply chains generates a reliance that transforms a trade imbalance into a possible threat to national security. Chips are omnipresent in all contemporary technology, and their significance and value will only increase in the future. Countries who successfully establish and protect their own supply chains for essential technology will have the ability to dictate the regulations and guidelines for global economic management in the foreseeable future.
Nanostructures based on UWBG materials
Nanostructures composed of ternary metal oxides typically display intriguing functions and properties that are less prominent or perhaps nonexistent in the conventional binary metal oxide system. Zn2GeO4 and In2Ge2O7 are commonly classified as broad bandgap semiconductors within a range of ternary materials.
Over the last ten years, several methods have been created to produce a wide range of ZGO and IGO nanostructures. These nanostructures have been successfully used in electrical and optoelectronic devices at the nanoscale. This page provides a comprehensive summary of the most extensively researched methods and mechanisms for synthesizing ZGO and IGO nanostructures, as well as their diverse applications in various sectors.
Electrical conductivity improvement of charged Ga vacancies in wurtzite GaN
This study examines the intricate function of Ga vacancy charged defect in the crystalline structure of wurtzite Gallium Nitride (GaN), emphasizing a notable augmentation in electrical conductivity, which contradicts traditional assumptions. The study demonstrates that certain arrangements of Ga vacancy charged defects result in a significant sixfold enhancement in electrical conductivity in wurtzite GaN, as determined by advanced Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge that N vacancy charged defects have an adverse effect on these electrical characteristics. This comprehensive theoretical study elucidates the manner in which these vacancy charged defects might enhance conductivity and offers a fresh viewpoint on charged defects in GaN, hence facilitating the development of more efficient designs for GaN in the future.
Semiconductor advancement could lead to low-cost, flexible electronic devices
Although silicon-based semiconductors have been crucial in meeting this requirement, wide-bandgap semiconductors could potentially offer a superior option. Regrettably, these materials, which function at elevated temperatures and can withstand higher power loads, come with a significant cost.
A groundbreaking development, outlined in a paper published on May 2 in Scientific Reports, has the potential to bring about a significant transformation in this regard. The study was conducted by researchers from the University at Buffalo, Texas State University, and TapeSolar Inc.
The work focuses on epitaxial deposition, a fabrication technique that requires the exact placement of molecules onto a crystal substrate to achieve a perfect fit.
The post Wide Bandgap Week Insights – May 24, 2024 appeared first on Power Electronics News.
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