Query: Challenges for energy efficient wide band gap semiconductor power devices

Candidate papers:

abstract: Wide band gap semiconductors, and in particular silicon carbide (4H SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are very promising materials for the next generation of power electronics, to guarantee an improved energy efficiency of devices and modules. As a matter of fact, in the last decade intensive academic and industrial research efforts have resulted in the demonstration of both 4H SiC MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs exhibiting VB2/Ron performances well beyond the silicon limits. In this paper, some of the present scientific challenges for SiC and GaN power devices technology are reviewed. In particular, the topics selected in this work will be the SiO2/SiC interface passivation processes to improve the channel mobility in 4H SiC MOSFETs, the current trends for gate dielectrics in GaN technology and the viable routes to obtain normally off HEMTs.
author_names: Fabrizio Roccaforte

Patrick Fiorenza

Giuseppe Greco

R Lo Nigro

Filippo Giannazzo

Alfonso Patti

M Saggio
title: Challenges for energy efficient wide band gap semiconductor power devices
year: 2014

abstract: The attributes and benefits of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors are rapidly becoming known, as their use in power electronics applications continues to gain industry acceptance. However, hurdles still exist in achieving widespread market acceptance, on a par with traditional silicon power devices. Primary challenges include reducing device costs and the expansion of a workforce trained in their use. The Department of Energy (DOE) is actively fostering development activities to expand application spaces, achieve acceptable cost reduction targets and grow the acceptance of WBG devices to realize DOEs core missions of more efficient energy generation, greenhouse gas reduction and energy security within the U.S. This paper discusses currently funded activities and application areas that are suitable for WBG introduction. A detailed cost roadmap for SiC device introduction is also presented.
author_names: Anant K Agarwal

Woongje Sung

Laura Marlino

Pawel M Gradzki

John F Muth

Robert Ivester

Nick Justice
title: Wide Band Gap Semiconductor Technology for Energy Efficiency
year: 2016

abstract: The emergence of electrical conversion technologies utilizing silicon carbide and gallium nitride switches and diodes will enable the development of a whole new class of efficient, lightweight, and reliable power electronics based on wide band gap semiconductors for photovoltaic (PV) systems. This article presents the results of a study to model the value proposition of these devices when they are used in dc ac inverters, medium voltage dc dc converters, as well as solid state breakers and transformers. The conclusions illustrate the beneficial impact on energy generation, operation and maintenance, plant architecture simplification, and associated reduction in capital cost and levelized cost of electricity that these new solid state devices will enable for the future PV system developer.
author_names: Daniel W Cunningham

Eric P Carlson

Joseph S Manser

Isik C Kizilyalli
title: Impacts of Wide Band Gap Power Electronics on Photovoltaic System Design
venue: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
year: 2020

abstract: Wide band gap (WBG) power semiconductor devices are gaining an increasing interest in power circuits, as they exhibit a low specific ON resistance (RON) while providing a high blocking voltage. The energy dissipation corresponding to resonantly charging and discharging their output capacitance (Coss) however, severely limits their performance at high switching frequencies. In this work, we demonstrate a simple approach based on a small signal measurement, to model Coss losses in transistors. The device output capacitance is modeled by an effective Coss in series with a frequency dependent resistance R s. The proposed method is completely based on a small signal measurement and it directly leads to a general view of frequencydependent Coss losses in power transistors. We consider four commercial devices based on GaN and SiC, and using the proposed technique, we evaluate Coss losses. We verify the model based prediction with thermal measurements. The precise characterization of Coss losses proposed in this paper is essential for designing efficient high frequency power converters.
author_names: Mohammad Samizadeh Nikoo

Armin Jafari

Nirmana Perera

Elison Matioli
title: Output Capacitance Losses in Wide Band Gap Transistors: A Small Signal Modeling Approach
venue: 2020 32nd International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs (ISPSD)
year: 2020

abstract: This paper reviews major challenges in applying solid state technology to energy efficient industrial high frequency high power generation. Comparisons to vacuum tube technology related to operating frequency, power handling, and thermal design are presented. Challenges and opportunities in applying wide band gap devices to this field are discussed, and recent progress in advancing solid state technology into this area is considered at device and module levels.
author_names: Thore Stig Aunsborg

Sune Bro Duun

Christian Uhrenfeldt

Stig Munk-Nielsen
title: Challenges and opportunities in the utilization of WBG devices for efficient MHz power generation
venue: IECON 2019 45th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society
year: 2019

abstract: Gallium Nitride electronics based on the AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor structure is approaching intrinsic limits. Future mm wave and THz technology requires highly efficient and linear amplifiers that can deliver high power density. This presentation will outline the potential and recent work of next generation wide band gap transistors based on ultra wide band gap semiconductors for high frequency applications. Detailed DC and high frequency 2 dimensional modeling of ultra wide band gap semiconductor devices show that the predicted power density, gain, and efficiency of these devices have the potential to be better than cutting edge GaN based devices at mm wave and THz frequencies. We will discuss the principal challenges for realization of these devices and outline the design and demonstration of advanced high Al composition AlGaN based transistors, where researchers have used novel epitaxial designs to enable efficient injection and extraction of carriers. This has enabled the state of the art current density and breakdown characteristics of AlGaN channel devices to increase significantly in recent years.
author_names: Towhidur Razzak

Hao Xue

Zhanbo Xia

Seongmo Hwang

Asif Khan

Wu Lu

Siddharth Rajan
title: Ultra wide band gap materials for high frequency applications
venue: 2018 IEEE MTT S International Microwave Workshop Series on Advanced Materials and Processes for RF and THz Applications (IMWS AMP)
year: 2018

abstract: Electricity generation currently accounts for 40% of primary energy consumption in the U.S. and over the next 25 years is projected to increase more than 50% worldwide. Electricity continues to be the fastest growing form of end use energy. Power electronics are responsible for controlling and converting electrical power to provide optimal conditions for transmission, distribution, and load side consumption. Estimates suggest that the fraction of electricity processed through power electronics could be as high as 80% in the US by 2030 (including generation and consumption) approximately a twofold increase over the current proportion. The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Project Agency for Energy (ARPA E) was established in 2009 to fund creative, out of the box, transformational energy technologies that are too early for private sector investment, at make or break points in their technology development cycle. ARPA E's investment portfolio aims to generate options to address specific energy challenges that could provide dramatic benefits for the nation. Development of advanced power electronics with unprecedented functionality, efficiency, reliability, and reduced form factor will provide the U.S. a critical technological advantage in an increasingly electrified world economy. Fast switching power semiconductor devices are the key to increasing the efficiency and reducing the size of power electronic systems. Recent advances in wide band gap semiconductor materials, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are enabling a new generation of power semiconductor devices that far exceed the performance of silicon based devices. Past ARPA E programs (ADEPT, Solar ADEPT, SWITCHES) have focused on challenges associated with fabricating WBG high performance switching devices. Program developments led to a new generation of devices that operate at much higher powers, voltages, frequencies, and temperatures than traditional silicon based semiconductor devices. Two most recent programs recently launched by ARPA E in the area of power electronics are CIRCUITS and PNDIODES. The projects that comprise ARPA E's CIRCUITS (Creating Innovative and Reliable Circuits Using Inventive Topologies and Semiconductors) program seek to accelerate the development and deployment of a new class of efficient, lightweight, and reliable power converters, based on wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors. CIRCUITS projects build on the earlier ARPA E programs by designing circuit topologies and building blocks optimally suited for WBG attributes to maximize overall electrical system performance and reliability. In addition, a reduced form factor (size and weight) will drive adoption of higher performance and more efficient power converters relative to today's state of the art systems. Innovations stemming from CIRCUITS projects have the potential to affect high impact applications wherever electrical power is generated or used, including the electric grid, industrial motor controllers, automotive electrification, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, solar and wind power systems, datacenters, aerospace control surfaces, wireless power transfer, and consumer electronics. PNDIODES (Power Nitride Doping Innovation Offers Devices Enabling SWITCHES) funds transformational advances and mechanistic understanding in the process of selective area doping in the III Nitride wide band gap (WBG) semiconductor material system and the demonstration of arbitrarily placed, reliable, contactable, and generally useable p n junction regions that enable high performance and reliable vertical power electronic semiconductor devices. The microscopic mechanistic understanding and transformational technologies will address the major obstacle in the fabrication of vertical GaN power electronic devices.
author_names: Isik C Kizilyalli

Yanzhi Xu

Eric P Carlson

Joseph S Manser

Daniel W Cunningham
title: Keynotes: "Current and future directions in power electronic devices and circuits based on wide band gap semiconductors"
year: 2017

abstract: Ultra wide band gap (UWBG) semiconductors have tremendous potential to advance electronic devices as device performance improves superlinearly with increasing gap. Ambipolar doping, however, has been a major challenge for UWBG materials as dopant ionization energy and charge compensation generally increase with increasing band gap and significantly limit the semiconductor devices that can currently be realized. Using hybrid density functional theory, we demonstrate rutile germanium oxide (r GeO2) to be an alternative UWBG (4.68 eV) material that can be ambipolarly doped. We identify SbGe, AsGe, and FO as possible donors with low ionization energies and propose growth conditions to avoid charge compensation by deep acceptors such as VGe and NO. On the other hand, acceptors such as AlGe have relatively large ionization energies (0.45 eV) due to the formation of localized hole polarons and are likely to be passivated by VO, Gei, and self interstitials. Yet, we find that the co incorporation of AlGe with interstitial H can increase the solubility limit of Al and enable hole conduction in the impurity band. Our results show that r GeO2 is a promising UWBG semiconductor that can overcome current doping challenges and enable the next generation of power electronics devices.
author_names: Sieun Chae

Jihang Lee

Kelsey A Mengle

John T Heron

Emmanouil Kioupakis
title: Rutile GeO2: An ultrawide band gap semiconductor with ambipolar doping
venue: Applied Physics Letters
year: 2019

abstract: The Electric Vehicles market is looking with increasing interest into the possibility of having power electronics systems that adopt wide band gap semiconductors. The training factor is the size and weight reduction of the overall power system that would follow the use of these semiconductor technologies. Among all wide bandgap semiconductors Gallium Nitride (GaN) is one of the most promising as it would also pave the way to more efficient systems. This paper gives an overview of the power modules in EV/HEV where GaN could be adopted and it focuses on current available lateral and vertical solutions for GaN transistors. The main challenges of these technologies from a device point of view are also discussed. Finally, an example of an available bidirectional on board charger with GaN devices from Panasonic is given.
author_names: Giorgia Longobardi

Loizos Efthymiou

Martin Arnold
title: GaN power devices for Electric Vehicles State of the art and future perspective
venue: 2018 IEEE International Conference on Electrical Systems for Aircraft, Railway, Ship Propulsion and Road Vehicles International Transportation Electrification Conference (ESARS ITEC)
year: 2018

abstract: Wide Bandgap (WBG) power semiconductors, especially Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) promise transformative advances in power electronics systems in terms of increased energy efficiency and overall systems miniaturization compared to the conventional silicon based power electronics systems [1 3] State of the art SiC power diode and power MOSFET devices rated up to 1,700 volts are commercially available; single chip devices rated up to 50 amps and power modules rated in excess of 100 amps are being introduced into the commercial markets. At the same time, lateral GaN power transistors below 600 volts and vertical GaN power diodes rated up to 1,700 volts are entering commercial markets in low volumes. However, die and module costs of WBG power switching technology is prohibitively high compared to similarly rated silicon power switching technology. This paper will discuss manufacturing challenges that must be addressed from wafers to power electronics systems in order to accelerate the market penetration of WBG power switching technology.
author_names: Krishna Shenai
title: Manufacturing Challenges in Wide Band Gap (WBG) Power Electronics
year: 2013