Special Technology Area Review on RF Applications for Wide Bandgap Technology
Abstract
The objective of this AGED Working Group A Special Technology Area Review (STAR) was to examine the status of wide bandgap technology development and identify opportunities for applying this technology to DoD systems that operate at RF, microwave or millimeter-wave frequencies. The information exchanged at the STAR is expected to be of use to the Services and DoD agencies during their formulation of an investment strategy for realizing the potential benefits to the DoD of wide-bandgap materials, devices and associated technologies. Wide bandgap materials are semiconductors which have an intrinsic energy gap of 2 eV or greater. There are a number of these materials but the two most common are Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN). As a result, the STAR focused almost exclusively upon them. These materials have the highly desirable characteristics of being able to operate at very high power densities, high voltage, and at high temperatures. Furthermore, they exhibit very high electronic carrier velocities and have a high level of thermal conductance. These semiconductors also have the ability to emit and detect radiation in the blue and UV portion of the optical spectrum which makes them of great interest to laser and LED manufacturers. During the past few years, a number of promising microwave performance results have been achieved for SiC and GaN devices. Representative state-of-the-art results include the achievement of 80 watts of CW power at S-band from a SiC MESFET, and 40 watts of pulsed power at X-band from a GaN hybrid transistor. Most recently, high power GaN MMICs have also been demonstrated. Desirable material properties coupled with encouraging microwave performance results have stimulated strong interest in assessing the promise of this technology area for advancing DoD system capabilities and improving system reliability. The STAR was convened at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC, on April 26 and 27, 2000.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 12, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA442914
Entities
Organizations
- Office of the Secretary of Defense