Thermal Mechanical Investigation of Ultra Wide Bandgap Materials and Devices
Abstract
The research aims to understand thermal/mechanical characteristics of ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor materials and to investigate the impact of extreme operating conditions on relevant power electronic devices. Experimental and computational methods will be developed to understand thermal behavior, operability limits, and reliability of aluminum gallium nitride and gallium oxide device technologies. Ultra-wide bandgap materials offer potential to realize military power conversion systems with dramatically improved size, weight, and power (SWaP) beyond the current state-of-the-art systems which use wide bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC). However, poor thermal conductivities, reduced form factor, and higher power handling capabilities translate into extremely high power densities for individual ultra-wide bandgap devices. Ultra-wide bandgap devices are expected to suffer from excessive self-heating that negatively impacts device performance, lifetime, and reliability. The capabilities developed from the research are essential to the realization of ultra-wide bandgap devices that boast performance and reliability consistent with their figure of merit without being compromised by thermal/mechanical issues. A unique suite of advanced, non-invasive, in situ optical characterization techniques (micro-Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, thermoreflectance thermal imaging, and infrared thermal microscopy) will be used to understand thermo-physical properties of ultra-wide bandgap materials and to generate accurate temperature/stress maps of relevant devices. Multi-physics simulation that fully couples device physics with thermal/mechanical principles will be performed to validate experimental results and to understand local electrothermo-mechanical phenomena that trigger device degradation and failure. This research program will lay the groundwork for electro-thermal co-design of the ultra-wide bandgap technology.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 02, 2017
- Source ID
- FA95501710141
Entities
People
- Sukwon Choi
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Pennsylvania State University
- United States Air Force