Prof. Christou discusses GaN device reliability solutions at ASU

Professor Aris Christou recently participated in the 2019 Lawrence Workshop on Solid-state Technology at the Arizona State University. During the workshop, Prof. Christou presented Control of Surfaces and Interfaces for Enhanced Performance and Reliability of Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Devices and Systems.

During his presentation, Prof. Christou discussed an approach to achieving wide bandgap semiconductor (GaN) based high voltage “vertical” switches. The research he presented will be used to establish a fabrication approach based on material/heterostructure optimization and defect-surface-interface characterization. Power Electronics and more specifically, power electronics devices will change the way we utilize and control energy. The GaN and the related ternaries, AlGaN and InGaN are the materials of choice due to their superior properties.

While the performance of the current generation of GaN devices is limited by material and reliability issues, the promise still remains an elusive goal. The results Prof. Christou reported from his work may resolve the issues of performance and reliability for future GaN and related compound power devices and will enable the development a new class of devices based on V-HEMTS and Trench HFETs to exceed the state of the art of 2.5 kV for silicon and SiC devices for blocking voltages up to as high as 20 kV.

Published February 14, 2019