Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors







Heifer International

Wikipedia Affiliate Button


Home > Press > New Technique Boosts High-Power Potential For Gallium Nitride Electronics

By implanting a buffer made of argon, researchers have created GaN devices that can handle 10 times as much power.
By implanting a buffer made of argon, researchers have created GaN devices that can handle 10 times as much power.

Abstract:
Researchers at North Carolina State University have solved the problem, introducing a buffer that allows the GaN devices to handle 10 times greater power.

New Technique Boosts High-Power Potential For Gallium Nitride Electronics

Raleigh, NC | Posted on February 4th, 2011

Gallium nitride (GaN) material holds promise for emerging high-power devices that are more energy efficient than existing technologies - but these GaN devices traditionally break down when exposed to high voltages. Now researchers at North Carolina State University have solved the problem, introducing a buffer that allows the GaN devices to handle 10 times greater power.

"For future renewable technologies, such as the smart grid or electric cars, we need high-power semiconductor devices," says Merve Ozbek, a Ph.D. student at NC State and author of a paper describing the research. "And power-handling capacity is important for the development of those devices."

Previous research into developing high power GaN devices ran into obstacles, because large electric fields were created at specific points on the devices' edge when high voltages were applied - effectively destroying the devices. NC State researchers have addressed the problem by implanting a buffer made of the element argon at the edges of GaN devices. The buffer spreads out the electric field, allowing the device to handle much higher voltages.

The researchers tested the new technique on Schottky diodes - common electronic components - and found that the argon implant allowed the GaN diodes to handle almost seven times higher voltages. The diodes that did not have the argon implant broke down when exposed to approximately 250 volts. The diodes with the argon implant could handle up to 1,650 volts before breaking down.

"By improving the breakdown voltage from 250 volts to 1,650 volts, we can reduce the electrical resistance of these devices a hundredfold," says Dr. Jay Baliga, Distinguished University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NC State and co-author of the paper. "That reduction in resistance means that these devices can handle ten times as much power."

The paper, "Planar, Nearly Ideal Edge Termination Technique for GaN Devices," is forthcoming from IEEE's Electron Device Letters. The research was supported by NC State's Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management Systems Center, with funding from the National Science Foundation.

NC State's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is part of the university's College of Engineering.

Abstract

"Planar, Nearly Ideal Edge Termination Technique for GaN Devices"

Authors: A. Merve Ozbek, B. Jayant Baliga, North Carolina State University

Published: Forthcoming, Electron Device Letters

Abstract: In this paper, a simple edge termination is described which can be used to achieve nearly ideal parallel plane breakdown voltage for GaN devices. This technique involves implanting a neutral species on the edges of devices to form a high resistive amorphous layer. With this termination, formed by using argon implantation, the breakdown voltage of GaN Schottky barrier diodes were increased from 300V for unterminated diodes to 1650V after termination.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Matt Shipman
News Services
919.515.6386

Dr. Jay Baliga
919.515.6169

Copyright © North Carolina State University

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Sound waves precisely position nanowires June 19th, 2013

Scientists Use Nanotechnology to Increase Thermal Stability of Essential Oils June 19th, 2013

Production of Bioactive Material for Quick Treatment of Bone Damages June 19th, 2013

Nanometrics Announces Participation in 5th Annual CEO Investor Summit: Accredited Investor and Publishing Research Analyst Event to be Held Concurrently With SEMICON West and Intersolar 2013 in San Francisco June 19th, 2013

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

Sound waves precisely position nanowires June 19th, 2013

3-D printing could lead to tiny medical implants, electronics, robots, more June 18th, 2013

Working backward: Computer-aided design of zeolite templates: Rice scientists apply drug-design lessons to production of industrial minerals June 17th, 2013

An Innovative material for the Green Earth: Simple and inexpensive process to make a material for CO2 adsorption June 17th, 2013

Possible Futures

Space Solar Power: Key to a Livable Planet Earth June 10th, 2013

Global Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market 2012-2016 June 10th, 2013

Nanorobot tetanus treatment animation June 9th, 2013

New horizons to drive the future of Medicine: European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine intends to lead the domain June 8th, 2013

Academic/Education

CNSE Welcomes Record Number of Students, Majority of Whom are New Yorkers, for Prestigious Summer Internship Program June 12th, 2013

FEI and University of Oklahoma Begin Collaboration Research Agreement for Understanding and Developing Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoirs: Collaboration effort will focus on new methods to classify shales in the economic assessment of “tight” resource plays June 7th, 2013

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz obtains new Collaborative Research Center on "Nanodimensional polymer therapeutics for tumor therapy" June 2nd, 2013

Lorraine University uses Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis to characterize biomolecules for agrichemicals, pharmacology and cosmetics May 28th, 2013

Chip Technology

Sound waves precisely position nanowires June 19th, 2013

Nanometrics Announces Participation in 5th Annual CEO Investor Summit: Accredited Investor and Publishing Research Analyst Event to be Held Concurrently With SEMICON West and Intersolar 2013 in San Francisco June 19th, 2013

Which qubit my dear? New method to distinguish between neighbouring quantum bits June 18th, 2013

SEMATECH to Address Critical Supply Chain Challenges and Present Latest Technology Advances at SEMICON West 2013 June 17th, 2013

Nanoelectronics

Sound waves precisely position nanowires June 19th, 2013

Imec presents 4K2K CMOS image sensor together with Panasonic: The co-developed imager sensor chip targets high speed, high resolution imaging applications such as next generation HDTV June 18th, 2013

Imec shows multiple enhancement options for next-generation FinFETs: Leading nano-electronics R&D center addresses key challenges of Germanium finFET technology at VLSI 2013 June 14th, 2013

Controlling magnetic clouds in graphene June 14th, 2013

Announcements

Sound waves precisely position nanowires June 19th, 2013

Scientists Use Nanotechnology to Increase Thermal Stability of Essential Oils June 19th, 2013

Production of Bioactive Material for Quick Treatment of Bone Damages June 19th, 2013

Nanometrics Announces Participation in 5th Annual CEO Investor Summit: Accredited Investor and Publishing Research Analyst Event to be Held Concurrently With SEMICON West and Intersolar 2013 in San Francisco June 19th, 2013

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE







  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoTech-Transfer
University Technology Transfer & Patents
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More












ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project








abbigliamento uomo
Computer Accessories
© Copyright 1999-2013 7th Wave, Inc. All Rights Reserved PRIVACY POLICY :: CONTACT US :: STATS :: SITE MAP :: ADVERTISE