Theoretical Foundations of Advanced III-Nitrides Power Switching Devices

该研究解决了对各种类型的iii -氮化物功率开关的基本理解和优化，例如具有直接环境影响的超级结结构。这项工作在智能电网、交通系统以及小型和大型车辆的电力驱动中具有重要应用。PI计划将他的研究整合到电力电子课程中，以解决具有新功能的新型电力设备。该研究将提供一个非常强大的教育平台，以培养研究生在一个前沿的研究课题，积极合作的产业参与。面向高中和本科生的拓展活动包括波士顿大学高中荣誉研究实习和UROP项目。PI建议通过解决与材料特性和器件结构相关的基本理论方面，进行系统的方法来设计和优化基于iii -氮化物的功率开关器件。用这种材料制成的垂直器件在高压和大电流下工作的特性将得到解决，同时与传统使用的器件相比，允许更高的工作频率，从而显着减小系统尺寸。PI建议通过解决与iii -氮化物材料特性和器件结构相关的基本理论问题，以及开发GaN-MOS和垂直增强模式hfet等变换器垂直器件结构，来解决超过5KV和100千赫兹或更快的开关电压需求所面临的挑战。从研究中获得的结果将通过与专门从事该领域的实验室合作获得的实验数据进行验证。该研究构思良好，将加深对iii -氮化物MOS器件的物理特性、缺陷和位错的影响以及通道输运的基本理解。

The research addresses the basic understanding and optimization of various types of III-Nitride power switches such as SuperJunction structures with immediate environmental impact. This work has important applications in smart power grids, transportation systems, and electric drives for small and large vehicles. The PI plans to integrate his research in a power electronics curriculum that will address novel power devices with new functionalities. The research will provide a very strong educational platform to train graduate students in a frontier research topic, with active collaborative industrial participation. The outreach activities to high-school and undergraduate students include the Boston University High School Honors Research Internship and UROP programs.The PI proposes to conduct a systematic approach for designing and optimizing III-Nitride based power switching devices by addressing fundamental theoretical aspects related to material properties and device structures. The characteristics of vertical devices made with such materials and operating at high-voltage and high-current will be addressed, allowing at the same time higher frequency of operation compared with traditionally used devices and thus significant system size reduction. The PI proposes to address the challenges faced by the need for switching voltages in excess of 5KV and hundreds of amperes at one hundred kilohertz or faster by addressing the fundamental theoretical aspects related to the III-Nitride material properties and device structures and developing transformative vertical device structures such as GaN-MOS and vertical enhancement mode HFETs. The results obtained from the studies will be validated using experimental data obtained through collaboration with laboratories specializing in this area. The research is well conceived and would deepen fundamental understanding of the physics of III-Nitride MOS devices and impact of defects and dislocations, as well as channel transport.