Theoretical Foundations of Advanced III-Nitrides Power Switching Devices

这项研究涉及对各种类型的III-氮化物功率开关的基本认识和优化，例如对环境有直接影响的超结结构。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的应用。PI计划将他的研究整合到电力电子课程中，该课程将解决具有新功能的新型电力设备。这项研究将为培养前沿研究课题的研究生提供一个非常强大的教育平台，并积极参与产业界的合作。面向高中生和本科生的外展活动包括波士顿大学高中荣誉研究实习和UROP计划。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。用这种材料制造的、在高压和大电流下运行的垂直器件的特性将被讨论，同时允许与传统使用的器件相比更高的运行频率，从而显著减小系统尺寸。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方面，并开发变革性的垂直器件结构，如GaN-MOS和垂直增强模式HFET，来解决在100千赫兹或更快的情况下需要超过5KV和数百安培的开关电压所面临的挑战。从研究中获得的结果将使用通过与该领域专门实验室合作而获得的实验数据进行验证。这项研究构思良好，将加深对III-氮化物MOS器件的物理、缺陷和位错的影响以及沟道输运的基本理解。

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.