Monolithically Integrated High-Power GaN Devices and Si CMOS Circuits for High Frequency and High Power Converter

将高效高频开关与控制电子技术相结合的方法可以大大降低功率转换的损耗，并加快电动汽车、电机驱动、光伏、功率因数校正器和不间断电源的紧凑、轻量化和高性能电源模块的开发。氮化镓(GaN)材料最近在单个器件级别上显示出作为高功率开关的卓越性能，但当这些单个器件组装到包含控制电路和磁性元件的印刷电路板时，整体功率转换器的性能、尺寸和成本都会受到影响。新的集成方法将电力电子器件的材料、器件和封装的所有层面的创新结合在一起是必要的。基于我们实验室在硅上成功生长厚(适用于高功率)GaN层的最新进展，该项目旨在将硅栅驱动电路与高功率GaN器件进行单片集成，并在紧凑的高功率系统中展示协同功能。该系统的物理和材料科学以及研究成果将被整合到加州大学圣地亚哥分校的化合物半导体器件、电力和能源课程中。这项研究还将与各种教育、指导和外展活动一起进行，这些活动将涉及并招募代表人数不足的少数族裔学生。如果成功，本项目中提出的集成器件将大大提高节能效果，降低成本。本项目将开发在硅上生长厚的无裂纹GaN材料的外延技术，垂直GaN开关的制造，以及它们与硅驱动电子设备的共集成，以展示一种单片高性能功率转换器。外延技术将产生高质量、低位错密度和低背景掺杂的厚GaN层，以维持高击穿电压，并且该方法将利用几个高温工艺来共集成GaN器件(功率二极管和开关)附近的硅驱动电路。通过实现所开发的单片大功率集成电路来组装功率转换器，并评估其在高频、高输出功率和高效率下的性能。所开发的工艺将有可能极大地推动电力设备的基础电子材料研究及其有效的系统级集成。

Approaches to integrate high efficiency and high frequency switches with control electronics can substantially reduce losses in power conversion and accelerate the development of compact, light-weight high performance power modules for electric vehicles, motor drive, photovoltaics, power factor correctors, and uninterruptible power supplies. The Gallium Nitride (GaN) material has recently demonstrated exceptional performance as a high-power switch on the individual device level but the overall power converter performance, size, and cost are compromised when these individual devices are assembled to printed circuit boards that contain the control circuitry and magnetics. Novel integration approaches that combine innovations at all levels of material, device, and packaging of power electronic devices are necessary. Building on a recent development in our laboratory for the successful growth of thick (that is suitable for high-power) GaN layers on Si, this project aims to monolithically integrate the Si gate driver circuits alongside the high power GaN devices and demonstrate co-functionality in a compact high power system. The physics and materials science of this system along with the research results will be integrated into the curriculum of compound semiconductor devices, power and energy classes at UC San Diego. The research will also be conducted with a variety of educational, mentoring, and outreach activities that will involve and recruit underrepresented and minority students. If successful, the integrated devices proposed in this project will substantially increase energy savings and reduce its costs.This project will develop the epitaxy techniques for the growth of thick crack-free GaN material on Si, the fabrication of vertical GaN switches, and their co-integration with Si drive electronics to demonstrate a monolithic high performance power converter. The epitaxy technique will result in thick GaN layers that are of high quality with low dislocation densities and low background doping in order to sustain high breakdown voltages, and the approach will utilize a few high temperature processes in order to co-integrate Si drive circuits near the GaN devices (power diodes and switches). Power converters will be assembled by implementing the developed monolithic high-power integrated circuit and its performance at high frequency with high output power and efficiency will be evaluated. The developed processes will have the potential to significantly advance the fundamental electronic materials research in power devices and their efficient system level integration.