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

将高效率和高频开关与控制电子器件集成在一起的方法可以大大减少功率转换中的损耗，并加速紧凑、轻量化的高性能功率模块的开发，这些模块适用于电动汽车、电机驱动、光伏、功率因数校正器和不间断电源。氮化镓（GaN）材料最近在单个器件级别上表现出卓越的高功率开关性能，但是当这些单个器件组装到包含控制电路和磁性的印刷电路板中时，整体功率转换器的性能，尺寸和成本都会受到影响。在电力电子器件的材料、器件和封装的各个层面上结合创新的新颖集成方法是必要的。基于我们实验室最近在Si上成功生长厚（适用于高功率）GaN层的发展，该项目旨在将Si栅极驱动电路与高功率GaN器件一起单片集成，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、电源和能源课程中。这项研究还将与各种教育、指导和推广活动一起进行，这些活动将涉及并招募代表性不足的少数民族学生。如果成功，本项目提出的集成设备将大大增加节能和降低成本。该项目将开发用于在Si上生长厚无裂纹GaN材料的外延技术，垂直GaN开关的制造，以及它们与Si驱动电子器件的协集成，以展示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，并且该方法将利用一些高温工艺，以便在GaN器件（功率二极管和开关）附近的Si驱动电路进行协整。将采用所开发的单片大功率集成电路进行功率变换器的装配，并对其在高频、高输出功率和高效率下的性能进行评估。所开发的工艺将有可能显著推进电力器件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.