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的方法可以大大降低功率转换中的损耗，并加速用于电动汽车、电机驱动器、光电转换器、功率因数校正器和不间断电源的紧凑、重量轻的高性能功率模块的开发。氮化镓（GaN）材料最近在单个器件层面上表现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上时，整体功率转换器性能、尺寸和成本都会受到影响。新的集成方法，结合联合收割机的创新，在所有层次的材料，设备和封装的电力电子器件是必要的。基于我们实验室最近成功在Si上生长厚（适用于高功率）GaN层的发展，该项目旨在将Si栅极驱动器电路与高功率GaN器件单片集成，并在紧凑的高功率系统中展示共同功能。该系统的物理和材料科学沿着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、功率和能源课程中。这项研究还将与各种教育，辅导和推广活动，将涉及和招募代表性不足和少数民族学生进行。如果成功的话，本项目中提出的集成器件将大大提高节能和降低成本。本项目将开发用于在Si上生长无裂纹厚GaN材料的外延技术，制造垂直GaN开关，并将其与Si驱动电子集成，以展示单片高性能功率转换器。外延技术将产生具有低位错密度和低背景掺杂的高质量的厚GaN层，以便维持高击穿电压，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）附近共同集成Si驱动电路。功率转换器将组装通过实施开发的单片大功率集成电路，其性能在高频高输出功率和效率将进行评估。开发的工艺将有可能显着推进功率器件及其有效系统级集成的基础电子材料研究。

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.