Novel High Thermal Conductivity Substrates for GaN Electronics: Thermal Innovation

用于 GaN 电子器件的新型高导热基板：热创新

• 批准号: EP/K024345/1
• 负责人: Martin Kuball
• 金额: $ 50.1万
• 依托单位: University of Bristol
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2013 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FK024345%2F1
• 关键词: Novel; Thermal; Conductivity; Substrates; GaN

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) are a key enabling technology for future power conditioning applications in the low carbon economy, and for high efficiency military and civilian, microwave and RF systems. Although the performance of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs presently reaches RF powers up to 40W/mm, at frequencies exceeding 300 GHz, their long-term reliability, often thermally limited, is still a serious issue, in the UK & Europe, but also in the USA & Japan. Corresponding challenges exist for power conditioning applications. To mitigate the present thermal device challenges, the aim of this proposal is innovation and step change in thermal management of AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices by developing novel substrates, in particular (1) high value substrates that have higher heat extraction capability than high cost SiC substrates commonly used for GaN RF applications, and (2) low cost substrates that have improved heat extraction capability to GaN-on-Si substrates for more cost sensitive power electronics markets. The resulting step-change in improvement in heat spreading will improve reliability, circuit efficiency and ease system constraints of GaN electronics. To enable the optimization of the thermal substrate properties key enabling new thermal analysis technologies will be developed. The UK has roadmaps for employing RF and microwave GaN electronics in defence as well as satellite communication. The key UK industrial players in this field include Selex, MBDA, Astrium & others, all requiring reliable and efficient GaN RF and microwave electronics, which the proposed work will advance and enable via the new heat extracting substrate technologies and improved methods of thermal characterisation, furthermore with opportunities for IQE UK, supporter of this proposal, of being a key component in the supply chain for RF GaN applications. The corresponding roadmap for power electronics requires cost-effective GaN presently on Si substrates power devices with UK based manufacture at NXP, supporter of this project, and International Rectifier (IR) which the outcome of this proposed work can innovate. Further business opportunities will emerge with the substrate development itself, such as via Element-6, at IQE through the developments of III-Nitride epitaxial growth for best heat extraction, or spin-out companies. Dissemination of results and insights from this project will be via publications in internationally leading journals, via conferences, via the UK Nitrides Consortium, i.e., established dissemination routes will be used to transfer knowledge into academia, and directly with the industrial supporters of this project, as well as other companies Bristol and Bath have links to (e.g. Selex, MBDA). The CDTR in Bristol and the III-Nitride group in Bath have both a strong track record in being successful using these dissemination routes, in particular with companies. The field of thermal management of semiconductor devices is an important academic research field, and is especially topical and useful at the current stage of implementation of this genuinely disruptive technology. It not only trains UK workforce for industry, but also it is essential to help maintain the present high level of device physics and engineering in the UK. It provides stimulus for an efficient interaction between universities and industry to maximize benefit of EPSRC research investment. This includes in this project interaction with UK industry, in particular, IQE, NXP, and Plessey in this project.

AlGaN/GaN高电子迁移率晶体管（HEMT）是未来低碳经济、高效军用和民用、微波和射频系统中功率调节应用的关键使能技术。虽然AlGaN/GaN hemt的性能目前达到射频功率高达40W/mm，频率超过300 GHz，但在英国和欧洲，以及在美国和日本，它们的长期可靠性（通常是热限制）仍然是一个严重的问题。电力调节应用也存在相应的挑战。为了缓解当前的热器件挑战，本提案的目的是通过开发新型衬底来创新和逐步改变AlGaN/GaN HEMT器件的热管理，特别是(1)具有比GaN射频应用中常用的高成本SiC衬底更高的热提取能力的高价值衬底，以及(2)具有比GaN-on- si衬底更高的热提取能力的低成本衬底，用于更成本敏感的电力电子市场。由此产生的热扩散改善的阶跃变化将提高GaN电子的可靠性，电路效率和缓解系统限制。为了优化热衬底性能，将开发新的热分析技术。英国已经制定了在国防和卫星通信中使用射频和微波GaN电子器件的路线图。该领域的主要英国工业参与者包括Selex， MBDA， Astrium等，所有这些都需要可靠和高效的GaN射频和微波电子设备，该提议的工作将通过新的热提取衬底技术和改进的热表征方法来推进和实现，此外，该提案的支持者IQE UK有机会成为RF GaN应用供应链中的关键组成部分。电力电子的相应路线图需要具有成本效益的GaN，目前在Si衬底上的功率器件，由英国恩智浦制造，该项目的支持者和国际整流器（IR），该提议的工作结果可以创新。进一步的商业机会将随着衬底开发本身而出现，例如通过Element-6，在IQE通过开发iii -氮化物外延生长以获得最佳热萃取，或衍生公司。该项目的成果和见解将通过国际领先期刊、会议和英国氮化物协会的出版物进行传播，即，已建立的传播途径将用于将知识转移到学术界，并直接与该项目的工业支持者以及布里斯托尔和巴斯有联系的其他公司（例如Selex， MBDA）进行传播。布里斯托尔的CDTR和巴斯的iii -氮化物小组在成功使用这些传播途径方面都有良好的记录，特别是在公司中。半导体器件的热管理领域是一个重要的学术研究领域，在实现这一真正颠覆性技术的当前阶段尤其具有专题意义和实用性。它不仅为工业培训英国劳动力，而且对于帮助维持英国目前高水平的设备物理和工程至关重要。它为高校与产业界之间的有效互动提供了激励，以实现EPSRC研究投资效益的最大化。这包括在这个项目中与英国工业界的互动，特别是在这个项目中，IQE， NXP和Plessey。

项目成果

Temperature-Dependent Thermal Resistance of GaN-on-Diamond HEMT Wafers

• DOI: 10.1109/led.2016.2537835
• 发表时间: 2016-04
• 期刊: IEEE Electron Device Letters
• 影响因子: 4.9
• 作者: Huarui Sun;J. Pomeroy;Roland B. Simon;D. Francis;F. Faili;D. Twitchen;Martin Kuball

AlGaN/GaN field effect transistors for power electronics-Effect of finite GaN layer thickness on thermal characteristics

电力电子用 AlGaN/GaN 场效应晶体管 - 有限 GaN 层厚度对热特性的影响

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4831688
• 发表时间: 2013
• 期刊: Applied Physics Letters
• 影响因子: 4
• 作者: Hodges C

Contactless Thermal Boundary Resistance Measurement of GaN-on-Diamond Wafers

• DOI: 10.1109/led.2014.2350075
• 发表时间: 2014-09
• 期刊: IEEE Electron Device Letters
• 影响因子: 4.9
• 作者: J. Pomeroy;Roland B. Simon;Huarui Sun;D. Francis;F. Faili;D. Twitchen;Martin Kuball

Damage tolerance of nuclear graphite at elevated temperatures.

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15942
• 发表时间: 2017-06-30
• 期刊: Nature communications
• 影响因子: 16.6
• 作者: Liu D;Gludovatz B;Barnard HS;Kuball M;Ritchie RO
• 通讯作者: Ritchie RO

Implications of gate-edge electric field in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors during OFF-state degradation

AlGaN/GaN 高电子迁移率晶体管关态退化期间栅极边缘电场的影响

• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2014.09.020
• 发表时间: 2014
• 期刊: Microelectronics Reliability
• 影响因子: 1.6
• 作者: Sun H