Lead academic: Dr Peter Gammon, University of Warwick
Universities: Cambridge, Nottingham, Newcastle and Warwick
Research Highlights: The Switch Optimisation Theme is seeking to develop 10 kV silicon carbide insulated-gate bipolar transistors for grid-level applications.
- Designed, simulated and fabricated a SiC IGBT and Power MOSFET devices at the crossover voltage rating of 10 kV.
- Developed a novel Retrograde P-well design that will enhance the reliability of both the MOSFET and IGBT.
- Developed several novel termination strategies to work in an ultra-high voltage power devices, leading to numerous publications and a patent.
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
Silicon carbide (SiC) insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) have the potential to enable new and highly efficient ultrahigh voltage applications in a low carbon society. Power grid infrastructure, including HVDC, traction, renewable energy and industrial machines, can all be boosted by a new generation of SiC bipolar devices. However, there are considerable challenges associated with their fabrication. This project aims to be among the first groups in the world to develop these devices, and to push the boundaries of what has been achieved so far. Multidisciplinary in its nature, the Switch Optimisation theme members have expertise crossing materials development, simulation, device fabrication and testing.
PUBLICATIONS
A. K. Tiwari, M. Antoniou, N. Lophitis, S. Perkin, T. Trajkovic, and F. Udrea, “Retrograde p-well for 10-kv class sic igbts,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Article vol. 66, no. 7, pp. 3066-3072, 2019.
J. Urresti, F. Arith, S. Olsen, N. Wright, and A. O’Neill, “Design and analysis of high mobility enhancement-mode 4H-SiC MOSFETs using a thin-SiO₂/Al₂O₃ gate-stack,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Article vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 1710-1716, 2019.
T. Dai, P. M. Gammon, V. A. Shah, X. Deng, M. R. Jennings, and P. A. Mawby, “Design Optimization of 1.2 kV 4H-SiC Trench MOSFET,” in Materials Science Forum, 2019, vol. 963, pp. 605-608.
A. B. Renz et al., “Surface Effects of Passivation within Mo/4H-SiC Schottky Diodes through MOS Analysis” in Materials Science Forum, 2019, vol. 963, pp. 511-515.
A. K. Tiwari, M. Antoniou, N. Lophitis, S. Perkins, T. Trajkovic, and F. Udrea. Performance improvement of >10kv SIC IGBTS with retrograde p-well, Materials Science Forum, vol. 963, pp. 639-642, 2019.
S. Perkins et al., “Optimal edge termination for high oxide reliability aiming 10kV SiC n-IGBTs,” in Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE 12th International Symposium on Diagnostics for Electrical Machines, Power Electronics and Drives, SDEMPED 2019, 2019, pp. 358-363.
A. K. Tiwari, S. Perkin, N. Lophitis, M. Antoniou, T. Trajkovic, and F. Udrea, “On the robustness of ultra-high voltage 4H-SiC IGBTs with an optimized retrograde p-well,” in Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE 12th International Symposium on Diagnostics for Electrical Machines, Power Electronics and Drives, SDEMPED 2019, 2019, pp. 351-357.
A. K. Tiwari, F. Udrea, N. Lophitis, and M. Antoniou, “Operation of ultra-high voltage (>10kV) SiC IGBTs at elevated temperatures: Benefits & constraints,” in Proceedings of the International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, 2019, vol. 2019-May, pp. 175-178.