National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC

Unm Rainforest Innovations

Robert Kaplar

Andrew A Allerman

Jack David Flicker

Albert G Baca

Andrew Armstrong

Carlos Anthony Sanchez

Jason C Neely

Erica Ann Douglas

Gregory W Pickrell

Jonathan J Wierer, Jr

Matthew Marinella

Jeffrey Steinfeldt

Robert W Brocato

Joshua Stewart

Jacob Mueller

Olga Lavrova

Harold P Hjalmarson

Lee Joshua Rashkin

Jarod James Delhotal

Jane Lehr

Luciano Andres Garcia Rodriguez

Lee Gill

Mary H Crawford

Andrew Binder

Luke Yates

Jeramy Ray Dickerson

Emily Ann Schrock

Sandeepan DasGupta

James Richards

Brendan P Gunning

Michael L Smith

Vincent M Abate

Jeramy R Dickerson

A vertical gallium nitride (GaN) PN diode uses epitaxial growth of a thick drift region with a very low carrier concentration and a carefully designed multi-zone junction termination extension to achieve high voltage blocking and high-power efficiency. An exemplary large area (1 mm) diode had a forward pulsed current of 3.5 A, an 8.3 mΩ-cmspecific on-resistance, and a 5.3 kV reverse breakdown. A smaller area diode (0.063 mm) was capable of 6.4 kV breakdown with a specific on-resistance of 10.2 mΩ-cm, when accounting for current spreading through the drift region at a 45° angle.

High voltage gallium nitride vertical PN diode

A disclosed switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker, includes a transistor switch circuit connected between a power input terminal and a load terminal, and, connected to the power input terminal and bypassing the transistor switch circuit, a switchable bypass leg that is optically switched by a series-connected photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS). The transistor switch circuit includes at least one cascade of three or more series-connected transistors, and at least one resistor network configured to divide a voltage from a voltage source across a cascade of series-connected transistors. Operating the switch apparatus includes detecting whether a sensed electric current is in a fault condition, opening the transistor switch circuit upon detecting a fault condition, and then closing the PCSS so that the electric current is diverted onto a switchable bypass path. The opening of the transistor switch circuit comprises turning OFF a normally-ON transistor switch circuit.

Optically switched circuit breaker with cascaded transistor topology

A GaN diode EMP arrestor exhibits breakdown in &#x3c;10 ns at reverse-bias voltage &#x3e;20 kV. Additionally, the arrestor exhibits avalanche ruggedness at 1 kA/cmin a 1 mmdevice (i.e. 10 A absolute current) over a period of 500 ns following the onset of breakdown. Finally, the specific on-resistance in the forward direction is &#x3c;20 m&#x3a9; cm.

Gallium nitride electromagnetic pulse arrestor

A hybrid switched capacitor power converter for high-power applications is provided. The converter has a transistor-switched input-stage boost converter followed by a capacitor-and-diode ladder circuit. The converter is adapted to produce an output voltage of at least 5 kV at a power level of at least 0.5 kW. The ladder circuit includes one or more multi-stage rails.

Passive high-power-density grid interface device

Methods are provided for fabricating a HEMT (high-electron-mobility transistor) that involve sequential epitaxial growth of III-nitride channel and barrier layers, followed by epitaxial regrowth of further III-nitride material through a window in a mask layer. The regrowth takes place on the barrier layer, only in the access region or regions. Devices made according to the disclosed methods are also provided.

Regrowth method for fabricating wide-bandgap transistors, and devices made thereby

Methods are provided for fabricating a HEMT (high-electron-mobility transistor) that involve sequential epitaxial growth of III-nitride channel and barrier layers, followed by epitaxial regrowth of further III-nitride material through a window in a mask layer. In examples, the regrowth takes place over exposed portions of the channel layer in the source and drain regions of the device, and the regrown material has a composition different from the barrier layer. In other examples, the regrowth takes place on the barrier layer, only in the access region or regions. Devices made according to the disclosed methods are also provided.

A diode includes a second semiconductor layer over a first semiconductor layer. The diode further includes a third semiconductor layer over the second semiconductor layer, where the third semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor element over the second semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer additionally includes a second semiconductor element over the second semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor element surrounds the first semiconductor element. Further, the third semiconductor layer includes a third semiconductor element over the second semiconductor element. Furthermore, a hole concentration of the second semiconductor element is less than a hole concentration of the first semiconductor element.

Diode and method of making the same

The present disclosure relates to resistive field structures that provide improved electric field profiles when used with a semiconductor device. In particular, the resistive field structures provide a uniform electric field profile, thereby enhancing breakdown voltage and improving reliability. In example, the structure is a field cage that is configured to be resistive, in which the potential changes significantly over the distance of the cage. In another example, the structure is a resistive field plate. Using these resistive field structures, the characteristics of the electric field profile can be independently modulated from the physical parameters of the semiconductor device. Additional methods and architectures are described herein.

Resistive field structures for semiconductor devices and uses therof

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Robert Kaplar