Communications of the ACM
Semiconductor Eyed For Next-Generation 'power Electronics'
Researchers have demonstrated the high-performance potential of an experimental transistor made of a semiconductor called beta gallium oxide.
Peide Ye/Purdue University
Purdue University researchers have demonstrated the high-performance potential of an experimental transistor made of beta gallium oxide, which could lead to new ultra-efficient switches for many applications.
The researchers say the semiconductor could be applied to next-generation "power electronics" to help reduce global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by replacing less efficient and cumbersome power electronics switches in use. They note the transistor features an "ultra-wide bandgap," a trait needed for switches in high-voltage applications.
Purdue professor Peide Ye says devices made from beta gallium oxide have a higher "breakdown voltage," meaning the voltage at which the device fails.
The researchers also developed a new low-cost method using adhesive tape to peel off layers of the semiconductor from a single crystal, which is a much less expensive alternative to epitaxy. The new technique was found to produce extremely smooth films, having a surface roughness of 0.3 nanometers, which is another factor that bodes well for its use in electronic devices, according to Ye.
The researchers produced electrical currents 10 to 100 times greater than other research groups working with the semiconductor. Although the material possesses poor thermal properties, future research could include work to attach the material to a substrate of diamond or aluminum nitride.
From Purdue University News
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