Time：10:00 a.m. July 30, 2013.
Location：A718, SINANO
Abstract: Wide-bandgap GaN-based power transistors and rectifiers are capable of delivering superior performance (e.g. lower loss, higher switching frequency, higher operating temperature, etc.) for electric power converters, owing to the materials’ wide bandgap, high breakdown filed, and high electron saturation velocity. The lateral AlGaN/GaN heterostructure is currently the main structure for product development. In order to succeed in the commercialization of GaN power devices, several key technical challenges need to be successfully solved.
In this talk, two recently developed technology, namely, AlN-passivation and substrate engineering based on GaN-on-SOI platform will be presented. Using plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition, single-crystal-like AlN thin film can be grown on AlGaN/GaN heterostructures at 300 oC. The additional positive polarization charge in the AlN passivation layer can effectively compensate any electrons trapped at the surface or interface to prevent the underlying 2DEG channel from being pinched-off, and thus, eliminate the current collapse. The GaN-on-SOI platform was developed using a modified SOI substrate with (111) Si device layer and (100) handling wafer. Such a platform provides the flexibility for accommodating GaN and Si devices on the same wafer for the ultimate heterogeneous integration of GaN power devices and Si gate drive ICs.
Biography: Prof. Kevin J. Chen received his B.S. degree from Peking University, Beijing, China in 1988, and PhD degree from University of Maryland, College Park, USA in 1993. His industry experience includes performing R&D work on III-V high speed device technologies in NTT LSI Laboratories, Japan and Agilent Technologies, USA. Prof. Chen joined Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in 2000, where he is currently a full professor in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering. Currently, his group is focused on developing GaN device technologies for power electronics and high-temperature electronics applications. Prof. Chen has authored or co-authored more than 300 publications in international journals and conference proceedings. He has been granted 5 US patents. He currently serves as a distinguished lecturer and a member in the compound semiconductor device and IC technology committee in IEEE Electron Device Society. He is an associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, and has served as an associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques and Japanese Journal of Applied Physics.
