Special Issue on IEEE International Conference of Electron Devices and Solid-State Circuits; Guest Editor: Jianguo MaNo Access

THE PERFECT POWER SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCH FOR 21st CENTURY GLOBAL ENERGY ECONOMY

KRISHNA SHENAI

KRISHNA SHENAI

Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Bldg. 362, Argonne, IL 60439-4815, USA

Search for more papers by this author

https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218126613400203Cited by:1 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

A critical evaluation of high-power electronics switching in semiconductor materials is made from the standpoint of performance, reliability, and commercial viability. This study takes into account recent experimental results obtained from the field-reliability study of silicon power MOSFETs in high-density power supplies where residual material defects present in the space charge region of the device were found to generate local micro plasma that eventually caused power MOSFETs to fail. Based on these results and commercial progress made to date in wide bandgap semiconductor technologies, it is suggested that silicon carbide (SiC) promises to be the preferred material for high-power electronics switching from cost, performance and reliability considerations — this assessment is further strengthened by the near-term potential for developing large-area, low-cost, and defect-free SiC bulk substrates and epitaxial layers. This conclusion is also supported by the feasibility and the need for vertical, MOS-controlled, bipolar power switches in compact and efficient megaWatt-level power converters in order to make transformational changes in the 21st century electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Keywords:

References

K. Shenai, R. S. Scott and B. J. Baliga, IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 36, 1811 (1989), DOI: 10.1109/16.34247. Web of Science, Google Scholar
Please see Power Products at http://www.cree.com . Google Scholar
R. Singh and J. Richmond, SiC power Schottky diodes in power factor correction circuits, Cree Research Inc., Appl. Note # CPWR-AN01, 2002 . Google Scholar
S. Hodge Jr., Power Electron. Technol. (2004). Google Scholar
K. Acharya and K. Shenai, On the dv/dt rating of SiC Schottky power rectifiers, Proc. Power Electronics Technology Conference (2002) pp. 672–677. Google Scholar
T. McDonald, Electron. Motion Conversion 2 (2009). Google Scholar
L. F. Eastman and U. K. Mishra, IEEE Spectrum 39, 28 (2002), DOI: 10.1109/6.999791. Web of Science, Google Scholar
B. J. Baliga , Modern Power Devices ( Wiley , New York , 1987 ) . Google Scholar
N. Mohan , T. M. Undeland and W. P. Robbins , Power Electronics: Converters, Applications, and Design , 3rd edn. ( Wiley , New York , 2003 ) . Google Scholar
K. Shenai, IEEE Spectrum 37, 50 (2000), DOI: 10.1109/6.852052. Web of Science, Google Scholar
H. A. Schafft, D. L. Erhart and W. K. Gladden, Microelectron. Reliab. 37, 3 (1997), DOI: 10.1016/0026-2714(96)00235-1. Web of Science, Google Scholar
National Electric Delivery Technologies Vision and Roadmap (2003), U.S. Department of Energy, November 2003 . Google Scholar
V. A. K. Temple, MOS controlled thyristors, IEEE Int. Electron Dev. Meeting Digest, Abstract 10.7 (1984) 282–285 . Google Scholar
Power Electronics Reliability Group (PERG), The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL USA, founded and directed by K. Shenai, 1998–2004 . Google Scholar
K. Shenaiet al., On the Reliability of DC-DC Power Converters, Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conf. (IECEC) (2000) pp. 1480–1490. Google Scholar
K. Shenaiet al., Power supply design for performance and reliability, Proc. National Aerospace Electronics Conf. (NAECON) (2000) pp. 524–531. Google Scholar
N. Keskar, M. Trivedi and K. Shenai, Device reliability and robust power converter development, Proc. European Symp. Reliability of Electron Devices, Failure Physics and Analysis (ESREF) (1999) pp. 1121–1130. Google Scholar
K. Shenai, PCIM 26, 26 (2000). Google Scholar
M. Trivedi and K. Shenai, IEEE Trans. Power Electron. 14, 108 (1999), DOI: 10.1109/63.737598. Web of Science, Google Scholar
K. Shenai, Reliability of wide bandgap semiconductor power switching devices, presented at the IEEE NAECON Conference, Dayton, OH, July 14–16, 2010 (also to appear in the Proceeding of 2010 IEEE NAECON Conference) . Google Scholar
JEDEC Standard, Temperature, bias, and operating life, JESD22-A108C, June 2005 . Google Scholar
R. Newmanet al., Phys. Rev. 98, 1536 (1955). Google Scholar
A. G. Chynoweth and K. G. McKay, Phys. Rev. 102, 369 (1956), DOI: 10.1103/PhysRev.102.369. Web of Science, Google Scholar
T. Kimoto, N. Miyamoto and H. Matsunami, IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 46, 471 (1999), DOI: 10.1109/16.748864. Web of Science, Google Scholar
M. Skowronski and S. Ha, J. Appl. Phys. 99, 011101-1 (2006), DOI: 10.1063/1.2159578. Google Scholar
B. A. Hullet al., Mat. Sci. Forums 603, 931 (2009). Google Scholar
M. Holz, J. Hilsenbeck and R. Rupp, Phys. Status Solidi A 206, 2295 (2009), DOI: 10.1002/pssa.200925083. Google Scholar
Frischholzet al., Proc. Mater. Res. Soc. (MRS) 512, 157 (1998), DOI: 10.1557/PROC-512-157. Google Scholar
P. G. Neudeck and J. A. Powell, IEEE Electron Dev. Lett. 15, 63 (1994), DOI: 10.1109/55.285372. Web of Science, Google Scholar
P. G. Neudeck, W. Huang and M. Dudley, Solid-State Electron. 42, 2157 (1998), DOI: 10.1016/S0038-1101(98)00211-1. Web of Science, Google Scholar
H. Lendenmannet al., Mat. Sci. Forum 393, 1259 (2002). Google Scholar
A. Ellisonet al., Materials Sci. Forums 460, 9 (2004). Google Scholar
D. Nakamura, Mater. Sci. Forum 529, 3 (2006). Google Scholar
S.-H. Ryu , Critical issues for MOS based power devices in 4H-SiC , 7th European Conf. SiC and Related Materials ( 2008 ) . Google Scholar
K. Shenai, IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 39, 1435 (1992), DOI: 10.1109/16.137324. Web of Science, Google Scholar
R. S. Wrathallet al., Charge controlled 80-V lateral DMOSFET with very low specific on-resistance designed for an integrated power process, IEEE IEDM Technocol. Digtal (1990) pp. 954–957. Google Scholar
M. Trivedi and K. Shenai, J. Appl. Phys. 88, 7313 (2000), DOI: 10.1063/1.1326853. Web of Science, Google Scholar
W. F. Knippenberg, Philips Res. Rep. 18, 161 (1963). Google Scholar
J. A. Lely, Sublimation process for manufacturing Silicon Carbide crystals, U.S. Patent 2, 854,364, issued September 30, 1958 . Google Scholar
R. T. Leonardet al., Mat. Sci. Forum 603, 7 (2009). Google Scholar
D. Nakamuraet al., Nature 430, 1009 (2004), DOI: 10.1038/nature02810. Web of Science, Google Scholar
A. J. Powell, P. G. Neudeck, A. J. Trunek and D. J. Spry, Method for the growth of large low-defect single crystals, US Patent # 7,449,065 B1, issued on Nov. 11, 2008 . Google Scholar
K. Shenai, IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 37, 2207 (1990), DOI: 10.1109/16.59911. Web of Science, Google Scholar