Abstract
An advantage for some wide bandgap materials that is often overlooked is that the thermal coefficient of expansion (CTE) is better matched to the ceramics in use for electronic-packaging technology. The optimal choice for unipolar devices is GaN and the associated material system of GaN/AlGaN. The future optimal choice for bipolar devices at all power levels is C (diamond). New expressions, ɛ c=1.73×105 (EG)2.5 for direct-gap and ɛ c=2.38×105 (EG)2 for indirect-gap semiconductors, relating the critical-electric field for breakdown in abrupt junctions to the material bandgap energy, and associated new expressions for specific on-resistance in power semiconductor devices is shown to further support the use of wide bandgap materials. Some low-voltage, power-electronics applications are shown to benefit by the use of Ge, C, and GaSb.
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Abbreviations
- CTE:
-
Coefficient of thermal expansion (ppm/K or µm/m·K)
- EG :
-
Bandgap energy (eV)
- ɛ(x):
-
Electric field as a function of position (V/cm)
- ɛ c :
-
Critical-electric field (V/cm)
- ɛ:
-
Permittivity (F/cm)
- ɛ:
-
Relative permittivity
- mo :
-
Electron rest mass (kg)
- mn :
-
Electron density-of-states effective mass (kg)
- ml :
-
Longitudinal electron density-of-states effective mass (in mo)
- mt :
-
Transverse electron density-of-states effective mass (in mo)
- mp :
-
Hole density-of-states effective mass (kg)
- mh :
-
Heavy valence-band hole density-of-states effective mass (in mo)
- ml :
-
Light valence-band hole density-of-states effective mass (in mo)
- μe :
-
Electron conduction mobility (cm2/V·s)
- μh :
-
Hole-conduction mobility (cm2/V·s)
- NB :
-
Impurity-density concentration (cm−3)
- ni :
-
Intrinsic-carrier concentration (cm−3)
- RONsp :
-
Specific on-resistance (Ω·cm2)
- σT :
-
Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)
- VB :
-
Breakdown voltage (V)
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Hudgins, J.L. Wide and narrow bandgap semiconductors for power electronics: A new valuation. J. Electron. Mater. 32, 471–477 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-003-0128-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-003-0128-9