Buildings blocks towards fully integrated high-frequency power electronic devices
Embargoed until 2027-05-21
Author
Date
2024Type
- Doctoral Thesis
ETH Bibliography
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Abstract
Limiting climate change is closely linked to the energy transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources and the intelligent electrification of energy supply and consumption. This process is accompanied by the implementation of wide bandgap semiconductors such as SiC and the adjustment of the whole device packaging including all components and material systems. In this spirit, this work focuses on some crucial building blocks at different device and package levels.
Insulation barriers are important to separate different electrical potentials in the power device from each other. A commonly used material is silicon oxide or silica (SiOx), but due the demands for an increased power density and higher voltage devices, the search for alternative materials has to be intensified. A comparison of SiOx and phosphorous-doped silica glass (PSG) was performed according to technological requirements and the relevant industry standards; insights into the underlying charge carrier mechanisms were gained using impedance spectroscopy (IS).
This method was also applied to determine the dielectric material properties of the amorphous insulation barrier materials, as well as the semiconductor 4H-SiC. As a rather mature semiconductor material, 4H-SiC was used as a model system to investigate and demonstrate the potential of IS. Intrinsic point defects in 4H-SiC were used to compare applicability and sensitivity of IS to the one of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. The detection of a charge state transition of a particularly interesting intrinsic defect – the silicon vacancy – and a higher sensitivity for majority carrier traps, in comparison to DLTS, can act as a guideline to understand the method’s performance and point towards further applications.
Higher power densities, the miniaturization of devices, and legal restrictions demand new materials and technologies for bond interfaces in power electronic devices, while maintaining or even increasing manufacturability and reliability. For this purpose, thin bond layers for die and top side bonding were investigating using transient liquid phase bonding based on sputter processes.
The investigated materials, technologies, and characterization methods serve towards the multifaceted developments for more reliable and efficient power electronic devices. Show more
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https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000673584Publication status
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Publisher
ETH ZurichSubject
silicon carbide (SiC); power electronics; POWER SEMICONDUCTORS (ELECTRONICS); impedance spectroscopy; Admittance spectroscopy; TLP bonding; Defect characterizationOrganisational unit
09480 - Grossner, Ulrike / Grossner, Ulrike
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