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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Transient Photocurrent From High-Voltage Vertical GaN Diodes Irradiated With Electrons: Experiments and Simulations

Radiation-hard high-voltage vertical GaN p-n diodes are being developed for use in power electronics subjected to ionizing radiation. Here, we present a comparison of the measured and simulated photocurrent response of diodes exposed to ionizing irradiation with 70 keV and 20 MeV electrons at dose rates in the range of 1.4x10 7 - 5.0x10 8 rad(GaN)/s. The simulations correctly predict the trend in measured steady-state photocurrent and agree with experimental results within a factor of 2. Furthermore, simulations of the transient photocurrent response to dose rates with uniform and non-uniform ionization depth profiles uncover the physical processes involved that cannot be otherwise experimentally observed due to orders of magnitude larger RC time constant of the test circuit. The simulations were performed using an Exploratory Physics Development code developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The code offers the capability to include defect physics under more general conditions, not included in commercially available software packages, extending the applicability of the simulations to different types of radiation environments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advances in Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth of Ultra-Wide Bandgap Ga2O3 Based Alloys

Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) is an emerging ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor material that has attracted attention for its potential to outperform existing SiC and GaN based devices operating at high breakdown voltages and high temperature. Isovalent alloying of In and Al in Ga2O3 provides the ability to engineer bandgap energy and strain of the material. Alloying with Al increases the bandgap energy and the theoretically achievable Baliga's figure of merit, a key measure of a material's ultimate performance limits for high power switching devices. Alloying with In introduces compressive strain and can be used to counteract the tensile strain of Al incorporation. The resulting (AlxGa1-x-yIny)2O3 alloy can be lattice-matched to commercially available Ga2O3 wafers and has a tunable bandgap energy greater than that of Ga2O3, 4.76 eV. Such lattice-matched material can be grown arbitrarily thick without the detrimental effects of elastic strain and relaxation, making it suitable for high voltage diodes and transistors. However, efforts to synthesize isovalent alloys are complicated by their tendency to phase separate into corundum Al2O3 or bixbyite In2O3. Literature reports of the quaternary (AlxGa1-x-yIny)2O3 are limited to <1% unintentional indium incorporation in In-catalyzed (AlxGa1-x)2O3. The primary limitation to quaternary growth is the limited incorporation of indium at elevated growth temperatures. This limited incorporation is due to both the volatility of indium oxide and Al and Ga cation exchange reactions which replace indium in In2O3. We report on the development of a novel high-throughput molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) technique to screen the growth conditions for the ternary alloy (InyGa1-y)2O3, and the application of these findings to the first successful synthesis of phase pure monoclinic (AlxGa1-x-yIny)2O3 by MBE. By leveraging the unique sub-oxide chemistry of Ga2O3 and in-situ monitoring of crystal properties by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), a cyclical growth and etch-back method is developed and applied to rapidly characterize the (InyGa1-y)2O3 growth space. This cyclical method provides approximately 10x increase in experimental throughput and up to 46x improvement in Ga2O3 substrate utilization. Appropriate growth conditions for monoclinic (InyGa1- y)2O3 are identified by machine learning analysis of RHEED patterns and targeted growths are characterized ex-situ to confirm improved In incorporation. These growth conditions are then combined with established (AlxGa1-x)2O3 growth conditions to grow quaternary (AlxGa1-x-yIny)2O3 with Al mole fractions ranging from 1.4% - 24.4% and In mole fractions ranging from 3.1% to 15.5%. The chemical and optical properties of the alloys are investigated by XRD, XPS, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. A lattice-matched (AlxGa1-x-yIny)2O3 alloy is examined by 4D-STEM and the chemical and physical uniformity of Al and In incorporation are discussed.

alloy↗
DOE OSTI2024

NiGa 2 O 4 interfacial layers in NiO/Ga 2 O 3 heterojunction diodes at high temperature

NiO/Ga 2 O 3 heterojunction diodes have attracted attention for high-power applications, but their high temperature performance and reliability remain underexplored. Here, we report the time evolution of the electrical properties in the widely studied p-NiO/n-Ga 2 O 3 heterojunction diodes and formation of NiGa 2 O 4 interfacial layers at high temperatures. Results of our thermal cycling experiment show an initial leakage current increase which stabilizes after sustained thermal load, due to reactions at the NiO–Ga 2 O 3 interface. High-resolution TEM microstructure analysis of the devices after thermal cycling indicates that the NiO–Ga 2 O 3 interface forms a ternary compound at high temperatures, and thermodynamic calculations suggest the formation of the spinel NiGa 2 O 4 layer between NiO and Ga 2 O 3 . First-principles defect calculations find that NiGa 2 O 4 shows low p-type intrinsic doping and hence can serve to limit electric field crowding at the interface. Vertical NiO/ Ga 2 O 3 diodes with intentionally grown 5 nm thin spinel-type NiGa 2 O 4 interfacial layers show an excellent device ON/OFF ratio of >10 10 (± 3 V), V ON of ~1.9 V, and increased breakdown voltage of ~1.2 kV for an initial unoptimized 300 lm diameter device. These p–n heterojunction diodes are promising for high-voltage, high temperature applications.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hybrid BaTiO 3 /SiN x /AlGaN/GaN lateral Schottky barrier diodes with low turn-on and high breakdown performance

In this Letter, we demonstrate hybrid GaN lateral Schottky barrier diodes with enhanced breakdown characteristics and a low turn-on voltage. These diodes incorporate a lateral Schottky barrier in combination with a high permittivity material beneath the field plate, enabling high average breakdown fields and a low turn-on voltage. Average electric fields up to 2.38 MV/cm were achieved for devices with an anode–cathode spacing of 4 μm, while maintaining with a turn-on voltage of 0.48 V. In contrast, SiN x /AlGaN/GaN control lateral Schottky diodes displayed an average breakdown field of ~0.7 MV/cm for devices with similar dimensions with a turn-on voltage of 0.46 V. The use of a high-permittivity dielectric can more effectively utilize the high breakdown fields in wide bandgap materials by proper management of the electric field. This demonstration provides an innovative way to integrate high-permittivity materials with GaN lateral devices for improved breakdown and resistance characteristics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-current, high-voltage AlN Schottky barrier diodes

AlN Schottky barrier diodes with low ideality factor (<1.2), low differential ON-resistance (<0.6 mΩ cm 2 ), high current density (>5 kA cm −2 ), and high breakdown voltage (680 V) are reported. The device structure consisted of a two-layer, quasi-vertical design with a lightly doped AlN drift layer and a highly doped Al 0.75 Ga 0.25 N ohmic contact layer grown on AlN substrates. A combination of simulation, current–voltage measurements, and impedance spectroscopy analysis revealed that the AlN/AlGaN interface introduces a parasitic electron barrier due to the conduction band offset between the two materials. This barrier was found to limit the forward current in fabricated diodes. Further, we show that introducing a compositionally-graded layer between the AlN and the AlGaN reduces the interfacial barrier and increases the forward current density of fabricated diodes by a factor of 10 4 .

Quiñones, C. E. (ORCID:0000000192703747)↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-voltage AlN Schottky barrier diodes on bulk AlN substrates by MOCVD

Abstract This letter reports the demonstration of Aluminum nitride (AIN) Schottky barrier diodes on bulk AlN substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor phase deposition with breakdown voltages exceeding 3 kV. The devices exhibited good rectifying characteristics with ON/OFF ratios of 10 6 –10 8 and excellent thermal stability from 298 to 623 K. The device Schottky barrier height increased from 0.89 to 1.85 eV, and the ideality factor decreased from 4.29 to 1.95 with increasing temperature, ascribed to the inhomogeneous metal/AlN interface. This work demonstrates the potential of AlN as an ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor for developing multi-kV AlN high-voltage and high-power devices.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Adroit Materials Final Scientific/Technical Report kV-class GaN-based Junction Barrier Schottky diodes using ion implantation

The primary aim of this research was to develop GaN-based Junction Barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes using an innovative ion implantation process previously established in ARPA-E funded projects. The central focus of our proposed technology revolves around selective area p-type doping, accomplished through the implantation of Mg ions. This approach builds upon our successes in the ARPA-E PNDIODES program, advancing towards commercial device integration. Selective area p-doping plays a pivotal role in realizing the next generation of GaN-based power devices, capable of significantly reducing the carbon footprint in the United States by several million tons. While ion implantation is a well-established technique for achieving selective area doping in SiC and Si materials, its feasibility in GaN had not been demonstrated until now. To fabricate high voltage GaN JBS diodes, we initially created thick n-type drift layers with high carrier concentrations ranging from 5×1015 cm-3 to 2×1016 cm-3 and very high mobilities. Subsequently, Mg ions were selectively implanted to form p-type islands within the n-type drift layer. To reduce electric field crowding at the edge of the diode and to achieve high breakdown voltage, junction edge termination (JTE) and floating field rings (FFRs) were formed using Mg implantation. A high temperature, high-pressure post-implantation annealing process was carried out to activate the implanted Mg ions. As a result, we were able to demonstrate GaN JBS diodes with a breakdown voltage of 915 V and an on-resistance of 0.6 mΩ·cm2. These diodes exhibited a forward bias current density of 1 kA/cm2 at 1.5 V. Subsequently, we achieved GaN JBS diodes with a remarkable breakdown voltage of 1900 V and an on-resistance of 1.9 mΩ·cm2, capable of sustaining a forward bias current density of 0.5 kA/cm2 at 1.5 V. Importantly, the ON and OFF state performance of these GaN JBS diodes surpassed that of Si and SiC-based power diodes reported in existing literature. Lastly, we successfully grew 60 μm thick GaN:Si layers using HVPE with a carrier concentration of approximately 3 to 5×1015 cm-3. Based on simulation and empirical data these devices represent 5 kV GaN JBS power diodes, leveraging the developed processes in this project.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Excessive charge, beam loading, and impedance collapse thresholds for a velvet emitter

Excess emission has been observed from velvet cathodes with total emission times >150 ns. In this diode experiment, we produce a sub-relativistic electron beam with the ability to consistently change γ from 1.2 to 1.5 and β = 0.5–0.75. Electron emission in this particular diode geometry requires electric fields >40 kV/cm. The current increases at steady rates >0.05 A/ns after the head of the pulse, indicating an expansion of the emission surface and reduction in the effective AK gap. Small transients of excess emission (or arcs) are consistently observed for current pulses exceeding 150 ns. The excess emission results in beam loaded levels ≥10 kV on the diode voltage. The effects described here are compounded as diode voltage is increased. The principal objective of these experiments is to quantify electric field emission thresholds, current ramps, excess emission delays, effective beam loading, and impedance collapse.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Explosion dynamics of thin flat foils at high current density

This paper presents characteristic features of the explosion of thin flat foils for currents and pulse risetimes ranging from 8 kA at 350 ns to 1000 kA at ~100 ns. Foils made of aluminum, copper, nickel, and titanium with thicknesses of 1–100 µm are tested. Various diagnostics in the optical, UV, and x-ray spectral ranges are used to image the exploding foils from initial breakdown to complete destruction or pinching. It is shown that foil explosion is a complex process that depends on many factors, but features common to all foils are found that do not depend on the parameters of the generators or, accordingly, on the energy deposited in the foil: for example, the breakdown of flat foils under different conditions occurs at the edges of the foil. For the first time, the formation of a precursor over the central part of the foil is shown, which significantly changes the dynamics of the foil explosion.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Studying of multi-shell gas-puff Z-pinches using x-ray spectroscopy with spatial resolution

Dynamics and parameters of gas-puff Z-pinch plasmas at stagnation were studied using x-ray spectroscopic diagnostics. In experiments on a 1 MA pulsed power generator, multilayer coaxial loads were made using a triple-nozzle gas-puff valve. High-luminosity spectrographs with spherically bent crystals made it possible to record spectra with high spatial resolution along the pinch axis and to record two-dimensional plasma images in separate spectral lines. Using various combinations of gases in the nozzles and adding small amounts of a gas tracer, the final structure and composition of the compressed plasma were determined. Furthermore, plasma parameters were estimated by modeling the spectra using the PrismSPECT program, but with the limitation that the spectra were time-integrated, so that spectra from different gases and at different positions may have been emitted at different times.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

LGAD Single Event Burnout Studies

We report on simulation of single event burnout of low gain avalanche diodes during high voltage operation after irradiation. A model is described which can be used to estimate energy deposition needed for single event burnout and the dependence of burnout on thermal conductivity and thermal resistance to heat sinks.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Slope Efficiency and Voltage Reduction at High Current Densities in AlInGaAs Diode Lasers

Here, the slope efficiency and drive voltage of broad area AlInGaAs laser diodes near 865 nm is observed to decrease significantly under quasi-CW pulsed operation at currents well above threshold, in a manner that cannot be explained by thermal effects or carrier leakage over heterojunction barriers. Simulations show that the slope efficiency reduction is explicable by increased free carrier absorption in the waveguide region. Empirical formulas are presented to represent these effects in a closed analytic form suitable for use in simulators for diode-pumped laser systems.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2022

High Voltage Regrown GaN P-N Diodes Enabled by Defect and Doping Control

This project studied and implemented methods to form GaN p-n diodes using selective area regrowth to achieve selective area doping. Successful selective area doping of GaN p-n diodes is an enabling factor to realize more advanced devices such as vertical transistors. The general challenge to selective area regrowth of GaN is that the primary etch method, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), damages the crystal and causes high leakage when didoes are formed by regrowth on the etched surface. Our approach used low damage etch methods following ICP etch to remove crystal damage and reduced leakage in the regrown diode. This project demonstrated 1.6 kV etched-and-regrown GaN p-n diodes using planar (non-selective) regrowth and 840 V etched-and-regrown p-n diodes using selective area regrown. Enabling factors were use of a low-damage reactive ion etch (RIE) to remove damage caused by the primary ICP etch combined with a multi-step junction terminal extension (JTE) process. Deep level defect investigation quantitatively correlated a deep level near the middle of the GaN band gap with ICP etch-induced leakage that was greatly mitigated by using a slow, low damage RIE process. This research is economically feasible for commercialization because the processes used in this project, including substrate type and source, epitaxial crystal growth and fabrication techniques are all standard to the GaN semiconductor industry. The fundamental understanding and foundational ability to produce kV-class GaN p-n diodes through etch-and-regrowth provides a path to realize high power, high efficiency GaN power switches that can significantly outperform commercial devices for next-generation electrical power conversion and transmission systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗