Extreme Temperature Operation of AlGaN High Electron Mobility Transistors
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Klein, Brianna Alexandra↗
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Extreme Temperature Operation of AlGaN High Electron Mobility Transistors
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Klein, Brianna Alexandra↗
Quantum coherent energy transport in the Fenna–Matthews–Olson complex at low temperature
In the primary step of natural light harvesting, the solar photon energy is captured in a photoexcited electron–hole pair, or an exciton, in chlorophyll. Its conversion to chemical potential occurs in the special pair reaction center, which is reached by downhill ultrafast excited-state energy transport through a network of chromophores. Being inherently quantum, transport could in principle occur via a matter wave, with vast implications for efficiency. How long a matter wave remains coherent is determined by the intensity by which the exciton is disturbed by the noisy biological environment. The stronger this is, the stronger the electronic coupling between chromophores must be to overcome the fluctuations and phase shifts. The current consensus is that under physiological conditions, quantum coherence vanishes on the 10-fs time scale, rendering it irrelevant for the observed picosecond transfer. Yet, at low-enough temperature, quantum coherence should in principle be present. Here, we reveal the onset of longer-lived electronic coherence at extremely low temperatures of ∼20 K. Using two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy, we determine the exciton coherence times in the Fenna–Matthew–Olson complex over an extensive temperature range. At 20 K, coherence persists out to 200 fs (close to the antenna) and marginally up to 500 fs at the reaction center. It decays markedly faster with modest increases in temperature to become irrelevant above 150 K. At low temperature, the fragile electronic coherence can be separated from the robust vibrational coherence, using a rigorous theoretical analysis. We believe that by this generic principle, light harvesting becomes robust against otherwise fragile quantum effects.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
Modeling electron temperature profiles in the pedestal with simple formulas for ETG transport
Abstract This paper reports on the refinement (building on (Hatch D.R. et al 2022 Phys. Plasmas 29 062501)) and application of simple formulas for electron heat transport from electron temperature gradient (ETG) driven turbulence in the pedestal. The formulas are improved by (1) improving the parameterization for certain key parameters and (2) carefully accounting for the impact of geometry and shaping in the underlying gyrokinetic simulation database. Comparisons with nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of ETG transport in the MAST pedestal demonstrate the model’s applicability to spherical tokamaks in addition to standard aspect ratio tokamaks. We identify bounds for model applicability: the model is accurate in the steep gradient region, where the ETG turbulence is largely slab-like, but accuracy decreases as the temperature gradient becomes weaker in the pedestal top. We use the formula to model the electron temperature profile in the pedestal for four experimental scenarios while extensively varying input parameters to represent uncertainties. In all cases, the predicted electron temperature profile exhibits extreme sensitivity to separatrix temperature and density, which has implications for core-edge integration. The model reproduces the electron temperature profile for high η e = L n e / L T e scenarios but not for low η e scenarios in which microtearing modes (MTMs) have been identified. We develop a proof-of-concept model for MTM transport and explore the relative roles of ETG and MTM in setting the electron temperature profile.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Power over fiber development for HEP detectors
Power-over-Fiber (PoF) technology has been used extensively in settings where high voltages require isolation from ground and electromagnetic isolation is critical. In cryogenic environments, PoF offers a reliable power transmission technology, leveraging optical fibers to transfer power with minimal system degradation. PoF technology excels in maintaining low noise levels and isolation when delivering power to sensitive electronic systems operating in extreme temperature ranges and high voltage environments. Here, in a novel application of PoF for a HEP detector, power is provided to photon detector modules located on a surface at ~300 kV with respect to ground in the planned DUNE experiment. This summary paper of the PoF talk at the 16th PISA Meeting on Advanced Detectors highlights the R&D effort of PoF in extreme conditions and underscores its capacity to revolutionize power delivery and management in critical applications offering a dependable solution with low noise, optimal efficiency, and superior isolation. The DUNE (Abi et al., 2020) experiment will soon deploy large liquid argon (LAr) time projection chambers (TPC) to detect neutrino interactions and other particle physics phenomena. In addition to the particle tracking provided by the TPC, photon detectors, powered by a first ever PoF system, in the cryostat will leverage the high scintillation light yield of LAr to provide crucial timing and additional calorimetric information.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Characterization and novel application of power over fiber for electronics in a harsh environment
Power-over-Fiber (PoF) technology has been used extensively in settings where high voltages require isolation from ground. In a novel application of PoF, power is provided to photon detector modules located on a surface at ∼ 300 kV with respect to ground in the planned DUNE experiment. In cryogenic environments, PoF offers a reliable means of power transmission, leveraging optical fibers to transfer optical power. PoF technology excels in maintaining low noise levels when delivering power to sensitive electronic systems operating in extreme temperatures and high voltage environments. This paper presents the R&D effort of PoF in extreme conditions and underscores its capacity to revolutionize power delivery and management in critical applications, offering a dependable solution with low noise, optimal efficiency (∼ 51%), and superior isolation.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Al-rich AlGaN high electron mobility transistor gate metallization study up to 600 °C in air
Here we report a comparative study of three rectifying gate metals, W, Pd, and Pt/Au, on ultrawide bandgap Al 0.86 Ga 0.14 N barrier/Al 0.7 Ga 0.3 N channel high electron mobility transistors for use in extreme temperatures. The transistors were electrically characterized from 30 to 600 °C in air. Of the three gate metals, the Pt/Au stack exhibited the smallest change in threshold voltage (0.15 V, or 9% change between the 30 and 600 °C values, and a maximum change of 42%), the highest on/off current ratio (1.5 × 10 6 ) at 600 °C, and a modest forward gate leakage current (0.39 mA/mm for a 3,V gate bias) at 600 °C. These favorable results showcase AlGaN channel high electron mobility transistors' ability to operate in extreme temperature environments.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
In-Situ Observation of the Formation of Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures with Extreme Spatial and Temporal Resolution
Irradiation of solid surfaces with intense ultrashort laser pulses represents a unique way of depositing energy into materials. It allows to realize states of extreme electronic excitation and/or very high temperature and pressure and to drive materials close to and beyond fundamental stability limits. As a consequence, structural changes and phase transitions often occur along unusual pathways and under strongly nonequilibrium conditions. Furthermore, due to the inherent multiscale nature—both temporally and spatially—of these irreversible processes, their direct experimental observation requires techniques that combine high temporal resolution with the appropriate spatial resolution and the capability to obtain good quality data on a single pulse/event basis. In this respect, fourth-generation light sources, namely, short wavelength and short pulse free electron lasers (FELs), are offering new and fascinating possibilities. As an example, this chapter will discuss the results of scattering experiments carried out at the FLASH free electron laser at DESY (Hamburg, Germany), which allowed us to resolve laser-induced structure formation at surfaces on the nanometer to submicron length scale and in temporal regimes ranging from picoseconds to several nanoseconds with sub-picosecond resolution.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Extreme Heating of Minor Ions in Imbalanced Solar-wind Turbulence
Minor ions in the solar corona are heated to extreme temperatures, far in excess of those of the electrons and protons that comprise the bulk of the plasma. These highly nonthermal distributions make minor ions sensitive probes of the collisionless processes that heat the corona and power the solar wind. The recent discovery of the "helicity barrier" offers a mechanism in which imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence in low-β plasmas preferentially heats protons over electrons, generating high-frequency, proton-cyclotron-resonant fluctuations. We use the hybrid-kinetic particle-in-cell code Pegasus++ to drive imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence in a 3D low-β plasma with additional passive ion species, He 2+ and O 5+ . A helicity barrier naturally develops, followed by clear phase-space signatures of oblique proton-cyclotron-wave heating and Landau-resonant heating from the imbalanced Alfvénic fluctuations. The former results in characteristically arced ion velocity distribution functions, whose non-bi-Maxwellian features are shown by linear ALPS calculations to be critical to the heating process. Additional features include a steep transition-range electromagnetic spectrum, proton-cyclotron waves propagating in the direction of the imbalance, significantly enhanced proton-to-electron heating ratios, ion temperatures that are considerably more perpendicular with respect to magnetic field, and extreme heating of heavier species in a manner consistent with mass scalings inferred from spacecraft measurements. None of these features are realized in an otherwise equivalent simulation of balanced turbulence. If seen simultaneously in the fast solar wind, these signatures of the helicity barrier would testify to the necessity of incorporating turbulence imbalance in a complete theory for the evolution of the solar wind.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
Nonvolatile electrochemical memory at 600°C enabled by composition phase separation
Silicon-based microelectronics are limited to ~150°C and therefore not suitable for the extremely high temperatures in aerospace, energy, and space applications. While wide-band-gap semiconductors can provide high-temperature logic, nonvolatile memory devices at high temperatures have been challenging. In this work, we develop a nonvolatile electrochemical memory cell that stores and retains analog and digital information at temperatures as high as 600°C. Through correlative scanning transmission electron microscopy, we show that this high-temperature information retention is a result of composition phase separation between the oxidized and reduced forms of amorphous tantalum oxide. This result demonstrates a memory concept that is resilient at extreme temperatures and reveals phase separation as the principal mechanism that enables nonvolatile information storage in these electrochemical memory cells.
42 ENGINEERING↗
AlN/AlGaN/AlN quantum well channel HEMTs
We present a compositional dependence study of electrical characteristics of AlxGa1−xN quantum well channel-based AlN/AlGaN/AlN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with x=0.25,0.44, and 0.58. This ultra-wide bandgap heterostructure is a candidate for next-generation radio frequency and power electronics. The use of selectively regrown n-type GaN Ohmic contacts results in contact resistance that increases as the Al content of the channel increases. The DC HEMT device characteristics reveal that the maximum drain current densities progressively reduce from 280 to 30 to 1.7 mA/mm for x=0.25,0.44, and 0.58, respectively. This is accompanied by a simultaneous decrease (in magnitude) in threshold voltage from −5.2 to −4.9 to −2.4 V for the three HEMTs. This systematic experimental study of the effects of Al composition x on the transistor characteristics provides valuable insights for engineering AlGaN channel HEMTs on AlN for extreme electronics at high voltages and high temperatures.
Physics↗
Polarization-induced 2D electron gases in N-polar AlGaN/AlN heterostructures on single-crystal AlN substrates
Polarization-induced carriers play an important role in achieving high electrical conductivity in ultrawide bandgap semiconductor AlGaN, which is essential for various applications ranging from radio frequency and power electronics to deep UV photonics. Despite significant scientific and technological interest, studies on polarization-induced carriers in N-polar AlGaN are rare. We report the observation and properties of polarization-induced two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) in N-polar AlGaN/AlN heterostructures on single-crystal AlN substrates by systematically varying the Al content in the 8 nm top layers from x = 0 to x = 0.6, spanning energy bandgaps from 3.56 to 4.77 eV. The 2DEG density drops monotonically with increasing Al content, from 3.8 × 1013/cm2 in the GaN channel, down to no measurable conductivity for x = 0.6. Alloy scattering limits the 2DEG mobility to below 50 cm2/V s for x = 0.49. These results provide valuable insights for designing N-polar AlGaN channel high electron mobility transistors on AlN for extreme electronics at high voltages and high temperatures, and for UV photonic devices.
Physics↗
Production and Persistence of Extreme Two-temperature Plasmas in Radiative Relativistic Turbulence
Turbulence is a predominant process for energizing electrons and ions in collisionless astrophysical plasmas, and thus is responsible for shaping their radiative signatures (luminosity, spectra, and variability). To better understand the kinetic properties of a collisionless radiative plasma subject to externally driven turbulence, we investigate particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic plasma turbulence with external inverse Compton cooling acting on the electrons. We find that ions continuously heat up while electrons gradually cool down (due to the net effect of radiation), and hence the ion-to-electron temperature ratio T i /T e grows in time. Furthermore, we show that Ti/Te is limited only by the size and duration of the simulations (reaching ${T}_{i}/{T}_{e}\sim {10}^{3}$), indicating that there are no efficient collisionless mechanisms of electron–ion thermal coupling. This result has implications for models of radiatively inefficient accretion flows, such as observed in the Galactic center and in M87, for which so-called two-temperature plasmas with ${T}_{i}/{T}_{e}\gg 1$ have been invoked to explain their low luminosity. Additionally, we find that electrons acquire a quasi-thermal distribution (dictated by the competition of turbulent particle energization and radiative cooling), while ions undergo efficient nonthermal acceleration (acquiring a harder distribution than in equivalent nonradiative simulations). There is a modest nonthermal population of high-energy electrons that are beamed intermittently in space, time, and direction; these beamed electrons may explain rapid flares in certain high-energy astrophysical systems (e.g., in the Galactic center). These numerical results demonstrate that extreme two-temperature plasmas can be produced and maintained by relativistic radiative turbulence.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
AOI [1]: Passive Wireless Sensor Systems Fabricated by Direct-Writing for Temperature and Health Monitoring of Energy Systems in Harsh-Environments (Final Report)
Researchers at West Virginia University (WVU) propose to demonstrate a wireless, high-temperature sensor system for monitoring the temperature and health of energy-system components. The active sensor and electronics for wireless communication will be composed entirely of an electroceramic materials (conductive ceramics) which are capable of withstanding the harsh-environments required for fossil energy-based technologies. This work will focus primarily on the fabrication and testing of temperature (thermocouples and thermistors) and health (strain/stress and crack propagation sensors) that function at extreme temperatures (up to 700-1700ºC). The electronics will accompany the high-temperature sensor, which will include a passive wireless communication circuit that allows the transmission of the data based on the LCR resonance principle to a near-by reader antenna. This passive transmission of data will reduce the need for interconnect wires near the active, and possibly rotating, energy-system component. The research will include process development to permit the 2D/3D direct-writing of the entire sensor and communication circuit onto the energy-system component. The direct-writing will be facilitated by using silicon-based polymer-derived precursors to form the high-temperature, stable electroceramic compositions. In addition, methods for direct-writing the circuit onto a fugitive carrier substrate will be completed, which will permit a “peel-and-stick”-like transfer of the sensor circuit to the energy-system component. This feature will allow the economical and precise placement of the sensor circuit onto components of various shapes and locations, without altering the geometry and active features of the manufactured component, or the removal (or decommissioning) of the component for installation. The proposed work will be directed at the following areas: 1) Investigation of phase formation, sintering/grain growth, and electrical properties of polymer-derived electroceramic composites; 2) Definition of processes to direct-write through ink-jet and robo-casting the polymer-derived electroceramic composites onto oxide and polymer surfaces; 3) Development of methods to form monolithic "peel-and-stick" preforms that will efficiently transfer the sensor circuit to ceramic surfaces after thermal treatment; 4) Design of passive wireless LCR circuits and receiver (reader) antennas for communication and testing at high temperatures; 5) Investigation of the passive wireless sensor system developed (and method of transferring sensor system) for temperature and stress/strain measurements on a SOFC repeat unit and a singular gas turbine blade prototype as example applications.
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
Observation of a highly conductive warm dense state of water with ultrafast pump–probe free-electron-laser measurements
The electrical conductivity of water under extreme temperatures and densities plays a central role in modeling planetary magnetic fields. Experimental data are vital to test theories of high-energy-density water and assess the possible development and presence of extraterrestrial life. These states are also important in biology and chemistry studies when specimens in water are confined and excited using ultrafast optical or free-electron lasers (FELs). Here we utilize femtosecond optical lasers to measure the transient reflection and transmission of ultrathin water sheet samples uniformly heated by a 13.6 nm FEL approaching a highly conducting state at electron temperatures exceeding 20 000 K. The experiment probes the trajectory of water through the high-energy-density phase space and provides insights into changes in the index of refraction, charge carrier densities, and AC electrical conductivity at optical frequencies. At excitation energy densities exceeding 10 MJ/kg, the index of refraction falls to n = 0.7, and the thermally excited free-carrier density reaches ne = 5 × 1027 m−3, which is over an order of magnitude higher than that of the electron carriers produced by direct photoionization. Significant specular reflection is observed owing to critical electron density shielding of electromagnetic waves. The measured optical conductivity reaches 2 × 104 S/m, a value that is one to two orders of magnitude lower than those of simple metals in a liquid state. At electron temperatures below 15 000 K, the experimental results agree well with the theoretical calculations using density-functional theory/molecular-dynamics simulations. With increasing temperature, the electron density increases and the system approaches a Fermi distribution. In this regime, the conductivities agree better with predictions from the Ziman theory of liquid metals.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Electronic density response of warm dense matter
Matter at extreme temperatures and pressures—commonly known as warm dense matter (WDM)—is ubiquitous throughout our Universe and occurs in astrophysical objects such as giant planet interiors and brown dwarfs. Moreover, WDM is very important for technological applications such as inertial confinement fusion and is realized in the laboratory using different techniques. A particularly important property for the understanding of WDM is given by its electronic density response to an external perturbation. Such response properties are probed in x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) experiments and are central for the theoretical description of WDM. In this work, we give an overview of a number of recent developments in this field. To this end, we summarize the relevant theoretical background, covering the regime of linear response theory and nonlinear effects, the fully dynamic response and its static, time-independent limit, and the connection between density response properties and imaginary-time correlation functions (ITCF). In addition, we introduce the most important numerical simulation techniques, including path-integral Monte Carlo simulations and different thermal density functional theory (DFT) approaches. From a practical perspective, we present a variety of simulation results for different density response properties, covering the archetypal model of the uniform electron gas and realistic WDM systems such as hydrogen. Moreover, we show how the concept of ITCFs can be used to infer the temperature from XRTS measurements of arbitrary complex systems without the need for any models or approximations. Finally, we outline a strategy for future developments based on the close interplay between simulations and experiments.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Refining T c Prediction in Hydrides via Symbolic‐Regression‐Enhanced Electron‐Localization‐Function‐Based Descriptors
Hydrogen‐based materials are able to possess extremely high superconducting critical temperatures, T c s , due to hydrogen's low atomic mass and strong electron–phonon interaction. Recently, a descriptor based on the Electron Localization Function (ELF) has enabled the rapid estimation of the T c of hydrogen‐containing compounds from electronic networking properties, but its applicability has been limited by the small size and homogeneity of the training dataset used. Herein, the model is re‐examined, compiling a publicly available combined dataset of 244 binary and ternary hydride superconductors. The analysis shows that though ELF‐based networking remains a valuable descriptor, its predictive power declines with increasing compositional complexity. However, by introducing the molecularity index, defined as the highest value of the ELF at which two hydrogen atoms connect, and applying symbolic regression, the accuracy of the predictions can be substantially enhanced. These results establish a more robust framework for assessing superconductivity in hydride materials, facilitating accelerated screening of novel candidates through integration with crystal structure prediction methods or high‐throughput searches.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Structural Phase Transitions of NbO 2 : Bulk versus Surface
The metal to insulator transition of NbO 2 has been predicted to be a result of a structural phase transition (SPT) governed by Peierls physics. However, direct observation of the SPT using experimental techniques is still restricted by the extremely high transition temperature (810 °C) and the proclivity for NbO 2 to oxidize into Nb 2 O 5 above 400 °C when exposed to air. In this work, we address these issues and employ temperature-dependent X-ray spectroscopy to describe the SPT of NbO 2 from the bulk to surface. Temperature-dependent extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (T-EXAFS) reveals a gradual weakening of the bulk Nb dimers over a large temperature range, which is indicative of a second-order Peierls mechanism. From these measurements, we determine the critical dimer distance to be 2.77 Å. Our T-EXAFS observations are supported by density functional theory of the phonon dispersion and the electronic density of states of NbO 2 , which conclude that the dimerization is responsible for the insulating phase. The dimerization does not extend to the topmost layers, where an oxygen rich surface reconstruction is preferred irrespective of temperature even in extremely reducing environments; changes in the low-energy electron diffraction patterns are attributed to oxygen concentration and are independent of the underlying bulk phase transitions of NbO 2 .
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗