This PhD topic offers a unique opportunity to enhance your skills in GaN power devices and develop cutting-edge architectures. You’ll work alongside a multidisciplinary team specializing in material engineering, characterization, device simulation, and electrical measurements. If you’re eager to innovate, expand your knowledge, and tackle state-of-the-art challenges, this position is a valuable asset to your career!
Vertical GaN power components are highly promising for applications beyond the kV range and are therefore extensively studied worldwide. Transistors with a 'trench MOSFET' architecture have been demonstrated in the state-of-the-art with very encouraging results. The gate stack of these devices is a crucial element as it directly impacts their on-state resistance, threshold voltage, and the control signal to be applied in a power converter. The proposed study will focus on developing innovative gate stacks that can withstand high gate voltages while maintaining state-of-the-art threshold voltage and channel mobility with minimal gate dielectric trapping. The work will involve studying the impact of process parameters on electrical characteristics. Special attention will be given to optimizing the gate geometry through TCAD simulations to study how its shape impacts on-state and breakdown. Identified improvements will be integrated to the devices fabricated on our 200mm GaN power devices line. The work will take place within the power devices lab and will be supported by several ongoing projects.