710 likes | 1.83k Views
What is a wide bandgap semiconductor? Larger energy gap allows higher power and temperature operation and the generation of more energetic (i.e. blue) photons The III-nitrides (AlN, GaN and InN), SiC have recently become feasible. Other materials (like diamond) are being investigated.
E N D
What is a wide bandgap semiconductor? Larger energy gap allows higher power and temperature operation and the generation of more energetic (i.e. blue) photons The III-nitrides (AlN, GaN and InN), SiC have recently become feasible. Other materials (like diamond) are being investigated. What are they good for? Wide Bandgap Semiconductors
WBG nitride for photonics 7 6.2eV AlN 6 5 Band Gap Energy (eV) 4 UV 3.4eV GaN 3 Visible light 2 1.95ev IR InN 1 2.6 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.8 4.0 o Lattice Constant a (A)
Blue / UV solid state diodes and lasers UV optical detectors High power microwave devices High power switches High temperature devices High density data storage devices Additional Specialty Applications: Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices (for wireless communication) High thermal conductivity substrates Market for III-Nitride Devices
Impact Displays Avionics and defense Automotive industry Information technology (data storage) Solid state lighting Traffic lights Wireless communications Electric power industry Health care
The Market for GaN Devices From Strategies Unlimited (1997) Nichia estimates that the LD market alone will be worth $10B.
Violet Laser Diode Nichia announced commercial release of VIOLET LASER DIODE (Model No.NLHV500A) on October 1, 1999 Costs $2000 apiece.
Smart power controls Smart cars Smart manufacturing Smart transportation Smart house (energy management) Information technology Displays Solid state lighting Medicine Defense Possible new applications SiC and GaN- based switches SiC and GaN- based sensors SiC and GaN- non-volatile memories GaN-based light emitters GaN-solar blind detectors
GaN-based solid state display lighting is nearly an order of magnitude more efficient than incandescent lamps and twice as efficient for general lighting. Practically does not require replacement. Will affect the energy industry, construction, automotive, and avionics applications. Solid State Lighting
Compact efficient power switches for power distribution, automotive, avionics, and industrial applications. These switches should allow energy savings up to 10%. This may allow us to avoid the deployment of new power plants, cut our dependence on imported oil, and improve reliability of power distribution in order to minimize blackouts during natural disasters. Compact power switches Example of research by WBS faculty: M. S. Shur, SiC Transistors, in "SiC Materials and Devices", ed. Y. S. Park, (1998), Academic Press; see also http://nina.ecse.rpi.edu/shur/GaN.htm
UV sources and sensitive and fast UV detectors for applications in medicine, biology, chemical industry, and defense. UV detectors and sources Example of research by WBS scientists: M. S. Shur and M. A. Khan, GaN and AlGaN Ultraviolet Photodetectors, Academic Press, T. Moustakos and J. Pankove, Editors (1998) see also http://nina.ecse.rpi.edu/shur/GaN.htm
Flat panel, high-resolution low power displays for computer and medical applications. 8 mm Prototypes: Toshiba displays for billboards Sharp displays for Pachinko Example of research by WBS scientists: M. S. Shur, M. D. Jacunski, H. Slade, and M. Hack, Analytical Models for Amorphous-Silicon and Polysilicon Thin-Film Transistors for High Definition Display Technology, in Journ. Society for Information Display, vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 223-236, Dec. (1995)
These memories will make hard drives obsolete and revolutionize banking, medical record-keeping, and information storage. Non-volatile solid state memories After W. Xie, J. A. Cooper, Jr., M. R. Melloch, J. W. Palmour, and C. H. Carter, Jr., " IEEE Electron Device Lett., 15, 212 (1994).
Flat panel, high-resolution low power displays for computer and medical applications. 8 mm Prototypes: Toshiba displays for billboards Sharp displays for Pachinko
Wireless Applications AlN attractive for surface acoustic wave devices due to large piezoelectric effect. Sound velocity 10x materials currently used.
Laser Diode for Mass Data Storage • Optical Data Storage Market will use over 300M LDs in 1999 (Compound Semicond., March 1999) • HD-DVD will use GaN or SHG laser; will dominate future market with 15GB capacity or greater • Market expects laser cost to be approx. $10 but current cost ~$2000.
Light-emitting Diode (LED) First visible LED Blue LED
Traffic Lights One of the first applications of the new nitride semiconductor technology. The Green light uses 10% of the power and last more than 10x longer.
a Philips Lighting and Agilent Technologies joint venture that's changing the future of light. In the next century, LED-based lighting will quickly replace conventional lighting in a wealth of commercial, industrial and consumer applications. LumiLeds‘ LED-based solutions will bring irresistible value to lighting solutions of all kinds, earning us a leadership position in a fast-growing and lucrative marketplace. Our long-lasting, energy-efficient products will also improve the planet, by reducing waste and power consumption.
Absorption and Emission E 1 photon in photon out E o
Stimulated Spontaneous photon in photon out Stimulated vs. Spontaneous Emission E 1 E o
Stimulated vs. Spontaneous Emission (Cont.) Derived in 1917 by Einstein. (Required for thermal equilibrium was it was recognized that photons were quantized.) However, a “real” understanding of this was not achieved until the 1950’s.
photon out p-type Biased junction Negative bias n-type depleted region (electric field)
First operating Laser in 1960 (Maser in 1958) Simulated emission concept from Einstein in 1905 Townes (1964) and Schawlow (1981) First solid-state injection Laser in 1962 First was Robert Hall but many competing groups Year before he had argued it was impossible History of Lasers
Nichia Laser Diode 10,000 hours operation! Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth material
High Power devices Large band gap allows semiconductor to be used at high voltages Generally larger band gap means stronger bonds so material can withstand higher currents and temperatures High Temperature devices Much smaller effect of thermal excitation of carriers Tougher material Other Applications for Wide band gaps
How can the lifetime of the lasers be improved? improved growth improved substrates improved devices What is the role of defects? Very high field transport Quantum Confinement What are the hot research topics?
Probability density given by Schroedinger’s Equation: where Quantum Mechanics
Main point is that energy levels are Quantized! Well defined energy level even at room temperature. Quantum Mechanics (cont.)