Reliability Improvement of Gallium Nitride (GaN) Devices

Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors are more and more being used in switching power devices and the GaN transistors are the promising candidate of next-generation power devices that can substitute Silicon (Si) devices.
However, this young technology suffers from reliability difficulties. The aim of this research work is to contribute to the understanding of the properties of GaN devices. These studies give an understanding of the more complex dynamic instability and static reliability issues of GaN devices which helps manufactures to improve the reliability of GaN transistors. In addition, this research project presents one approach to overcome the problems of existing GaN gate drivers and address the challenges of robust and safe driving of fast switching GaN transistors. The results of this research proposal will accelerate emerging markets such as electric vehicles, renewable energies and motor drives to reduce oil consumption and also our reliance on fossil fuels. Innovation of this proposal would be attractive for industry, because the results of this research would become a money-making activity for the industry.

Faculty Supervisor:

Majid Pahlevani

Student:

Iman Abdali Mashhadi

Partner:

GaN Systems Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Queen's University