Research Bits: Sept. 8


Gallium oxide pn diodes Researchers at Nagoya University fabricated functional gallium oxide pn diodes that can carry twice as much electrical current as previous gallium oxide diodes and waste less energy than silicon-based diodes. The key challenge in making the pn diode was creating a stable p-type gallium oxide layer. While gallium oxide's crystal structure easily accepts the atoms need... » read more

Summary Of The Progress In Beta-Phase Gallium Oxide Field-Effect Transistors


A technical paper titled “Progress in Gallium Oxide Field-Effect Transistors for High-Power and RF Applications” was published by researchers at George Mason University and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Abstract: "Power electronics are becoming increasingly more important, as electrical energy constitutes 40% of the total primary energy usage in the USA and is exp... » read more

Research Bits: August 29


Resistive switching with hafnium oxide Researchers from the University of Cambridge, Purdue University, University College London, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and University at Buffalo used hafnium oxide to build a resistive switching memory device that processes data in a similar way as the synapses in the human brain. At the atomic level, hafnium oxide has no structure, with the hafni... » read more

Gallium Oxide Flash Memory (KAUST & IIT)


A technical paper titled "Demonstration of β-Ga2O3 nonvolatile flash memory for oxide electronics" was published by researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Indian Institute of Technology. Abstract: "This report demonstrates an ultrawide bandgap β-Ga2O3 flash memory for the first time. The flash memory device realized on heteroepitaxial β-Ga2O3 film... » read more

Power Semiconductors: A Deep Dive Into Materials, Manufacturing & Business


Whether you’re the owner of the average smartphone, commuting on trains, or driving around in a Tesla, you use power semiconductor devices every day. In a technology-dependent world, these devices are everywhere, and demand for more types of chips using different materials is growing. In the past, most engineers paid little attention to power semiconductors. They were deemed commodity, off... » read more

The Physics Of Ferroelectrics


The physics of ferroelectric materials is a large topic — too large for comprehensive coverage in a single article. While researching my recent article on negative capacitance, I found a number of papers that might be of interest to readers seeking more depth. Researchers in Japan used ferroelectric BiFeO3 to control the behavior of CaMnO3, a Mott insulator. Changing the polarization of th... » read more

Designing And Securing Chips For Outer Space


Design considerations for hardware used in space go far beyond radiation hardening. These devices have to perform flawlessly for years, under extreme temperature variations, and potentially banged up by space junk or other particles floating in the void over its projected lifetime. Reliability in space adds a whole different set of design considerations. For example, while it's unlikely anyo... » read more

ORNL: Advantages of Using Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Materials For Extreme Temp & Radiation


Research paper from ORNL (Oak Ridge National Lab) titled "Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Extreme Temperature and Radiation Environments." Abstract "With their greater voltage breakdowns, higher current limitations, and faster switching speeds, wide bandgap semiconductors are increasing in market application over the traditionally dominant silicon devices. Silicon carbide semiconductors hav... » read more

Gallium Oxide Power Electronic Roadmap


New research paper addressing challenges in using gallium oxide. ABSTRACT "Gallium Oxide has undergone rapid technological maturation over the last decade, pushing it to the forefront of ultra-wide band gap semiconductor technologies. Maximizing the potential for a new semiconductor system requires a concerted effort by the community to address technical barriers which limit performance. Du... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 3


Gallium oxide chips Looking to commercialize a promising ultra wide-bandgap technology in the market, Novel Crystal Technology (NCT) has developed a Schottky barrier diode based on a material called gallium oxide. NCT devised an ampere-class 1,200-V diode based on gallium oxide. A diode is a device that passes electricity in one direction and blocks it in the opposite direction. Still in R&... » read more

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