According to a report by Reuters, a French research team from IEMN has developed a novel silicon-based epitaxial GaN substrate, which was used to fabricate devices in collaboration with Allos Germany. The measurement results indicate that the breakdown voltage of this new GaN substrate exceeds 1400 V, marking a significant advancement in the field.
The IEMN team tested devices on two different Si-based GaN epitaxial wafers provided by Allos. One of the wafers is their latest design intended for 1200V applications. On this wafer, the team achieved a vertical breakdown voltage of over 1400V and a horizontal breakdown voltage of 1600V. The second wafer is an established product designed for 600V applications. The test results showed that both horizontal and vertical breakdown voltages exceeded 1200V, demonstrating strong performance across different voltage levels.
Notably, neither of the two wafers from Allos is doped with carbon. While carbon doping is commonly used by many manufacturers of Si-based GaN wafers, it can negatively affect crystal quality and dynamic switching performance. By avoiding carbon doping, Allos has managed to maintain high crystal quality while achieving impressive electrical characteristics.
The 1200V epitaxial wafer comes from Allos’s ongoing internal development project. Its enhanced performance is attributed to the company’s unique strain control technology and high-quality crystal structure. Additional measures have been implemented to reduce leakage current and increase breakdown voltage, all without compromising other essential properties such as crystal quality or wafer curvature. The epitaxial growth process was carried out in a standard Aixtron G5 MOCVD reactor, ensuring compatibility with existing manufacturing infrastructure.
“The current results show that we have reached a horizontal electric field of 1.7 MV/cm and a vertical electric field of 2 MV/cm,†said ALLOS CEO Burkhard Slishkaka. “We are planning further improvements at the epitaxial level. Now is the time for the industry to move forward with the 1200V product line. Our partners have built strong collaborations.â€
As a pure epitaxial wafer technology provider, Allos does not engage in device manufacturing. Instead, the company aims to partner with experienced power electronics firms to leverage their expertise in silicon-based GaN 1200V applications. According to Slishkaka, Allos’s technology offers a compelling alternative, enabling silicon-based GaN to compete with silicon carbide in performance—while significantly reducing wafer costs.
Editor: Yan Zhixiang
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