(Invited) Recent Progress in Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Devices for a More Electric Future

Abstract

Wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors, with their excellent electrical properties, offer breakthrough performance in power electronics enabling low losses, high switching frequencies, and high temperature operation. WBG semiconductors are likely candidates to replace silicon-based semiconductors in the near future seeing as Silicon is fast approaching its performance limits for high power requirements. Wide-bandgap power semiconductor devices offer breakthrough circuit performance enabling low losses, high switching frequencies, and high temperature operation which will allow for enormous energy efficiency gains in a wide range of potential applications. In the past ten years, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Project Agency - Energy (ARPA-E), which was established to fund creative, out-of-the-box, transformational energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment, has invested in WBG semiconductors including material and device-centric programs along with application specific programs targeting the barriers to widespread adoption in power electronics. Under these ARPA-E programs, medium voltage (10-20kV) WBG device development has commenced to push the voltage boundaries of the devices including the development of WBG super-junction devices. Light triggered photoconductive WBG devices are also being investigated for MV applications. The WBG MV devices will enable MVDC grid distribution applicable to markets including electrified transportation, renewable interconnections, and offshore oil, gas, and wind production. Other WBG device ideas are also being explored under ARPA-E programs including WBG integrated circuits and neutron detectors. The progress and challenges of the WBG devices being developed under ARPA-E programs will be reviewed along with thoughts on the future trends of WBG device development.