The unique materials properties of GaN-based semiconductors have stimulated a great deal of interest in research and development regarding nitride materials growth and optoelectronic and nitride-based electronic devices. High electron mobility and saturation velocity, high sheet carrier concentration at heterojunction interfaces, high breakdown field, and low thermal impedance of GaN-based films grown over SiC or bulk AlN substrates make nitride-based electronic devices very promising. The chemical inertness of nitrides is another key property.This volume, written by experts on different aspects of nitride technology, addresses the entire spectrum of issues related to nitride materials and devices, and it will be useful for technologists, scientists, engineers, and graduate students who are working on wide bandgap materials and devices. The book can also be used as a supplementary text for graduate courses on wide bandgap semiconductor technology.

This book presents the first comprehensive overview of the properties and fabrication methods of GaN-based power transistors, with contributions from the most active research groups in the field. It describes how gallium nitride has emerged as an excellent material for the fabrication of power transistors; thanks to the high energy gap, high breakdown field, and saturation velocity of GaN, these devices can reach breakdown voltages beyond the kV range, and very high switching frequencies, thus being suitable for application in power conversion systems. Based on GaN, switching-mode power converters with efficiency in excess of 99 % have been already demonstrated, thus clearing the way for massive adoption of GaN transistors in the power conversion market. This is expected to have important advantages at both the environmental and economic level, since power conversion losses account for 10 % of global electricity consumption. The first part of the book describes the properties and advantages of gallium nitride compared to conventional semiconductor materials. The second part of the book describes the techniques used for device fabrication, and the methods for GaN-on-Silicon mass production. Specific attention is paid to the three most advanced device structures: lateral transistors, vertical power devices, and nanowire-based HEMTs. Other relevant topics covered by the book are the strategies for normally-off operation, and the problems related to device reliability. The last chapter reviews the switching characteristics of GaN HEMTs based on a systems level approach. This book is a unique reference for people working in the materials, device and power electronics fields; it provides interdisciplinary information on material growth, device fabrication, reliability issues and circuit-level switching investigation.

This Third Edition updates a landmark text with the latest findings The Third Edition of the internationally lauded Semiconductor Material and Device Characterization brings the text fully up-to-date with the latest developments in the field and includes new pedagogical tools to assist readers. Not only does the Third Edition set forth all the latest measurement techniques, but it also examines new interpretations and new applications of existing techniques. Semiconductor Material and Device Characterization remains the sole text dedicated to characterization techniques for measuring semiconductor materials and devices. Coverage includes the full range of electrical and optical characterization methods, including the more specialized chemical and physical techniques. Readers familiar with the previous two editions will discover a thoroughly revised and updated Third Edition, including: Updated and revised figures and examples reflecting the most current data and information 260 new references offering access to the latest research and discussions in specialized topics New problems and review questions at the end of each chapter to test readers' understanding of the material In addition, readers will find fully updated and revised sections in each chapter. Plus, two new chapters have been added: Charge-Based and Probe Characterization introduces charge-based measurement and Kelvin probes. This chapter also examines probe-based measurements, including scanning capacitance, scanning Kelvin force, scanning spreading resistance, and ballistic electron emission microscopy. Reliability and Failure Analysis examines failure times and distribution functions, and discusses electromigration, hot carriers, gate oxide integrity, negative bias temperature instability, stress-induced leakage current, and electrostatic discharge. Written by an internationally recognized authority in the field, Semiconductor Material and Device Characterization remains essential reading for graduate students as well as for professionals working in the field of semiconductor devices and materials. An Instructor's Manual presenting detailed solutions to all the problems in the book is available from the Wiley editorial department.

This book addresses material growth, device fabrication, device application, and commercialization of energy-efficient white light-emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes, and power electronics devices. It begins with an overview on basics of semiconductor materials, physics, growth and characterization techniques, followed by detailed discussion of advantages, drawbacks, design issues, processing, applications, and key challenges for state of the art GaN-based devices. It includes state of the art material synthesis techniques with an overview on growth technologies for emerging bulk or free standing GaN and AlN substrates and their applications in electronics, detection, sensing, optoelectronics and photonics. Wengang (Wayne) Bi is Distinguished Chair Professor and Associate Dean in the College of Information and Electrical Engineering at Hebei University of Technology in Tianjin, China. Hao-chung (Henry) Kuo is Distinguished Professor and Associate Director of the Photonics Center at National Chiao-Tung University, Hsin-Tsu, Taiwan, China. Pei-Cheng Ku is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. Bo Shen is the Cheung Kong Professor at Peking University in China.

Semiconductor spintronics is expected to lead to a new generation of transistors, lasers and integrated magnetic sensors that can be used to create ultra-low power, high speed memory, logic and photonic devices. Useful spintronic devices will need materials with practical magnetic ordering temperatures and current research points to gallium and aluminium nitride magnetic superconductors as having great potential. This book details current research into the properties of III-nitride semiconductors and their usefulness in novel devices such as spin-polarized light emitters, spin field effect transistors, integrated sensors and high temperature electronics. Written by three leading researchers in nitride semiconductors, the book provides an excellent introduction to gallium nitride technology and will be of interest to all reseachers and industrial practitioners wishing to keep up to date with developments that may lead to the next generation of transistors, lasers and integrated magnetic sensors.

The second edition of Gallium Nitride & Related Wide Bandgap Materials and Devices provides a detailed insight into the global developments in GaN, SiC and other optoelectronic materials. This report also examines the implication for both suppliers and users of GaN technology. For a PDF version of the report please call Tina Enright on +44 (0) 1865 843008 for price details.