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As a member of CHALLENGE project, CUSIC developes new power device market!

Date:2017/02/03

It is our great pleasure to announce that CHALLENGE project, this consists of 14 partners from 7 countries including CUSIC, is funded by research and innovation program Horizon2020.

The CHALLENGE project officially started in Brussels with its Kick-off meeting, proposing a new strategic approach to nanotechnology innovation applied to power devices.

CHALLENGE is a research and innovation action funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, with the objective of developing an advanced, cost-effective, sustainable material speeding up the operation of power- electronic devices based on the improved properties of the new material and its component.

The activities will focus on cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) growth, processing and device optimisation. This technology can have a large impact in the future power device market, which is segmented by voltage rating.

In particular CHALLENGE is looking at improving power efficiency in the consumer market between 600V and 1200V. This market is growing rapidly and according to the main market agency previsions, it will go from 100 million dollars in 2020 to 300 million dollars in 2023. Manufactures are still looking for the best technological solution that will enable better performances, efficiency and consistent low costs of power devices. The low cost of the 3C-SiC approach and the high scalability of this material makes this technology extremely competitive in the motor drives of Electric-Hybrid Vehicles. This research activity is strategic, as it has applications in several fields: from telecommunication to automotive, from consumer electronics to electrical household appliances, from industrial applications to home automation.

CHALLENGE is willing to overcome the technological barrier and facilitate the use of a cost effective, low environmental impact new material in the semiconductor’s family. 14 partners from 7 countries with expertise across the whole supply chain (equipment, materials, characterizations, processing, power devices, simulations), are engaged for the next 4 years to maintain excellence and competitiveness in Europe and further develop the semiconductor’s sector.

CHALLENGE partners:

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ITA)
University of Erlangen (D)
LPE SPA (ITA)
NOVASiC SA (FRA)
Anvil Semiconductors Ltd (UK)
ASCATRON AB (SWE)
University of Milano-Bicocca (ITA)
Silvaco Europe Ltd (UK)
MOVERIM Consulting sprl (BE)
Ion Beam Services (FRA)
University of Linkoping (SWE)
University of Warwick (UK)
STMicroelectronics (ITA)
CUSIC (JAP)

Project title:

3C-SiCHetero-epitaxiALLy grown on silicon compliancE substrates and new 3C-SiC substrates for sustaiNable wide-band-Gap powEr devices (CHALLENGE)

Duration: 48 months

Total H2020 grant: 7,997,822 €

Link:

http://cordis.europa.eu/news/rcn/138095_en.html

Background information:

CHALLENGE project focuses on cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) growth, processing and devices has started at the beginning of 2017. This technology can have a large impact in the future power device market, which is segmented by voltage rating such that different materials can find their applications according to their technical capability and cost. In the low voltage (~100V) section silicon (Si) dominates thanks to the technology that has been developed over the last 50 years. In the high voltage (>1200V) section of the market, hexagonal silicon carbide (4H-SiC) will probably be the best semiconductor material thanks to its properties and the possibility to grow large wafers (up to 6 inches). The high voltage segment is not overly cost sensitive and so the high cost of the 4H-SiC substrate is not critical.

The technology choices for improving power efficiency in the consumer market between 200V and 1200V are still being debated. One key characteristic of this market is that it is very price sensitive, consequently 4H-SiC technology is unlikely to fit here. These huge markets are likely to be divided between two emerging technologies. We can suggest that between 200V and 500V GaN/Si is best suited to the market needs, while between 600V and 1200V the 3C-SiC/Si technology is optimum. This market is growing rapidly and according to the HIS market agency previsions it will go from 100 million dollars in 2020 to 300 million dollars in 2023.

The potential electrical activity of extended defects in 3C‑SiC is a concern for electronic device functionality. To achieve viable commercial yields the mechanisms of defects must be understood and methods for their reduction developed. CHALLENGE is willing to solve this problem and facilitate the use of a cost effective, low environmental impact new material in the semiconductor’s family.

This project proposes a toolbox of solutions for the reduction of defects in bulk 3C-SiC material based around new compliance substrates. Different substrate structures will be developed and tested. The structure of the substrates is intended to force the bulk growth along selected pathways, thus helping to reduce the inherent hetero-epitaxy stress and the defect density, usually observed with such kind of materials. This, in turn, will allow for more efficient energy transfer and decreased energy loss upon use. Numerical simulations of the bulk growth and simulations of the stress reduction will be implemented constantly during the research process.

Several high voltage devices operating at high power and with low power consumption will be realized inside the project.

The low cost of the 3C-SiC hetero-epitaxial approach, and the high scalability of this process to 300 mm wafers and beyond, makes this technology extremely competitive in the motor drives of Electric Vehicle/Hybrid Electric Vehicle (EV/HEV), air conditioning systems, refrigerators, etc.. Furthermore, the opportunity of using a p+ Si substrate can be used to realize an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), the most advanced power transistor, allowing further reduction in device power dissipation to be realised.