🟦 The University of Tokyo and NTT Announce Breakthrough Results for Aluminum Nitride-Based Devices

The University of Tokyo and NTT have jointly elucidated the current transport mechanism of Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) using aluminum nitride (AlN)-based semiconductors.

Elucidation of the Current Transport Mechanism of Aluminum Nitride-based Schottky Barrier Diodes -A Significant Progress Toward the Realization of New Power Semiconductor Devices Contributing to a Low-Carbon Society

🟦 The University of Tokyo and NTT Announce Breakthrough Results of Aluminum Nitride Devices Pioneering the Future of Next-Generation Semiconductors!

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is an ultrawide-gap semiconductor with a large bandgap energy (6.0 eV) and an extremely high breakdown electric field. It is attracting attention as a next-generation semiconductor material with properties that exceed those of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). In particular, with the spread of renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for “power semiconductors” that efficiently convert voltages and frequencies is increasing rapidly.

A research team from the University of Tokyo and NTT has devised a device structure to maximize the characteristics of AlN. By installing a buffer layer called “aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN)” between AlN and the electrode, the electrical resistance is one-tenth that of conventional methods. As a result, the current rise characteristics have been dramatically improved, and we have succeeded in fabricating AlN-based SBDs with excellent rectification.

🟦 Why is AlN attracting attention?

AlN-based semiconductors are characterized by their high bandgap energy to reduce losses during power conversion. In particular, AlN-based devices have the potential to reduce environmental impact and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society in power conversion equipment necessary for driving electric vehicles (EVs) and charging, as well as for the spread of renewable energy.

NTT has already realized AlN transistors ahead of the rest of the world, and the results of this research are an extension of that technology. In particular, by using a Si-doped aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) layer, we have achieved the world’s lowest contact resistance in AlN.

🟦 Summary

The Schottky barrier diode (SBD) using aluminum nitride (AlN)-based semiconductors, jointly developed by the University of Tokyo and NTT, is a breakthrough achievement that enables the improvement of power conversion efficiency. By taking advantage of the characteristics of AlN, energy losses can be significantly reduced, which is expected to contribute to the spread of electric vehicles and renewable energy.

This achievement is an important step toward overcoming the technical challenges for the realization of AlN-based devices, and further research and development for practical application will proceed in the future.

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