A landscape of β-Ga₂O₃ Schottky power diodes

Abstract

β-Ga2O3 Schottky barrier diodes have undergone rapid progress in research and development for power electronic applications. This paper reviews state-of-the-art β-Ga2O3 rectifier technologies, including advanced diode architectures that have enabled lower reverse leakage current via the reduced-surface-field effect. Characteristic device properties including on-resistance, breakdown voltage, rectification ratio, dynamic switching, and nonideal effects are summarized for the different devices. Notable results on the high-temperature resilience of β-Ga2O3 Schottky diodes, together with the enabling thermal packaging solutions, are also presented.

2 in. Bulk β-Ga2O3 Single Crystals Grown by EFG Method with High Wafer-Scale Quality

“…As a new emerging ultrawide band gap semiconductor, gallium oxide (Ga 2 O 3 ) possesses a large band gap of 4.9 eV, a high breakdown field of 8 MV/cm, and a desirable Baliga’s figure of merit of 3214. Additionally, it exhibits strong bonding structures with Ga- and O-displacement energies of 25 and 28 eV, respectively. , These excellent material characteristics enable Ga 2 O 3 to find extensive applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices, even comparable with GaN and SiC. , In recent years, numerous successful device demonstrations of Ga 2 O 3 , such as deep-ultraviolet photodetectors, − resistive random access memories, , gas sensors, light-emitting diodes, photocatalysts, Schottky diodes, heterojunction diodes, and metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors for power devices, − have been explored and investigated experimentally. In all examples, the performance of these devices is highly dependent on the material merit of Ga 2 O 3 .…”

“… 1 , 2 These excellent material characteristics enable Ga 2 O 3 to find extensive applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices, even comparable with GaN and SiC. 3 , 4 In recent years, numerous successful device demonstrations of Ga 2 O 3 , such as deep-ultraviolet photodetectors, 5 − 7 resistive random access memories, 8 , 9 gas sensors, 10 light-emitting diodes, 11 photocatalysts, 12 Schottky diodes, heterojunction diodes, and metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors for power devices, 13 − 15 have been explored and investigated experimentally. In all examples, the performance of these devices is highly dependent on the material merit of Ga 2 O 3 .…”

NiO/Ga2O3 Vertical Rectifiers of 7 kV and 1 mm2 with 5.5 A Forward Conduction Current

“…Typically, standard Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBDs) have soft breakdown characteristics because of the Schottky barrier lowering at high reverse bias that allows tunneling and thermionic emission currents. Consequently, the breakdown voltage is chiefly determined using the maximum permissible leakage current rather than avalanche breakdown, representing a key limitation in their operational constraints [20][21][22][23][24]. A promising recent development entails the incorporation of NiO as a p-type conducting layer to engender p-n heterojunctions with the n-type Ga 2 O 3 [21,, partially mitigating the inherent absence of native p-type doping capabilities in Ga 2 O 3 .…”

“…A promising recent development entails the incorporation of NiO as a p-type conducting layer to engender p-n heterojunctions with the n-type Ga 2 O 3 [21,, partially mitigating the inherent absence of native p-type doping capabilities in Ga 2 O 3 . Nevertheless, formidable challenges persist, encompassing the optimization of edge termination and effective heat dissipation management, vital prerequisites for ensuring device reliability [1,5,20,25,[32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Another paramount endeavor entails the realization of larger area devices capable of facilitating substantial conduction currents, while concurrently upholding their kV-level breakdown characteristics [1,22,25,[29][30][31]33,35].…”

Preface to Special Issue on Advanced Optoelectronic and Electronic Devices toward Future Displays

“…They were able to produce nanowires of perovskite for neuromorphic imaging, which is very promising. Semiconductor quantum rods were discussed in the paper by Wanlong Zhang et al [9] . Fascinating alignment effects were observed making use of a technique developed for LCD alignment.…”