Guwahati, Feb 5: A team of researchers from IIT Guwahati has made a significant breakthrough by developing a cost-effective technique for growing a unique semiconductor that has the potential to enhance the efficiency of power electronics in various high-power applications.
These applications include electric vehicles, high-voltage transmission, and industrial automation, among others.
Dr. Ankush Bag, an assistant professor at the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering and the Centre for Nanotechnology in IIT Guwahati, collaborated with IIT Mandi and the Institute of Sensor and Actuator Systems at Technical University Wien to achieve this milestone.
The newly developed semiconductor is expected to find wide-ranging use due to its ability to operate efficiently even under extremely high temperatures, reaching up to 200 ºC.
This information was shared in a press release issued by IIT Guwahati.
The research team has developed an innovative and cost-effective technology to grow ultrawide bandgap semiconducting material named gallium oxide. This is achieved through a customised low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) system.
Dr. Ankush Bag said, “Power Semiconductor devices are the heart of every power electronic system and function primarily as efficient switches, toggling ON and OFF to condition incoming power from the grid to be used by end-users. For emerging high-power applications, there is a demand for compound semiconductor materials with an ultra-wide bandgap.”
He mentioned that the challenge was to produce thin and smooth films from the material. After numerous trials and in-depth studies, the research team optimised the gallium oxide semiconductor and combined it with tin to enhance and modulate its conductivity.
The outcome is a high-quality ultra-wide bandgap compound semiconductor with potential applications in electric vehicles, high-voltage transmission, traction systems, and industrial automation, he added.
Speaking about the uniqueness of this research Dr. Bag said, “A key challenge of this research was creating a Gallium oxide thin film on a sapphire substrate, deviating from the common use of Gallium oxide substrates. This shift enhances cost-effectiveness and thermal performance, addressing issues related to the expense and poor thermal conductivity of Gallium oxide substrates.”
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