Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第16862号 / 工博第3583号 / 新制||工||1541(附属図書館) / 29537 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科電子工学専攻 / (主査)教授 木本 恒暢, 教授 藤田 静雄, 准教授 浅野 卓 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第17574号 / 工博第3733号 / 新制||工||1569(附属図書館) / 30340 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科電子工学専攻 / (主査)教授 川上 養一, 教授 野田 進, 准教授 須田 淳 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第17578号 / 工博第3737号 / 新制||工||1570(附属図書館) / 30344 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科電子工学専攻 / (主査)教授 木本 恒暢, 教授 川上 養一, 准教授 後藤 康仁 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当

Investigation of the thermal quenching of photoluminescence (PL) in semiconductors provides valuable information on identity and characteristics of point defects in these materials, which helps to better understand and improve the properties of semiconductor materials and devices. Abrupt and tunable thermal quenching (ATQ) of PL is a relatively new phenomenon with an unusual behavior of PL. This mechanism was able to explain what a traditional model failed to explain. Usually, in traditional model used to explain “normal” quenching, the slope of PL quenching in the Arrhenius plot determines the ionization energy of the defect causing the PL band. However, in abrupt quenching when the intensity of PL decreases by several orders of magnitude within a small range of temperature, the slope in the Arrhenius plot has no relation to the ionization energy of any defect. It is not known a priori if the thermal quenching of a particular PL band is normal or abrupt and tunable. Studying new cases of unusual thermal quenching, classifying and explaining them helps to predict new cases and understand deeper the ATQ mechanism of PL thermal quenching. Very few examples of abrupt and tunable quenching of PL in semiconductors can be found in literature. The abrupt and tunable thermal quenching, reported here for the first time for high-resistivity ZnO, provides an evidence to settle the dispute concerning the energy position of the LiZn acceptor. In high-resistivity GaN samples, the common PL bands related to defects are the yellow luminescence (YL) band and a broad band in the blue spectral region (BL2). In this work, we report for the first time the observation of abrupt and tunable thermal quenching of the YL band in GaN. The activation energies for the YL and BL2 bands calculated through the new mechanism show agreement with the reported values. From this study we predict that the ATQ phenomenon is quite common for high-resistivity semiconductors.

Using the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzherof (HSE06) hybrid functional method along with photoluminescence experimental measurements, we analyze the properties of intrinsic defects such as vacancies, interstitials, antisites, and common complexes. By using configurational coordinate diagrams, we estimate the likelihood of defects to be radiative or non-radiative. Our calculations show that gallium vacancies exhibit a large magnetic moment in the neutral charge state and are most likely non-radiative. We also investigate the correlation between the observed infrared PL bands created in 2.5 MeV electron-irradiated GaN samples and the formation of native defects. It is found that gallium-nitrogen divacancies are possible sources of the broad PL band peaking at 0.95 eV while interstitial gallium is likely to be responsible for the narrow infrared PL band centered around 0.85 eV, with a phonon fine structure at 0.88 eV. In addition to native defects, we also investigate the blue luminescence band (BL2) peaking at 3.0 eV that is observed in high-resistivity GaN samples. Under extended ultraviolet (UV) light exposure, the BL2 band transforms into the yellow luminescence (YL) band with a maximum at 2.2 eV. Our calculations suggest that the BL2 band is related to a hydrogen-carbon defect complex, either CNON-Hi or CN-Hi. The complex creates defect transition level close to the valence band, which is responsible for the BL2 band. Under UV illumination, the complex dissociates, leaving as byproduct the source of the YL band (CNON or CN) and interstitial hydrogen. In conclusion, theoretical predictions of thermodynamic and optical transitions of defects in GaN via the HSE06 method, are found to be within less than 0.2 eV when compared to experiment. Hence the HSE formalism is a powerful tool for the identification and characterization of defects responsible for observed PL bands in GaN.

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit sont axés sur le développement et la caractérisation de modules technologiques sur semiconducteurs à large bande interdite à base de nitrure de gallium (GaN), pour la réalisation de transistors et de cathodes froides. Ils ont été réalisés au sein du laboratoire III-V lab, commun aux entités : Alcatel - Thales - CEA Leti. Notre projet de recherche a bénéficié d'un soutien financier assuré par Thales Electron Devices (TED) et l'Agence Nationale de la Recherche ( ANR ). Concernant les transistors HEMT III-N, nos investigations se sont focalisées sur le développement des parties actives des transistors, incluant principalement la structuration des électrodes de grilles, l'étude de la passivation des grilles métalliques, ainsi que l'étude de diélectriques de grille pour la réalisation de structures MIS-HEMT.Les transistors MOS-HEMT « Normally-off » réalisés présentent des performances comparables à l'état de l'art, avec une densité de courant de drain maximum comprise entre 270 mA et 400 mA / mm, un ratio ION / IOFF > 1100, et des tensions de claquage > 200V. Les tensions de seuil sont comprises entre + 1,8 V et + 4 V. Nos contributions au développement des cathodes froides ont permis de démontrer une première émission dans le vide à partir de cathodes GaN, avec une densité de courant maximale de 300 µA / cm2 pour une tension de polarisation de 40 V / The results presented in this manuscript relate to technological developments and device processing on wide bandgap III-N semiconductor materials. They have been focused on III-N HEMT transistors and GaN cold cathodes. They have been realised within the III-V lab, which is a common entity between: Alcatel - Thales - CEA Leti. They have been financially supported by Thales Electron Devices company (TED) and the French National Research Agency ( ANR ). Regarding III-N HEMTs, our investigations have been focused on the development of device gate processing, which includes : the structuration of gate electrodes, the study of device passivation, and the realization of Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor High Mobility Electron Transistors ( MIS-HEMTs ). The “ Normally-off ” MOS-HEMT structures we have realized exhibit performances comparable to the state of the art, with a maximum drain current density between 270 and 400 mA / mm, a ION / IOFF ratio > 1.100, and a breakdown voltage > 200V. The threshold voltage values range between + 1,8 V and + 4V. We have also been able to demonstrate prototype GaN cold cathodes providing a maximum current density of 300 µA / cm2, emitted in vacuum for a bias voltage around 40 V

Radio-frequency (RF) switches are widely used in electrical systems, telecommunications, and wireless applications. In RF systems, it is often desirable to change the signal path effectively, by us-ing couplers, duplexers, and RF switches for signal division and combining. Typically, in modern RF systems, the RF switch is mostly capitalized in order to reduce the RF footprint but with efficient switch characteristics. A simple method to reduce transceiver space requirement is to integrate RF switches with the frontend module on a single chip. Recent advances in Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology allows RF designers to design faster, smaller, and efficient components using this technology. With high data rates in demand for wireless communication systems, wideband characteristics are needed in modern systems [1]. Therefore, it is desirable to design wideband circuits; such as, mixers, amplifiers, and switches. In this work, a comprehensive study of NRC GaN150 HEMT is conducted to design broadband RF switches. Single pole and double pole switch topologies operating at 1-12 GHz are designed to evaluate GaN 0.15μm RF switches. The main objectives were to design compact sized switches, while having high power handling, low insertion loss, high isolation and high return loss. Additionally, a transmit-receive switch is designed for integration into a frontend module and further fabricated to operate at 10 GHz. There are many applications of RF switches in an RF transceiver, one of which is an impedance tuner. Impedance tuner are attractive for many applications where mobile devices are used for wireless communications. As mobile technology continues to evolve, they are designed to be com-pact, leaving minimal space for the antenna. Consequently, the radiating element is often electrically small and sensitive to near-field coupling requiring tuning. Matching networks aim to tune matching conditions; for example, loading effects due to human hand [2]. For such situations, specialized matching networks can be designed to account for specific loading environmental effects. However, for mobile systems, the environment is unknown; thereby, yielding unpredictable antenna loading, especially for electrically small antennas that have rapidly changing real and imaginary impedance. As a result, it is necessary to design a reconfigurable impedance-matching network to account for possible load impedances. In this work, a 16-bit reconfigurable impedance tuner design comprising of passive microwave components and NRC GaN 0.15μm FET operating at X-band is presented to evaluate its performance for integration with the frontend module on a single chip to reduce cost and increase efficiency of the system.

Les principaux critères de comparaison des convertisseurs sont le rendement, la masse, le volume, le coût et la fiabilité. Le contexte environnemental et économique et le développement des applications nomades ouvrent à l’électronique de puissance un domaine d’application de plus en plus vaste. Mais pour imposer cette technologie, il faut sans cesse améliorer ces performances et les compromis entre celles qui sont antagonistes (augmentation du rendement et diminution de la masse par exemple…) ce qui amène naturellement à la problématique de conception et d’optimisation. Le cas spécifique de l’aéronautique n’échappe pas à la règle et les contraintes y semblent encore plus fortes. La réduction de la masse, du volume et l’augmentation du rendement et de la fiabilité sont parmi les défis principaux actuels, et la transition de systèmes hydrauliques ou pneumatique vers des systèmes électriques laisse espérer à une amélioration des performances globales de l’avion. Les architectures des convertisseurs sont un moyen efficace d’améliorer les convertisseurs parce qu’ils permettent de réduire les contraintes au sein des convertisseurs tout en améliorant les formes d’onde en entrée et/ou en sortie. Parallèlement, les composants classiques en silicium ont bénéficié de larges avancés au cours de ces dernières décennies et approchent de leurs limites théoriques. Pour espérer une amélioration, des technologies en rupture sont désormais nécessaires. Au cours de ces dernières années, les technologies de semi-conducteurs dit « à grand gap », essentiellement à base de Nitrure de Gallium ou de Carbure de Silicium (resp. GaN et SiC) se sont considérablement amélioré et sont d’ores et déjà plus performant que les composants Si dans de nombreux cas. Les semi-conducteurs étant généralement plus performants lorsqu’ils ont une tenue en tension plus faible, on envisage ici de cumuler plusieurs avantages en envisageant la mise en série de composants GaN basse-tension pour améliorer l’intégration des convertisseurs de puissance. Dans un premier temps, un convertisseur multi-niveaux élémentaire de type Flying Capacitor (FlyCap) est mis en oeuvre. Des condensateurs de puissance intégrés sont utilisés, ce qui pourrait permettre de réduire l’empreinte de ces composants et de proposer une dissipation thermique commune par le dessus des composants. L’utilisation de composant au temps de commutation réduit est critique pour la fiabilité des convertisseurs. Une étude de l’influence des paramètres physique du circuit électrique sur les inductances parasites de la maille de puissance et de commande est menée permettant de mettre en évidence des règles de conception dans le but d’améliorer la fiabilité des convertisseurs. Dans un second temps, l’équilibrage dynamique de la topologie FlyCap qui est critique pour les formes d’onde et la sureté de fonctionnement est étudié. La prise en compte des pertes dans les semi-conducteurs permet d’améliorer l’estimation de la dynamique d’équilibrage. Une base de réflexion sur le dimensionnement d’un équilibreur passif est également proposée pour optimiser sa dynamique et les pertes associées. Un prototype expérimental à 5 cellules de commutation est présenté permettant d’atteindre une tension d’entrée de 270 V avec des composants 100V.

Electrical equivalent circuit modeling of active components is one of the most important approaches for modeling high-frequency high-power devices. Amongst the most used microwave devices, AlGaN/GaN HEMTs demonstrated their superior performance, making them highly suitable for 5G, wireless and satellite communications. Despite the remarkable performance of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, these devices reside on substrates that invoke limitations on the operating-frequency, power-efficiency, and current dispersion phenomenon. Also, there is a limitation in present parameters extraction techniques being not able to consider both the substrate effect (Silicon, Silicon Carbide, and Diamond) and the asymmetrical GaN HEMT structure. In this thesis work, a single extrinsic parameters extraction technique using a single small-signal topology takes into account both the asymmetrical GaN HEMT structure and the different substrate types with their parasitic conduction will be developed and studied for the first time. Moreover, large-signal modeling using Quasi-Physical Zone Division technique has been applied to both GaN/D and GaN/SiC to model the isothermal-trapping free drain current, and combined with a new simple technique for comparing performance between active devices in terms of current-dispersion. The models were verified by simulating the small-signal S-parameters, large-signal IV characteristics, and single-tone load-pull. High accuracy was achieved compared to the measurement data available in the technical literature and obtained from fabricated devices.

abstract: The quest to find efficient algorithms to numerically solve differential equations isubiquitous in all branches of computational science. A natural approach to address this problem is to try all possible algorithms to solve the differential equation and choose the one that is satisfactory to one's needs. However, the vast variety of algorithms in place makes this an extremely time consuming task. Additionally, even after choosing the algorithm to be used, the style of programming is not guaranteed to result in the most efficient algorithm. This thesis attempts to address the same problem but pertinent to the field of computational nanoelectronics, by using PETSc linear solver and SLEPc eigenvalue solver packages to efficiently solve Schrödinger and Poisson equations self-consistently. In this work, quasi 1D nanowire fabricated in the GaN material system is considered as a prototypical example. Special attention is placed on the proper description of the heterostructure device, the polarization charges and accurate treatment of the free surfaces. Simulation results are presented for the conduction band profiles, the electron density and the energy eigenvalues/eigenvectors of the occupied sub-bands for this quasi 1D nanowire. The simulation results suggest that the solver is very efficient and can be successfully used for the analysis of any device with two dimensional confinement. The tool is ported on www.nanoHUB.org and as such is freely available. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Electrical Engineering 2020