Thin film coatings of (Cao.6Mg0.4)Zr4(P04)6 (CMZP) and Mg stabilized AhTiOs ( Mg-Ah Ti05 ) on dense SiC substrates were investigated using sol-gel coating techniques. The thickness and quality of both CMZP and Mg-Ah Ti05 coatings were found to depend on the solution concentration and lift rate. Double coatings were applied to obtain homogeneous and crack-free coatings. The quality of double coatings was influenced by different first and second coating thickness. The CMZP coated samples were fired in controlled atmospheres to have the pure CMZP phase. Unhydrolyzed solution of Mg-AhTiOs was utilized instead of hydrolyzed solution to improve the quality of Mg-AhTiOs coatings. Aging process was found to improve the quality of CMZP and Mg-Ah TiOs coatings. SiC samples coated with CMZP and Mg-Ah TiOs exhibited good thermal shock resistance and greatly improved the high temperature alkali corrosion resistance. / Master of Science

Power devices play key roles in the power electronics applications. In order for the power electronics designers to fully utilize the performance advantages of power devices, compact power device models are needed in the circuit simulator (Saber, P-spice, etc.). Therefore, it is very important to get accurate device models. However, there are many challenges due to the development of new power devices with new internal structure and new semiconductor materials (SiC, GaN, etc.). In this dissertation, enhanced power diode model is presented with an improvement in the reverse blocking region. In the current power diode model in the Saber circuit simulator, an empirical approach was used to describe the low-bias reverse blocking region by introducing an effect called "conduction loss," a parameter that causes a linear relationship between the device voltage and current at low bias voltages with no physics meaning. Furthermore, this term is not sufficient to accurately describe the changes to the device characteristics as the junction temperature is varied. In the enhanced model, an analytical temperature dependent model for the reverse blocking characteristics has been developed for Schottky/JBS diodes by including the thermionic-emission mechanism in the low-bias range. The newly derived model equations have been implemented in Saber circuit simulator using MAST language. An automated parameter extraction software package developed for constructing silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) power diode models, which is called DIode Model Parameter extrACtion Tools (DIMPACT). This software tool extracts the data necessary to establish a library of power diode component models and provides a method for quantitatively comparing between different types of devices and establishing performance metrics for device development. This dissertation also presents a new Saber-compatible approach for modeling the inter-electrode capacitances of the Si CoolMOSTM transistor. This new approach accurately describes all three inter-electrode capacitances (i.e., gate-drain, gate-source, and drain-source capacitances) for the full operating range of the device. The model is derived using the actual charge distribution within the device rather than assuming a lumped charge or one-dimensional charge distribution. The comparison between the simulated data with the measured results validates the accuracy of the new physical model. / Ph. D.

The high-voltage SiC power semiconductor devices have been developed in recent years. They cause an urgent in the need for the power semiconductor packaging to have not only low interconnect resistance, less noise, less parasitic oscillations, improved reliability, and better thermal management, but also High-Voltage (HV) blocking capability. The existing power semiconductor packaging technologies includes wire-bonding interconnect, press pack, flip-chip technology, metal posts interconnected parallel plates structure (MIPPS), dimple array interconnection (DAI), power overlay (POL) technology, and embedded power (EP) technology. None of them meets the requirements of low profile and high voltage rating. The objective of the work in this dissertation is to propose and design a high-voltage power semiconductor device packaging method with low electric field stress and low profile to meet the requirments of high-voltage blocking capability. The main contributions of the work presented in this dissertation are: 1. Understanding the electric field distribution in the package. The power semiconductor packaging is simulated by using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software. The electric field distribution is known and the locations of high electric field concentration are identified. 2. Development of planar high-voltage power semiconductor device packaging method With the proposed structure in the dissertation, the electric field distribution of a planar device package is improved and the high electric field intensity is relieved. 3. Development of design guidelines for the propsed planar high-voltage device packaging method. The influence of the structure dimensions and the material properties is studied. An optimal design is identified. The design guideline is given. 4. Fabrication and experimental verification of the proposed high-voltage device packaging method A detailed fabrication procedure which follows the design guideline is presented. The fabricated modules are tested by using a high power curve tracer. Test results verify the proposed method. 5. Simplification of the structure model of the proposed device package The package structure model is simplified through the elimination of power semiconductor device internal structure model. The simplified model can be simulated by a non-power device simulator. The simulation results of the simplified model match the simulation results of the complete model very well. / Ph. D.

Medium Voltage (MV) power conversion systems are essential in high power applications to address the increasing demand of energy and the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources. MV power electronics converters are the key elements for power conversion in MV systems and are the focus of this study. Multilevel converter topologies are promising topologies in MV applications because of their reduced voltage stress on devices, excellent output quality, reduced semiconductor losses, lower common mode voltage among other advantages. However, they may suffer from the large number of switching devices and capacitors, as well as the need to regulate capacitor voltages. SiC MOSFETs can achieve higher switching speeds, higher switching frequencies, higher voltage ratings, higher operation temperatures compared to traditional Si devices. They have shown promise to increase the efficiency and power density of the converters, but may suffer from higher voltage overshoots, increased Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) emission and so on. In SiC-based multilevel converters, the features of multilevel topologies, and the features of SiC MOSFETs are coupled together. The benefits, challenges, and solutions of using SiC MOSFETs in multilevel converters are studied explicitly in this work. With the high switching speeds and high switching frequencies of SiC MOSFETs, and the large number of switches and capacitors in multilevel topologies, SiC-based multilevel converters need to be studied while considering high-frequency voltage and current behaviors and the interactions among them at different locations. Firstly, the use of SiC-based multilevel converter in the high-speed motor drive application is explored. A three-phase inverter is designed and built employing five-level Stacked Multicell Converter topology and SiC MOSFETs. The benefits and challenges of using multilevel converter topology and using SiC MOSFETs for this application are explored. A fitting topology is selected, and a prototype is designed, both with attentions paid to deal with the high switching speeds of SiC MOSFETs. The inverter is verified through experiments to meet all specifications with a high efficiency. Then a unique type of converter, converters with Integrated Capacitor Blocked Transistor (ICBT) cells are studied. Unlike the traditional methods, there are no fast-developing voltage unbalances, or high cell capacitor voltage ripples in ICBT-based converters. The ideal operation principle is analyzed and verified by the simulation results. Then the impacts of non-idealities on the operation are analyzed, and a control method is proposed for this type of converter. The operation and control of ICBT-based converters are verified by experimental results to achieve low cell capacitor voltage ripples and excellent voltage balance in Medium Voltage high power applications. Lastly, the conducted EMI emission in SiC-based multilevel converters are studied. Four SiC-based multilevel converters are studied, with the focus on the power circuit in one converter and the auxiliary circuits in the other three converters. The complexity of noise generation and propagation in multilevel converters is presented. The conducted EMI disturbances are experimentally evaluated, analyzed, and effectively mitigated in all four cases. / Doctor of Philosophy / Medium Voltage (MV) power conversion systems are essential in high power applications to address the increasing demand of energy and the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources. MV power electronics converters are the key elements for power conversion in MV systems and are the focus of this study. Multilevel converter topologies are promising topologies in MV applications because of their reduced voltage stress on devices, excellent output quality, reduced semiconductor losses, lower common mode voltage among other advantages. However, they may suffer from the large number of switching devices and capacitors, as well as the need to regulate capacitor voltages. SiC MOSFETs can achieve higher switching speeds, higher switching frequencies, higher voltage ratings, higher operation temperatures compared to traditional Si devices. They have shown promise to increase the efficiency and power density of the converters, but may suffer from higher voltage overshoots, increased Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) emission and so on. In SiC-based multilevel converters, the features of multilevel topologies, and the features of SiC MOSFETs are coupled together. The benefits, challenges, and solutions of using SiC MOSFETs in multilevel converters are studied explicitly in this work. With the high switching speeds and high switching frequencies of SiC MOSFETs, and the large number of switches and capacitors in multilevel topologies, SiC-based multilevel converters need to be studied while considering high-frequency voltage and current behaviors and the interactions among them at different locations. Firstly, the use of SiC-based multilevel converter in the high-speed motor drive application is explored. A three-phase inverter is designed and built employing five-level Stacked Multicell Converter topology and SiC MOSFETs. The benefits and challenges of using multilevel converter topology and using SiC MOSFETs for this application are explored. A fitting topology is selected, and a prototype is designed, both with attentions paid to deal with the high switching speeds of SiC MOSFETs. The inverter is verified through experiments to meet all specifications with a high efficiency. Then a unique type of converter, converters with Integrated Capacitor Blocked Transistor (ICBT) cells are studied. Unlike the traditional methods, there are no fast-developing voltage unbalances, or high cell capacitor voltage ripples in ICBT-based converters. The ideal operation principle is analyzed and verified by the simulation results. Then the impacts of non-idealities on the operation are analyzed, and a control method is proposed for this type of converter. The operation and control of ICBT-based converters are verified by experimental results to achieve low cell capacitor voltage ripples and excellent voltage balance in Medium Voltage high power applications. Lastly, the conducted EMI emission in SiC-based multilevel converters are studied. Four SiC-based multilevel converters are studied, with the focus on the power circuit in one converter and the auxiliary circuits in the other three converters. The complexity of noise generation and propagation in multilevel converters is presented. The conducted EMI disturbances are experimentally evaluated, analyzed, and effectively mitigated in all four cases.

With the development and use of Silicon-Carbide [Silicon-Carbide (SiC)] devices come a host of advantages, including higher switching frequency, improved thermal performance, and higher voltage rating. This higher switching frequency can reduce the size of the con- verter system, but is typically associated with higher dv/dt voltage slew rates that further increase electromagnetic interference (EMI) related phenomena. Conventional gate-drivers are very limited in the way that they can control this high dv/dt, and this leads to the use of active gate-drivers. This thesis will explore the use of an active voltage-controlled gate-driver for SiC devices, utilizing transiently a voltage closer to the Miller plateau than the nominal turn-on and turn-off voltage to introduce control over the switching transient. Various ap- plied voltages, and voltage sequences will be evaluated to determine their effectiveness for controlling dv/dt and their impact on switching loss. Through this work, a better under- standing of the advantages and drawbacks of an active gate-driver can be found. The main result from this work is the effective reduction in the dv/dt generated by MOSFET devices, which was attained at a lower switching loss penalty compared to conventional resistive gate-drivers operating at similar dv/dt rates. Simulation and experimental results obtained with a prototype active gate-driver circuitry were used for this evaluation. / Master of Science / Within power electronic systems such as an inverter used to connect solar panels to the grid, are electrically controlled switches. These switches traditionally have been made of Silicon (Si) which imposed limitations on how fast they could transition from off to on, and vice versa, they also could only switch a relatively small number of times per second. However, a new generation of devices made from a silicon carbide material are being increasingly adopted, some key advantages of these new devices include much higher number of times to switch per second, and faster transitions from off-on and on-off. The trade-off that comes with this faster operation is an increase in the electromagnetic noise generated by these switches, among other issues. This work looks to explore a more unique method of controlling the turn-on and turn-off of these new switches and evaluating its impact on the noise generated and the losses during switching.

As the oil and gas industry continues to explore higher temperature environments, electronics that operate at those temperatures without additional cooling become critical. Additionally, current communications systems cannot support the higher data-rates being offered by advancements in sensor technology. An RF modem would be capable of supplying the necessary bandwidth to support the higher data-rate. A voltage-controlled oscillator is an essential part of an RF modem. This thesis presents a 2.336-2.402 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator constructed with 0.25 μm GaN-on-SiC technology high electron mobility transistor (HEMTs). The measured operating temperature range was from 25°C to 225°C. A minimum tuning range of 66 MHz, less than 20% variation in output power, and harmonics more than 20 dB down from the fundamental is observed. The phase noise is between -88 and -101 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset at 225°C. This is the highest frequency oscillator that operates simultaneously at high temperatures reported in literature. / Master of Science / The oil and gas industry require communications systems to transmit data collected from sensors in deep wells to the surface. However, the temperatures of these wells can be more than 210 °C. Traditional Silicon based circuits are unable to operate at these temperatures for a prolonged period. Advancements in wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices enable entrance into this realm of high temperature electronics. One such WBG technology is Gallium Nitride (GaN) which offers simultaneous high temperature and high frequency performance. These properties make GaN an ideal technology for a high temperature RF modem. A voltage-controlled oscillator is an essential part of a RF modem. This thesis demonstrates a GaN-based 2.36 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) whose performance has been measured over a temperature range of 25°C-225°C. This is the highest frequency oscillator that operates simultaneously at high temperatures reported in literature.

The SiC MOSFET has attracted interest due to its superior characteristics compared to its Si counterpart. Several SiC MOSFETs are usually paralleled to increase current capability, considering cost effectiveness and manufacturability. Current unbalance among the MOSFETs is a concern as it affects reliability. The two main causes are asymmetrical layout and parameter mismatch. The variation in parameters, unlike circuit or module layout, is unavoidable during production. Among all the parameters of MOSFET, the spreads in on-state resistance (Rds(on)) and threshold voltage (Vth) are the major concerns during paralleling. The disparity in Rds(on) causes static current unbalance which is self-limited due to the positive temperature coefficient of Rds(on). Its influence is not investigated here. The threshold voltage Vth has a negative temperature coefficient, forcing the MOSFET with lower Vth to carry more current during switching transient. Paralleled MOSFETs are usually de-rated to guarantee safe operation. Balancing of peak currents during switching transient isthe goal of this work. Integration of current/voltage sensors into paralleled structure is difficult in real application. Complicated feedback loop design and separate gate drivers also need to be avoided in perspective of cost and volume. Passive balancing solutions are investigated in this dissertation. The inductors and resistors most effective in improving current sharing are identified by parametric analysis. Their current balancing mechanisms are analyzed in circuit point of view. The design guidelines involving the magnitude of Vth mismatch, current rise time, and unbalance percentage are derived for the selection of passive components. The theory upholds well when substantial parasitics from device package and layout exist. Several passive balancing structures are analyzed and compared in terms of current balancing capability, voltage stress, total switching loss, and switching loss difference. All of them can provide much better current and power balancing without increasing switching loss. Some of the them may increase the stress-inducing inductance, which can be reduced by negative magnetic coupling. Perfect coupling between power-source inductors would enable current matching without penalty on voltage stress. Common-source inductance (Lcm) is effective in dynamic balancing, but at the expense of higher switching loss. It is not considered in power module application because Kelvin connection is normally applied. However, wire bond inside the package of discrete MOSFETs and part of the external leads are inevitable and add to Lcm. Peak-current and switching energy mismatches vary with operating conditions (including input voltage, input current, and switching speed). Design guidelines and procedures that are valid for wide operating range are provided for cases with and without Lcm. This dissertation also models the switching energy and switching energy mismatch of paralleled MOSFETs. The influence of operating conditions, passive balancing components, layout and package parasitic inductances, nonlinear channel performance, and voltage dependent parasitic capacitors are included in the modeling process. The resulting high order system is simplified by reducing the number of passive components and number of devices without losing accuracy. The influence of current balancing components and magnitude of threshold voltage mismatch on sharing are discussed based on modeling results. In conclusion, this dissertation balances the transient currents between paralleled SiC MOSFETs automatically by inductance, resistance and magnetic coupling. This procedure is done utilizing one gate driver without current/voltage sensors and feedback loop. Those solutions work for both polarities of Vth mismatch and force balancing from the first current peak. Design guidelines involving the magnitude of Vth mismatch, current rise time, and maximum peak-current difference are derived to guide the choice of passive components. The detail design procedures are recommended to force currents to share over wide operating range. The aforementioned benefits are demonstrated by two paralleled SiC MOSFETs (C2M0160120D) tested at variant operating conditions. The difference of peak currents can be reduced below 5% of steady-state current in every switching transient. Switching energy mismatch percentage can be reduced by 6 times without increasing total switching energy. / Ph. D. / This research focuses on balancing currents between paralleled SiC MOSFETs. Several SiC MOSFETs are usually paralleled to increase current capability. Current unbalance among MOSFETs caused by variation in parameters is a concern as it affects reliability. Several passive balancing structures are proposed in this dissertation. All of them can provide much better current and power sharing without great scarification of other switching performance. Severity of unbalance varies with operating conditions (including input voltage, input current, and switching speed). Design guidelines and procedures that are valid for a wide operating range are provided. This dissertation also models the switching energy and switching energy mismatch of paralleled MOSFETs. The resulting high order system is simplified by reducing the number of passive components and number of devices without losing accuracy. More findings are discussed based on modeling results. The effectiveness of passive balancing methods are demonstrated by two paralleled SiC MOSFETs tested at variant operating conditions. The difference of peak currents can be reduced below 5% of steady-state current in every switching transient. Switching energy mismatch percentage can be reduced by 6 times without increasing total switching energy.

Wide-bandgap semiconductors have made and are continuing to make a major impact on the power electronics world. The most common commercially available wide-bandgap semiconductors for power electronics applications are SiC and GaN devices. This paper focuses on the newest devices emerging that are made with these wide-bandgap materials. The static and dynamic characterization of six different SiC MOSFETs from different manufacturers are presented. The static characterization consists of the output characteristics, transfer characteristics and device capacitances. High temperature (up to 150 °C) static characterization provides an insight into the dependence of threshold voltage and on-state resistance on temperature. The dynamic characterizations of the devices are conducted by performing the double-pulse test. The switching characteristics are also tested at high temperature, with the presented results putting an emphasis on one of the devices. A comparison of the key characterization results summarizes the performance of the different devices. The characterization of one of the SiC MOSFETs is then continued with a short-circuit failure mode operation test. The device is subjected to non-destructive and destructive pulses to see how the device behaves. The non-destructive tests include a look at the performance under different external gate resistances and drain-source voltages. It is found that as the external gate resistance is increased, the waveforms get noisier. Also, as the drain-source voltage is increased, the maximum short-circuit current level rises. The destructive tests find the amount of time that the device is able to withstand short-circuit operation. At room temperature the device is able to withstand 4.5 μs whereas at 100 °C, the device is able to withstand 4.2 μs. It is found that despite the different conditions that the device is tested at for destructive tests, the energy that they can withstand is similar. This paper also presents the static and dynamic characterization of a 600 V, 2A, normallyoff, vertical gallium-nitride (GaN) transistor. A description of the fabrication process and the setup used to test the device are presented. The fabricated vertical GaN transistor has a threshold voltage of 3.3 V, a breakdown voltage of 600 V, an on-resistance of 880 mΩ, switching speeds up to 97 V/ns, and turn-on and turn-off switching losses of 8.12 µJ and 3.04 µJ, respectively, demonstrating the great potential of this device / MS / A key part in a power electronics circuit is the switch component. Currently, the devices usually used as the switch are made from silicon. As the performance limits of silicon are reached though, wide-bandgap semiconductors are proving to be a promising alternative to silicon semiconductors. These wide-bandgap switches will allow for higher powers, higher efficiency and higher temperature operation. The technology is still novel though and so new devices are still being developed. This paper focuses on showing the performance of the newest devices emerging that are made with these wide-bandgap materials. To demonstrate the performance potential of a switching device, the non-switching and switching behavior need to be tested. These tests are described and the results are shown for both Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors which are the most common wide bandgap semiconductors. The failure mode operation of one of the SiC devices is also tested. A common failure in power electronics is a short circuit failure where the switch is turned on for a long amount of time and kept on for too long, eventually leading to the device breaking destructively. To understand the limits and capabilities of these devices in a short circuit failure, non-destructive and destructive tests are explained and demonstrated.

Decreasing reserves of natural resources drives the oil and gas industry to drill deeper and deeper to reach unexploited wells. Coupled with the demand for substantial real-time data transmission, the need for high speed electronics able to operating in harsher ambient environment is quickly on the rise. This paper presents a high temperature VCO for downhole communication system. The proposed VCO is designed and prototyped using 0.25 μm GaN on SiC RF transistor which has extremely high junction temperature capability. Measurements show that the proposed VCO can operate reliably under ambient temperature from 25 °C up to 230 °C and is tunable from 328 MHz to 353 Mhz. The measured output power is 18 dBm with ±1 dB variations over entire covered temperature and frequency range. Measured phase noise at 230 °C is from -121 dBc/Hz to -109 dBc/Hz at 100 KHz offset. / Master of Science / The oil and gas industry are drilling deeper and deeper to reach unexploited wells due to decreasing reserves of easily available natural resources. In addition, high speed electronics able to operating in harsher ambient environment is required to meet the demand for substantial realtime data transmission. This work presents a high temperature VCO for downhole communication system which can meet the requirement aforementioned. The proposed VCO is designed and prototyped to meet the harsh temperature and high speed requirement. Measurements show that, under ambient temperature from 25 °C up to 230 °C, the proposed VCO can operate reliably from 328 MHz to 353 Mhz, as required by the communication system.

L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est de préparer des microélectrodes à base carbone, montrant des propriétés électrochimiques adéquates pour réaliser des dispositifs microfluidiques qui pourraient servir à la détection de polluants en milieu aqueux. Ce travail décrit la réalisation d’électrodes carbonées de graphène, résine pyrolysée et diamant sur support SiC, permettant leur structuration et intégration dans un procédé d’étapes technologiques . L’élaboration de ces éléments implique la mise en œuvre de techniques utilisées dans la microélectronique : les procédés de mise en forme tels que la lithographie et la gravure sèche, mais aussi des techniques de dépôt ou encore de traitements thermiques. Cette thèse expose également l’élaboration d’électrodes composites à base de fibres de carbone et de polydiméthylsiloxane (PDMS) pour la réalisation de dispositifs microfluidiques simples et peu onéreux, permettant l’analyse électrochimique en flux continu. Les propriétés électrochimiques (cinétique, surface active, réversibilité, domaine d’électroactivité…) ainsi que physiques (rugosité, résistivité électrique…) de ces matériaux ont été déterminées. L’objectif principal de ce travail de caractérisation étant de définir les conditions optimales de synthèse menant à des matériaux viables pour des applications électrochimiques et bioélectrochimiques. Les performances de ces électrodes pour la détection électrochimique d’espèces en solution ont été étudiées sur des modèles de molécules redox et confrontées à la littérature. La biocompatibilité de ces électrodes a également été vérifiée à travers la réalisation de biocapteurs enzymatiques pour la détection de l’acétylthiocholine. L’activité de l’enzyme acétylcholinestérase (AChE) déposée à la surface de nos différentes matériaux carbonés a été conservée et a permis l’utilisation de ces électrodes modifiées comme transducteurs pour la détection de l’acétylthiocholine. / This thesis work is aimed at preparing novel carbon based microelectrodes, revealing adequate electrochemical characteristics for the realization of microfluidic devices which could apply for the detection of biological pollutants in aqueous environment. This work describes the realization of carbon based electrodes made of grahene, pyrolyzed photoresist films, and diamond on silicon carbide, allowing their structuration and integration in a process formed by multiple technological steps. The elaboration of these elements implies the use of technics used in microelectronics. Processes of patterning such as lithography and dry etching, but also deposition technics or even thermal treatments were used. This thesis also shows the elaboration of carbon microfibers and polydiméthylsiloxane (PDMS) based composite electrodes for the realization of simple and cheap microfluidic devices for electrochemical analysis in continuous flow. The electrochemical properties (kinetics, active surface, reversibility, potential range…) but also physical properties (rugosity, electrical resistivity…) of these materials have been determined. The main aim of the characterizations work has been to determine the optimal synthesis conditions leading to viable materials for electrochemical and bioelectrochemical applications. The performances of these electrodes for electrochemical detection of species in solution were investigated on classical redox molecules used in literature for comparison. The biocompatibility of these electrodes was also verified through the realization of enzymatic biosensors for the detection of acétylthiocholine. The activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase’s (AChE), deposited on the surface of our different carbon materials, was kept and permitted the use of these modified electrodes as transducers for acetylthiocholine detection.