Design, simulation and fabrication of silicon carbide IGBTs - 1=Information and communication technologies (ICT) 2=Non CMOS Device Technology

Silicon carbide (SiC) N-channel IGBTs have the potential to enable new and highly efficient ultrahigh voltage (10 kV+) applications such as the Smart Grid and HVDC, enabling a low carbon society. However, to date, only four research groups have reported on their successful development, due to the considerable challenge associated with their fabrication. The power group at Warwick along with partners from Newcastle and Cambridge, are now taking on the challenge to be one of the first groups in Europe to develop these transformative devices. Once established, we have the ability to push the boundaries of what has been achieved in this fledgling field to date.

Guy's project will be involved in the full development of these devices. Working with the in-house materials development team, he will characterise and benchmark the thick epitaxy produced. He will learn to use the cleanroom by implementing the established in-house MOSFET and PiN diode recipes on the wafers coming from the SiC epitaxial reactor. He will then modify these so they are appropriate for implementation on novel IGBT substrates, using FEM simulation to design and layout new masksets. Like any PhD, it is expected that while Guy will be involved with the full research and development process, he will be free to follow the more interesting results a that arise on the way, be that a novel design, processing step, a design split, or the physics behind the device characteristics.