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Vertical GaN on Silicon: Wide Band Gap Power at Silicon Cost

Project description

High-performance power transistor technology at low cost

Silicon has been the workhorse of power transistor technology, and it remains a cost-effective leader for many applications across all voltage ranges. However, its inherent material properties are becoming a barrier to today’s requirements for increased power densities and higher efficiencies, particularly in the fast-growing areas of electric vehicles, renewable energy and data centres. Wide band gap (WBG) semiconductor materials can overcome these limitations. The EU-funded YESvGaN project is developing innovative WBG technology utilising vertical gallium nitride transistors on low-cost substrates such as silicon that will unite enhanced performance with low cost.

Objective

YESvGaN targets a new low-cost wide band gap (WBG) power transistor technology for enabling high-efficiency power electronic systems in the field of electromobility, industrial drives, renewable energies and data centers. In many applications requiring power transistors with high voltage and current rating (600…1200V, ~100A), silicon IGBT technology is nowadays used due to cost considerations accepting its lower efficiency compared to WBG solutions. The main objective of YESvGaN is to demonstrate innovative vertical gallium nitride (GaN) power transistors fabricated on a low-cost substrate such as silicon. This so-called vertical membrane architecture combines the superior performance of GaN as WBG power transistor material with the advantages of a vertical architecture regarding current and voltage robustness at a price competitive to silicon IGBTs. To this end, the entire value chain from substrate, epitaxy, process technology, interconnection technology to application in relevant power electronic systems is addressed. YESvGaN clusters the relevant competences along the value chain in a consortium of large companies, SMEs and institutes from seven European countries.

Coordinator

ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Net EU contribution
€ 611 629,06
Address
ROBERT-BOSCH-PLATZ 1
70839 Gerlingen-Schillerhoehe
Germany

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Region
Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart Ludwigsburg
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
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Total cost
€ 2 446 516,25

Participants (27)