ICSCRM 2023 Tutorial Day: New topics in SiC research

Chair: dr. Francesco La Via, IMM-CNR, Italy

Hilton Sorrento Palace Hotel, Sorrento (Italy)

Sunday September 17^th, 2023

 

On Sunday, September 17^th, a Tutorial Day will be organized specifically, but not exclusively, for young researchers (PhD students and Postdocs) as a satellite event of ICSCRM 2023. The main objective of the Tutorial Day is to introduce the important concepts and hot topics to be discussed during the conference.

The title of this tutorial program is “New Topics in SiC research”. Lectures will be given by six invited speakers, all well recognized in their respective field, and will be easy to follow for young researchers with different backgrounds and fields of activity.

Program

Tutorial day abstracts and short biographies

Fundamentals of SiC Complementary MOSFETs and JFETs for Advanced IC Applications
Prof. Tsunenobu Kimoto, Kyoto University, Japan

Abstract
Complementary MOS (CMOS) consisting of a pair of n- and p-channel MOSFETs has served as the unrivaled devices in Si LSIs owing to its low power dissipation. Through recent progress in SiC device technologies, intensive studies on SiC CMOS have started, demonstrating a great potential for small-scale ICs operating under harsh environment such as high temperature (~300°C). The low channel mobility, threshold voltage instability, and gate oxide reliability at high temperature must be overcome to make SiC CMOS exceptionally attractive. In recent years, SiC complementary JFETs (CJFET) consisting of n- and p-channel normally-off JFETs have been proposed. Although Si and GaAs CJFETs were reported in 1980s, the operating voltage VDD was limited to below 0.7 V due to the narrow bandgap of those materials. The wide bandgap of SiC enables CJFET operation at a standard VDD of 1.8 V, which is significantly lower than that of SiC CMOS (10–15 V), leading to much smaller power dissipation. SiC CJFET must exhibit stable operation at very high temperature compared with SiC CMOS because the devices are gate-oxide free. In this lecture, the basic principle of complementary devices, current status of SiC CMOS and CJFET, potential applications, and future challenges are reviewed.

Prof. Kimoto’s biography

Tsunenobu Kimoto received the M.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Kyoto University, Japan, in 1988 and he joined Sumitomo Electric Industries, LTD. In 1990, he started his academic career at Kyoto University, and received the Ph.D. degree in 1996, based on his work on SiC. From 1996 to 1997, he was a visiting scientist at Linköping University, Sweden, and he is currently a Professor at Department of Electronic Science and Engineering, Kyoto University. His main research activity includes SiC electronics (both material and devices), semiconductor nanowires, and resistive switching devices. He is an IEEE Fellow and JSAP Fellow.

 

 

 

 

 

High Temperature Devices for Aerospace Applications
Philip G. Neudeck, NASA Glenn Research Center, USA

Abstract
This presentation will overview important new capabilities and benefits that next-generation higher temperature electronics promise for a variety of aerospace systems and missions. Initial aerospace infusions of higher temperature electronics to be discussed include jet engines and the prolonged robotic exploration of the Venus surface. Complete redesign of systems compared to prior conventional electronics practices would yield the most revolutionary benefits. However, the inherent higher risk and expense associated with new technology adoption will likely drive a more evolutionary technology infusion process,
especially since flight qualification demands large safety margins and testing that ensures reliable operation for far longer than actual mission duration. SiC pn-junction based devices are inherently capable of the most durable operation at the highest application temperatures compared other transistor technologies, but such integrated circuits (ICs) will never achieve integration levels near today’s silicon ICs. Extreme temperature high-power devices will also be de-rated compared to room-temperature performance. While the high temperature market will always be small compared to the conventional temperature mass-market, compatibility and leveraging of existing foundry manufacturing is vital to the establishment of a sustainable high temperature electronics ecosystem sufficient to significantly improve aerospace systems.

Dr. Neudeck’s short bio

Philip G. Neudeck received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1986, 1987, and 1991.
In 1991, Dr. Neudeck became the lead semiconductor device engineer of the SiC electronics research group at NASA Glenn Research Center. He has overseen the design, modeling, fabrication, and electrical characterization of prototype SiC electronic devices being developed for high-temperature or high-power operation in aerospace-related systems. Dr. Neudeck is the 2019 recipient of the IEEE-USA Harry Diamond Memorial Award for distinguished technical contributions in the field of electrotechnology while in U.S. Government service and is an IEEE Fellow.

 

 

 

 

2D materials integration on silicon carbide: a root beyond power electronics

Filippo Giannazzo, CNR-IMM, Strada VIII, 5, 95121 Catania (Italy)

Abastract

The integration of 2D materials with SiC received an increasing scientific interest in the last two decades, starting from the first experimental reports on epitaxial graphene (Epi-Gr) grown by thermal decomposition of SiC surface [ ]. Owing to the low-in plane lattice mismatch, the growth of ultra-thin films of semiconducting 2H-MoS2 on SiC(0001) has been recently demonstrated by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) [ ] and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) [ ]. Furthermore, new forms of 2D materials commonly unstable under ordinary conditions, such as 2D-Nitrides (GaN, InN, AlN) [ ] and 2D-oxides (In2O3, Ga2O3) [ ] have been obtained by the confined heteroepitaxy at the Epi-Gr/SiC interface.
The availability of a wide number of 2D materials with different electronic properties on the SiC platform clearly expands the range of its potential applications beyond the mainstream field of power electronics.
This tutorial will provide an overview on the development of 2D materials integration with SiC and on the currently open challenges. Furthermore, perspective applications of 2D materials on SiC in high-frequency electronics, optoelectronics, quantum technologies, environmental and bio- sensing will be discussed.

Dr. Giannazzo’s biography

Filippo Giannazzo (PhD) joined CNR-IMM as a Researcher in 2006 and is Research Director from 2020. He is expert in scanning probe microscopy methods for the characterization of carrier transport properties in advanced materials for micro and nano-electronics (WBG semiconductors, dielectrics, 2D materials and heterostructures). From 2016, he coordinated two EU-projects, GraNitE (http://granite.imm.cnr.it/) and ETMOS (http://etmos.imm.cnr.it/ ) on 2D materials integration with WBG semiconductors. He is author of >350 papers with >6200 citations (h-index=42) and an international patent.

 

 

 

 

How SiC brings an added value to MEMS devices ?
Prof. Daniel Alquier, University of Tours

Abstract
If silicon carbide (SiC) is recognized nowadays as the material of choice for power applications due to notable electrical properties, SiC is also an outstanding candidate for micro and Nano-Electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) thanks to its outstanding mechanical and chemical properties. SiC sensors and actuators may fill the demand in harsh environment (aerospace, nuclear, …) or automotive fields. In this presentation, we will introduce what MEMS/NEMS means and their field of applications. We will review the techniques that have to be applied to obtain the MEMS, in particular surface and bulk micromachining. We will see how 3C-SiC and 4H-SiC can be used to fabricate such MEMS/NEMS devices and present various applications such as high frequency actuation or pressure and gas sensing. We will conclude on the future applications for MEMS that can be achieved using the great material SiC!

Prof. Alquier’s biography

Daniel Alquier is professor at Tours University since 2005. He has worked for more than 25 years in micro-and nano-electronics. He is a specialist of wide band gap semiconductors (SiC and GaN) for power devices and MEMS. He is author and co-author of more than 150 papers and 7 patents. He has worked or led for GREMAN lab (Université de Tours / CNRS) more than 30 projects (Europe, national (ANR, PIA) or regional ones).

 

 

 

 

 

SiC photonic devices
Prof. Haiyan Ou, Technical University of Denmark

Abstract
Silicon carbide (SiC), a wide bandgap semiconductor, possesses unique physical properties. These unique properties are being explored to provide radical solutions comparing to its counterparts such as silicon and gallium arsenide, therefore has far profound impact on the society. For example, SiC is playing a very important role in power electronics due to its high electron breakdown field and electron saturation velocity.
Additionally, SiC also has super optical properties such as both high second-order and third-order nonlinearity. Leveraging the mature material growth and processing technology during the development of power electronics, SiC is emerging as a promising material platform for photonic integrated circuits (PIC).
As pioneer of applying silicon carbide in photonics, in this tutorial, I’ll present the state of the art of the SiC nanophotonics covering low-loss silicon carbide on insulator stack formation, high-efficiency coupling schemes, low loss SiC waveguide fabrication and high quality factor optical cavities as well as on-chip SiC frequency combs. Different polytypes SiC waveguides have been demonstrated with low loss. Correspondingly, optical cavities (photonic crystal, mirroring resonator, microdisk) have achieved quality factor as high as 1 million.
Perspectives of SiC based PIC and quantum PIC will be foreseen and the challenges will be identified.

Prof Haiyan’s biography

Haiyan Ou, PhD in 2000 from Institute of Semiconductors of Chinese Academy of Sciences, associate professor since 2005 at Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Her research interest is primarily in semiconductors materials and devices for integrated optics, photovoltaics and light emission. She has been working on integrated optics for 25 years being especially involved in several projects on Si photonics. She is a pioneer in applying SiC in photonics and a PI/WP leader of several national and Nordic projects on fluorescent SiC. She is coordinating an EU horizon 2020 FET Open project SiComb (CMOS compatible and ultrabroad-band on-chip SiC frequency comb).

 

 

 

 

 

Silicon Carbide Biotechnology There is more to SiC than power electronics!
Prof. Stephen E. Saddow, University of South Florida, USA

Abstract
Starting in 2005 the USF SiC Group started to study the biocompatibility of various SiC single-crystalline forms, known as polytypes, and our research was aimed at both understanding the potential of SiC for biomedical applications and to understand why discrepancies in the literature existed: some reports stating that SiC was cytotoxic and other biocompatible. We have since this time studied various forms of SiC, mainly 3C-, 4H-, 6H- and amorphous SiC to various biological systems as skin and connective tissue, blood platelets, neurons, etc. We have also compared the in-vivo response of tissue (wild type mice) to 3C-SiC and Si and have found a very promising null response for 3C-SiC, at least for 30 days in-vivo. Additional work has shown similar results for a-SiC coated probes thus motivating the development of implantable biomedical devices using SiC as the requisite materials. At the University of South Florida a team of electrical engineers and neuroscientists have been developing silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices for use as implantable neural interfaces (INIs). This tutorial will discuss both the state of the art of SiC biotechnology as well as review other research in Prof. Saddow’s laboratory in the area of biomedical technology.

Prof. Saddow’s biography

Dr. Saddow’s research interests are to develop wide-bandgap semiconductor materials for biomedical applications MEMS/NEMS applications. His group has demonstrated the in-vitro biocompatibility of 3C-SiC to numerous cell lines and lately his research has focused on the central nervous system. His group has demonstrated several advanced biomedical devices, such as microelectrode arrays (MEAs), neural probes, in-vivo glucose sensors and impedance-based biosensors. Dr. Saddow was recently recognized for these contributions by being named Fellow of the AIMBE. He recently edited his third book in this field SiC Biotechnology for Healthcare Applications, Elsevier © 2022, which is the basis for this tutorial.