High temperature power chips operate at 800°C
Researchers in Japan have developed power chips that can operate at temperatures as high as 800°C for underground drilling, space exploration, and engine peripherals
The team at the University of Tsukuba and Dowa Electronics Materials used aluminium nitride (AlN) crystals on a sapphire substrate as this has a larger bandgap energy in comparison to other semiconductors. Previous designs have been limited to 500 °C owing to technical problems associated with electrical characterization systems.
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The team used a new electrical characterization system capable of functioning at temperatures up to 900°C. The researchers achieved a successful demonstration of a 610V diode operation at 827°C using nickel electrodes, surpassing all previous records, and the MESFET transistors operated at 727°C.
The AIN devices are practically feasible because the aluminium nitride layers are grown on large, low-cost sapphire substrates with a simple structure.
This research has paved the way for operable semiconductor devices to operate in severe environments above 800°C) such as underground mining, steel production, space exploration, and aviation.
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.35848/1882-0786/acdcde; www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/
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