Scalable, Wide Bandgap Integrated Circuit Technology for Wide Temperature, Harsh Environment Applications

ABSTRACT: Advanced wide bandgap (WBG) solid state technology is necessary for future military, defense and related Department of Defense (DoD) applications and needs with increased power demand and higher temperature operation ranges. To make further advancements, an enabling high temperature and extreme harsh environment integrated circuit (IC) technology is needed. Military electrical power requirements are growing and without technological advances including higher temperature operation and associated high temperature electronics and ICs, trade-offs will have to be made on, for example, payload vs. capability which is not a desirable situation. The very nature of fifth-generation stealth aircraft poses increased challenges when it comes to thermal management. Many of the complications due to thermal management issues affect electronics performance. To address this need we propose to design and implement WBG ICs based on basic IC building blocks (transistors, diodes, resistors, analog circuits such as operational amplifiers, logic gates such as inverters, NAND, NORs, etc.) that will lead to and enable faster, more efficient analog and digital/logic architecture at high temperatures (350 to 500 C) including wide/high temperature, harsh environment ICs and associated electronics using WBG AlGaN/GaN and SiC devices that can drive SiC transistor gates and provide analog and/or digital control. BENEFIT: The anticipated benefits and potential commercial applications include power management, distribution, control, and supply and other dual use needs which are both vast and diverse for both the military and commercial sectors and markets and include, for example, aeronautics, off-grid and solar, industrial and semiconductor sputtering, food processing, large electric motor control, electric vehicles, applications in which large currents must be switched, X-Ray machines and transmission of electrical power over long distances, power converters, etc. Other possible commercial applications include geothermal and oil exploration, fusion and plasma research, materials processing and civilian radars.