Wide Bandgap Semiconductor (eg., SiC, GaN) Front-End Electronics for Wide Dynamic Range Analog/Digital Converters

In many military applications, such as defense radar, electronic warfare, communications and other systems could have greatly improved performance if wider dynamic range analog/digital converters were available. Wide bandgap semiconductors including GaNand SiC have proven suitable for high power, microwave devices. Bipolar devices are also attractive for high power electronics due to the inherently greater power density and potentially higher speed. HBTs based on wide bandgap materials have been shown tohave superior properties to silicon BJTs. Much of the improvement is due to the high base doping achievable through the use of wide-gap emitters, as well as superior properties of the materials used such as higher mobility in the base (for n-p-n devices),and higher drift velocities for the collector space charge region. [1] Viatronix will outline in this proposal a novel approach to the objective of developing a reliable, high-voltage, wide dynamic range, wide bandgap HBT switch suitable for analog/digitalconverters. Because of its superior material and electrical properties, silicon carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) is expected to enable vastly improved high-power switching devices with substantial benefits to a wide variety of military andcommercial systems. With Viatronix's ability to create useful devices on current material, we believe that there are numerous commercial and military markets for this technology.