ECE – 590 I POWER & ENERGY SYSTEMS SEMINAR
WHEN: Monday, April 8, 2024, 3:00 – 3:50 p.m.
WHERE: ECEB 4070
SPEAKER: Zhuoran Han, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
TITLE: "Diamond Power Electronics for Next Generation Power Grid"
ABSTRACT: This presentation delves into the potential of diamond as an ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor in revolutionizing power devices for the future electric grid. Diamond's exceptional properties, including its large bandgap (5.47 eV), high critical electric field (10 – 20 MV/cm), high carrier mobility (up to 2100 cm²/V/s), and superior thermal conductivity (22 - 24 W/cm/K), position it as a material capable of outperforming current-generation devices. The research presented herein explores diamond power devices, leveraging these superior material properties for next-generation grid applications. It encompasses the development of essential fabrication and processing techniques, including the formation of ohmic and Schottky contacts. Experimental demonstration of high breakdown voltage (> 4.6 kV) diamond Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) and prototype reverse-blocking metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (RB-MESFETs) are presented. Furthermore, it proposes innovative diamond buried channel semiconductor photoconductive switches (PCSS). These PCSS are fabricated and characterized, demonstrating fast rise/fall times (approximately nanoseconds) and high current density (> 43.5 A/cm²), making them suitable for applications in grid protection and resilience.
