This program focuses on investigating materials defects that affect the operation of SiC and GaN power devices as well as the design and fabrication of novel wide bandgap devices such as superjunction transistors. The materials defects being investigated include both point and extended defects. The emphasis of research into point defects concerns their effect on carrier lifetime and how that lifetime varies over the temperature, doping, and carrier concentration ranges encountered in ultra-high voltage SiC power devices. Extended defects are investigated using in-house High-resolution X-ray Topography (XRT) system, which is the only one of its kind at a research lab within the USA. Using this technique extended defects such as dislocations can be tracked on whole wafer level. Additionally, a novel ultraviolet photoluminescence (UVPL) imaging technique developed at NRL that enables non-destructive whole-wafer tracking of dislocations and other extended defects will be used. The research includes developing novel techniques to suppress dislocations, which cause detrimental effects in device electrical characteristics. Various characterization and processing tools are available for development of high power SiC and III-N devices.

Additional Benefits

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.