Project R-5816

Vertical CVD diamond Schottky barrier diodes (Research)

The versatile use of electricity and its conversion into several suitable forms requires the use of various high power electronics systems. Wide band gap semiconductors, like diamond, are recognized to be perfectly adapted to these needs. This research project aims at developing diamond diodes exhibiting high forward current levels, and reverse breakdown voltages surpassing current state-of-the-art devices. The prototypes are based on a stacked structure composed of low and highly boron doped films, which are epitaxially grown on diamond substrates. In addition, through collaboration with Universität Augsburg, diodes will be fabricated on heteroepitaxially grown B-doped diamond, allowing studying the influence of dislocations on the electrical characteristics. This proposal brings together the fields of deposition and characterization of doped diamond with the fabrication of devices adapted for high power electronics. First, grown diamond layers, the single elements of the device, are characterized to reveal their crystalline and electronic properties. Later, the implementation of various techniques to define the vertical device architecture is studied. Finally, the electrical properties of the devices are studied to evidence their outstanding performance as novel high power diodes.

01 January 2015 - 31 December 2018