Power electronics is a core enabling technology for virtually all electronic systems. Power density, conversion efficiency, and reliability of power converters represent the three most critical requirements for aerospace, defense and many commercial applications alike. High temperature and radiation tolerant, wide bandgap materials, such as GaN and SiC, have offered a number of technological breakthroughs to improve the performance of power electronics in all three aspects. However, to reliably deliver high power and high voltage performance in critical applications, such as Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) systems in NASAs future space probes, several technical barriers must be overcome before achieving the required high technology readiness level. In this program, Qrona Technologies, in collaboration with research groups at the University of Central Florida, propose to develop low-defect Ga-oxide based power diodes grown on commercially available bulk Ga-oxide substrates using a low-cost thin-film deposition technique to allow economical production of high-voltage power diodes for application in extreme environments. Compared to the state-of-the-art, the proposed power diodes will provide higher reliability while reducing cost, weight, size and complexity of electronic systems for NASA and other scientific, civilian, military, and industrial applications. Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) Reducing the payload bulk and weight, while improving the reliability and performance of electronic components are of special interest to NASA and aerospace companies for reducing the deployment costs and increasing the functionality and survivability of future satellites and space probes. A successful project will result in dramatic improvements in high-current and high-voltage performance of high temperature and radiation hard power devices for these applications Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) High voltage power diodes are the basic building blocks of power switching devices. The proposed gallium-oxide diodes will provide a key enabling technology for production of other types of high-performance power devices for application in harsh environments, with many scientific, military and civilian applications, including nuclear power, solar power, and automotive and aerospace industries.
