NRL Wide bandgap material and device characterization
The NRL program studies defects in SiC and GaN materials to improve power devices, using X-ray and UV imaging to track defects and develop suppression techniques.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
NRC Research Associateship Programs has archived this opportunity.
Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: May 1, 2025 (Next deadline)
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $99,200 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; relocation assistance available for eligible awardees.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship opportunity at the Naval Research Laboratory to investigate materials defects in SiC and GaN wide bandgap power devices using advanced X-ray and ultraviolet imaging techniques.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents; requires Ph.D. earned within last 5 years; research focused on defects affecting ultra-high voltage SiC and GaN power devices.
Description
This fellowship program at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) focuses on the study and characterization of materials defects in wide bandgap semiconductors, specifically silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), which are critical for high power electronic devices. The research aims to understand how point and extended defects affect device performance, particularly carrier lifetime variations under different temperature, doping, and carrier concentration conditions in ultra-high voltage SiC power devices.
Key techniques include:
- High-resolution X-ray Topography (XRT), a unique in-house system at NRL, enabling whole-wafer tracking of extended defects such as dislocations.
- Ultraviolet photoluminescence (UVPL) imaging, a novel non-destructive method developed at NRL for whole-wafer defect tracking.
The program also involves developing novel methods to suppress dislocations that degrade electrical characteristics of devices. The research supports the design and fabrication of novel wide bandgap devices, including superjunction transistors, and leverages various characterization and processing tools available at NRL for SiC and III-Nitride devices.
