Centrum Fizyki i Technologii Półprzewodników Azotkowych "GaN-Unipress"

The Institute of High Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IHP PAN) is working on an energy transition that combines social expectations (concern for the environment and climate) with a strategy for economic growth and industrial development based on modern, innovative technologies. One of these fundamental technologies is power electronics (PE). PE). It is a key transformational technology which, when built into products that people use every day, makes life easier and more enjoyable. We use PE to charge our mobile phones, computers, and electric vehicles, to power various types of large-scale production, and to transmit energy efficiently. Power electronics is revolutionizing the world's energy systems; 70% of electricity is converted by PE, and this figure will increase significantly in the coming years. In fact, PE is the use of semiconductor electronics to control and convert electrical energy. Silicon power devices have already reached their basic performance limit. The use of semiconductors with different and better material properties allows for increased power density and conversion efficiency in PE systems. Gallium nitride (GaN) is considered one of the most promising candidates for future applications.The developed GaN-based high-power and high-frequency diodes and transistors can replace their silicon counterparts. These devices will operate at higher frequencies, be smaller, and resistant to all types of radiation. It is estimated that the use of GaN-based power semiconductor devices will reduce total energy losses by more than 50%. Just as the microprocessor revolutionized the information processing sector, GaN-based PE will revolutionize the energy processing sector. IWC PAN develops semiconductor technologies, focusing on GaN crystallization processes, the production of GaN substrates with the world's highest structural quality, and the development of a new generation of quantum structures for PE devices. The commercial success of devices based on GaN-on-GaN technology is currently limited by the lack of 4-inch and larger GaN substrates with high structural quality and technology for the crystallization of quantum structures on native substrates, along with the technology for their proper processing into PE devices. The goal of the IWC PAN, through its research infrastructure at the Center for Physics and Technology of Nitride Semiconductors “GaN-Unipress” Semiconductor Physics and Technology Center, is to develop a technology for manufacturing high-power and high-frequency diodes and transistors based on 4-inch and larger GaN substrates of the highest structural quality in the world, based on Polish, highly developed and unique crystallization and processing technologies.The target area of this project is power electronics. Research infrastructure will be built for the further development of quantum structures for high-power and high-frequency electronic devices based on nitride semiconductors and 4-inch GaN substrates. IWC PAN is currently the only European manufacturer of GaN substrates. The development of the proposed research infrastructure will be an important part of the strategic autonomy of Poland and the European Union (EU) in the field of power electronics. It will accelerate scientific and technological research related to power electronics, as well as enable the creation of a pilot line producing GaN-on-GaN quantum structures for power and frequency transistors and diodes. Access to the “GaN-Unipress” infrastructure will be open, with full respect for applicable intellectual property rights.