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(Ultra)Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Extreme Environment Applications
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(Ultra)Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Extreme Environment Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Electronic Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 2993

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Feng Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
Interests: wide bandgap semiconductor; gallium nitride semiconductor; gallium oxide semiconductor; irradiation power electronics; extreme environment applications
Prof. Dr. Hong Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Microelectronics, Xidian University, Xi'an 710071, China
Interests: GaN power device; beta-Ga2O3 power device; ferroelectric FETs; neuron device
Dr. Xin Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China
Interests: wide bandgap semiconductor; power semiconductor; radiation mechanism; high temperature applications; extreme environment applications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wide-bandgap and ultrawide-bandgap semiconductors (e.g., SiC, GaN, Ga2O3, and diamond) have notable potential for applications in extreme environments, such as space radiation, weapons nuclear explosions, and ultra-high temperatures. Ultrawide-bandgap electronics operating in extreme environments allow for an evident reduction in additional control components and shielding blocks, thereby reducing the size and weight of the power electronics system. However, the current exploration and research results of wide-bandgap devices in extreme environments are relatively scattered, and there is a lack of organization to provide inspiration to the wider community. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to provide a stage and communication venue for the research results of ultrawide-bandgap semiconductor technology for extreme environmental applications.

This Special Issue welcomes, but is not limited to, manuscripts on the following topics:               

  • Material physics and defects for extreme environments (irradiation, stress, etc.);
  • Device structure and process fabrication, e.g., traditional structure and hardened design;
  • Circuit design and power applications, e.g., gate drive and switching circuits;
  • Electronic system integration and heterostructure heterogeneity;
  • Packaging and device modules;
  • Numerical simulation and modeling analysis;
  • Various extreme-environment applications, such as radiation, high and low temperatures, and extreme stress.

Dr. Feng Zhou
Prof. Dr. Hong Zhou
Dr. Xin Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wide bandgap semiconductor
  • ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor
  • gallium nitride
  • silicon carbide
  • extreme environment applications

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2534 KiB  
Article
Defects Induced by High-Temperature Neutron Irradiation in 250 µm-Thick 4H-SiC p-n Junction Detector
by Alfio Samuele Mancuso, Enrico Sangregorio, Annamaria Muoio, Saverio De Luca, Matteo Hakeem Kushoro, Erik Gallo, Silvia Vanellone, Eleonora Quadrivi, Antonio Trotta, Lucia Calcagno and Francesco La Via
Materials 2025, 18(11), 2413; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18112413 - 22 May 2025
Abstract
The objective of the proposed work was to investigate the electrical performance of a 250 µm-thick 4H-SiC p-n junction detector after irradiation with DT neutrons (14.1 MeV energy) at high temperature (500 °C). The results showed that the current–voltage (I-V) characteristics of the [...] Read more.
The objective of the proposed work was to investigate the electrical performance of a 250 µm-thick 4H-SiC p-n junction detector after irradiation with DT neutrons (14.1 MeV energy) at high temperature (500 °C). The results showed that the current–voltage (I-V) characteristics of the unirradiated SiC detector were ideal, with an ideality factor close to 1.5. A high electron mobility (µn) and built-in voltage (Vbi) were also observed. Additionally, the leakage current remained very low in the temperature range of 298–523 K. High-temperature irradiation caused a deviation from ideal behaviour, leading to an increase in the ideality factor, decreases in the µn and Vbi values, and a significant rise in the leakage current. Studying the capacitance–voltage (C-V) characteristics, it was observed that neutron irradiation induced reductions in both Al-doped (p+-type) and N-doped (n−-type) 4H-SiC carrier concentrations. A comprehensive investigation of the deep defect states and impurities was carried out using deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) in the temperature range of 85–750 K. In particular, high-temperature neutron irradiation influenced the behaviours of both the Z1/2 and EH6/7 traps, which were related to carbon interstitials, silicon vacancies, or anti-site pairs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue (Ultra)Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Extreme Environment Applications)
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14 pages, 3429 KiB  
Article
Characteristics of 3D-Integrated GaN Power Module Under Multi Heat Source Coupling
by Yijun Shi, Mingen Lv, Guoguang Lu, Caixing Hui, Liang He, Xinghuan Chen, Yuan Chen and Xiangjun Lu
Materials 2025, 18(5), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18051082 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 454
Abstract
3D-integrated GaN power modules can effectively reduce parasitic parameters and enhance the power system’s performance. However, the heat from each power chip during operation can lead to a mutual thermal coupling effect, potentially causing performance drift of the GaN power chips. This work [...] Read more.
3D-integrated GaN power modules can effectively reduce parasitic parameters and enhance the power system’s performance. However, the heat from each power chip during operation can lead to a mutual thermal coupling effect, potentially causing performance drift of the GaN power chips. This work investigates the impact of the thermal coupling effect in a 3D-integrated GaN power module on the characteristics of its GaN power chips. The GaN power chips’ characteristics are measured before and after the other power chips in the 3D-integrated GaN power module and after applying VGS/VDS = 3 V/1 V for 60 s. The results indicate that the thermal coupling effect in 3D-integrated GaN power modules can cause a rightward shift in the threshold voltage, reduce the response speed and on-state current, and also increase the leakage current of GaN power chips. In severe cases, the threshold voltage drift can reach up to 0.26 V, the device’s response time can increase by as much as 217 μs, the on-state current can decrease by 1.7 A, and the off-state leakage current can increase by more than 80 times. The impact of the thermal coupling effect is related to the direction of heat flow and the distance between chips. The closer the chips are to each other, the stronger the thermal coupling. It has a greater impact on the performance of chips near the bottom substrate and a lesser impact on the performance of chips at the top of the module. Typically, the influence of the thermal field generated by two chips working simultaneously is more significant than that of the thermal field generated by a single chip working alone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue (Ultra)Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Extreme Environment Applications)
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17 pages, 4522 KiB  
Article
The Temperature-Dependent Tight Binding Theory Modelling of Strain and Composition Effects on the Electronic Structure of CdSe- and ZnSe-Based Core/Shell Quantum Dots
by Derya Malkoç and Hilmi Ünlü
Materials 2025, 18(2), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18020283 - 10 Jan 2025
Viewed by 765
Abstract
We propose a temperature-dependent optimization procedure for the second-nearest neighbor (2NN) sp3s* tight-binding (TB) theory parameters to calculate the effects of strain, structure dimensions, and alloy composition on the band structure of heterostructure spherical core/shell quantum dots (QDs). We integrate [...] Read more.
We propose a temperature-dependent optimization procedure for the second-nearest neighbor (2NN) sp3s* tight-binding (TB) theory parameters to calculate the effects of strain, structure dimensions, and alloy composition on the band structure of heterostructure spherical core/shell quantum dots (QDs). We integrate the thermoelastic theory of solids with the 2NN sp3s* TB theory to calculate the strain, core and shell dimensions, and composition effects on the band structure of binary/ternary CdSe/Cd(Zn)S and ZnSe/Zn(Cd)S QDs at any temperature. We show that the 2NN sp3s* TB theory with optimized parameters greatly improves the prediction of the energy dispersion curve at and in the vicinity of L and X symmetry points. We further used the optimized 2NN sp3s* TB parameters to calculate the strain, core and shell dimensions, and composition effects on the nanocrystal bandgaps of binary/ternary CdSe/Cd(Zn)S and ZnSe/Zn(Cd)S core/shell QDs. We conclude that the 2NN sp3s* TB theory provides remarkable agreement with the measured nanocrystal bandgaps of CdSe/Cd(Zn)S and ZnSe/Zn(Cd)S QDs and accurately reproduces the energy dispersion curves of the electronic band structure at any temperature. We believe that the proposed optimization procedure makes the 2NN sp3s* TB theory reliable and accurate in the modeling of core/shell QDs for nanoscale devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue (Ultra)Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Extreme Environment Applications)
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9 pages, 1231 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Wide Band Gap Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cell Performance: Investigating the Impact of “Cliff” and “Spike” Heterostructures
by Shiqing Cheng, Hongmei Liu and Qiaowen Lin
Materials 2024, 17(21), 5199; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17215199 - 25 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1303
Abstract
In recent years, the efficiency of high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells has been significantly improved, particularly for narrow-gap types. One of the key reasons for the enhancement of narrow-gap device performance is the formation of the “Spike” structure at the CdS/CIGS heterojunction [...] Read more.
In recent years, the efficiency of high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells has been significantly improved, particularly for narrow-gap types. One of the key reasons for the enhancement of narrow-gap device performance is the formation of the “Spike” structure at the CdS/CIGS heterojunction interface. Wide-gap CIGS solar cells excel in modular production but lag behind in efficiency compared to narrow-gap cells. Some studies suggest that the “Cliff” structure at the heterojunction of wide-gap CIGS solar cells may be one of the factors contributing to this decreased efficiency. This paper utilizes the SCAPS software, grounded in the theories of semiconductor physics and photovoltaic effects, to conduct an in-depth analysis of the impact of “Cliff” and “Spike” heterojunction structures on the performance of wide band gap CIGS solar cells through numerical simulation methods. The aim is to verify whether the “Spike” structure is also advantageous for enhancing wide-gap CIGS device performance. The simulation results show that the “Spike” structure is beneficial for reducing interfacial recombination, thereby enhancing the VOC of wide-gap cells. However, an electronic transport barrier may form at the heterojunction interface, resulting in a decrease in JSC and FF, which subsequently reduces device efficiency. The optimal heterojunction structure should exhibit a reduced “Cliff” degree, which can facilitate the reduction of interfacial recombination while simultaneously preventing the formation of an electronic barrier, ultimately enhancing both VOC and device performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue (Ultra)Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors for Extreme Environment Applications)
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