Past Research Projects
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Generously funded for five years in March 2012 by the Royal Academy of Engineering, this project focussed on establishing materials solutions for the harsh environment. The Si/SiC concept, along with the methodology for creating these wafers was developed in this project, and continues to be used in the projects that followed it. This project was also been responsible for developing Si/SiC simulations, which have led to an optimised and subsequently patented device layout. The NICHE project was also involved in developing ideas for Ge/SiC and Si/Diamond.
I am principal investigator on two current projects that look to develop Si/SiC solutions:
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SaSHa began in February 2016, funded for two years by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme. Work continues through 2018 and 2019 after the end of this project. Concentrating on the development of power electronics devices specifically for Space applications, the devices are being designed to withstand temperatures as high as 300°C and as low as -150°C, and in high radiation conditions. The consortium was led by Warwick who will produce the Si/SiC devices in their unique cleanroom facility. UK SME, Cambridge Microelectronics, will carry out extensive simulations in order to optimise a design layout. The Tyndall Institute in Ireland will produce the novel wafer bonded Si/SiC material, while the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) will carry out radiation modelling and testing. Thales Alenia Space UK will play a major role in shaping the characteristics of the devices.
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Beginning November 2015, this £125k EPSRC project concentrated on the development of Si/SiC power devices for downhole applications. With a temperature gradient beneath the surface of around 25°C/km, the ambient conditions can exceed 225°C in the deepest wells, while coping at the same time with extreme vibration, pressure, and corrosive liquids and gases. Maintaining reliability in this environment is a significant challenge, especially given the often quoted figure for downtime on an offshore rig being more than $1M per day to the drilling company.
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My team supported Thales Alenia Space UK in an exciting project to create a satellite delivery vehicle powered from the ground via microwave beamed propulsion. Such a system would do away with propellant, achieving a single-stage-to-orbit system that can be reused hundreds of times. An extensive overview of the project is available here.
Warwick's interest lies in the development of a power electronics solution, a rectifying antenna (rectenna), that will convert the incoming high frequency, high power microwave signal into DC power usable on board the vehicle. This solution requires a new diode that can cope with these conflicting demands at high temperature given the inevitable wasted power. We are therefore investigating the ability of high power, wide bandgap semiconductors (SiC and GaN) to operate in the GHz range, using simulation tools to design a novel device layout, before implementing the design in our cleanroom for a prototype.
The final report from this project may be found here.