Available Projects
The development of Silicon Carbide power semiconductor devices
Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices enable higher efficiency and power density than silicon in electric transport, renewables and fast chargers. This project will design and develop SiC MOSFET/diode structures, studying key energy losses and reliability mechanisms (RDS(on), switching, oxide/interface traps). Outcomes include optimised devices and guidelines for robust operation.
Primary supervisor: Professor Marina Antoniou - Email: Marina.Antoniou@warwick.ac.uk
Project detail:
This project targets next-generation 3.3 kV SiC power devices for medium-voltage power conversion (e.g., MV motor drives, solid-state transformers, grid interfaces, railway traction). The research will combine device design and fabrication-oriented considerations to improve performance and reliability at high electric field and high temperature.
Key objectives:
1. Device design & optimisation (TCAD-led): 3.3 kV drift region (epilayer thickness/doping trade-offs), cell design, channel/JFET resistance reduction, and switching loss optimisation.
2. High-voltage edge termination: development and comparison of termination schemes such as JTE / multi-zone JTE, guard rings, field plates, and surface passivation to achieve stable breakdown and good yield.
3. Technology & interfaces: study of gate oxide / interface quality (for MOS structures), fixed charge and trap density, mobility limits, and their impact on threshold stability and R_DS(on).
How to apply for admission: www.warwick.ac.uk/pgrengineering
How to apply for a scholarship: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/eng/postgraduate/funding/
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