Next Generation Power and High Frequency Electronics

The Centre for III-nitride technology (C3NiT) – a Vinnova Competence Centre – is a platform for generating and exploiting cutting-edge research in III-nitride semiconductors for the next generation of power and high frequency electronics, through a combination of scientific excellence and industrial relevance.

C3NiT is funded in equal parts by Vinnova, industry and academic partners.

C3NiT consists of the academic partners (Lund University, Linköping University and Chalmers University of Technology), together with industrial partners who cover the whole supply chain, from material growth to usage of devices and circuits at the system level, which is quite unique even for larger research programs.

C3NiT is the first collective effort on III-nitride power electronics in Sweden, where both industry and academia work together to solve technological issues in the field relevant to Swedish industrial competitiveness.

In her talk, Vanya Darakchieva highlights the importance of semiconductors in modern society, impacting communication, energy, and transportation. Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology stands out with its exceptional properties: high electron mobility, low resistance in the “on” state, and high breakdown voltage in the “off” state. This allows GaN devices to operate efficiently at high temperatures, voltages, and frequencies, with AlGaN/GaN HEMTs potentially surpassing Silicon (Si) MOSFETs. GaN adoption can cut EU emissions by 5%, potentially saving 360 million tons of CO2 by 2033 through reduced transmission losses.

Overview

III-nitride semiconductors have proven to be extremely suitable for both high frequency electronics as well as power electronics, where a combination of high power generation, amplification, and switching is required.

Sweden has several important industries that rely on advanced semiconductor technologies in their systems. Most notably, within the high frequency electronics area, Ericsson is a major player in wireless communication, Saab is in the forefront of the defense industry and sensing applications (i.e. radar), and within power electronics, ABB is a major supplier of power infrastructure.

Through C3NiT, industrial partners work together with academia to investigate, explore, and solve challenges, as well as push the boundaries of III-N electronics.

C3NiT performs collaborative research and aims at enhancing utilization of research results, generating innovation in high-frequency and power electronics based on III-Ns, addressing the global and societal challenges on greenhouse gas emissions and the increasing dependence on mobile data. The industrial exploitation of the results generated within the centre is mainly secured by active participation of the company partners.

The centre builds on previously existing collaborations between several of the partners in C3NiT, where research have been performed both on a fundamental level, as well as on more applied research with industrial partners and public agencies for the past two decades. C3NiT facilitates and supports a continuous growth of this established Swedish cluster, and strengthens already existing international collaborations, which are of importance for Swedish industrial competitiveness.