Lead Center: GSFC Participating Center(s): GRC, JPL, LaRC Solicitation Year: 2022 Scope Title Radiation-Tolerant High-Voltage, High-Power Electronics Scope Description NASA's directives for space exploration and habitation require high-performance, high-voltage transistors and diodes capable of operating without damage in the natural galactic cosmic ray space radiation environment and induced neutron environment. Recently, significant progress has been made in the research community in understanding the mechanisms of heavy-ion-radiation-induced single-event effect (SEE) degradation and catastrophic failure of wide bandgap (WBG) power transistors and diodes. This subtopic seeks to facilitate movement of this understanding into the successful development of radiation-hardened gallium nitride high-voltage transistors and gallium nitride and/or silicon carbide rectifiers to meet NASA mission power needs reliably in the space environment. These needs include: High-voltage, high-power solutions: Taxonomy Area (TX) 03.3.4 (Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) - Advanced Electronic Parts) calls out the need for development of radiation-hardened high-voltage components for power systems. NASA has a core need for diodes and transistors that meet the following specifications: Diodes: Minimum 1200 V, 40 A, with fast recovery <50 ns. Forward voltage drop should not exceed 150% of that in state-of-the-art (SOA) unhardened diodes. Transistors: Minimum 650 V, 40 A, with <24-mohm on-state drain-source resistance. High-voltage, low-power solutions: In support of TX 8.1.2 (Sensors and Instruments - Electronics), radiation-hardened high-voltage transistors are needed for low-mass, low-leakage, high-efficiency applications such as lidar Q-switch drivers, mass spectrometers, and electrostatic analyzers. High-voltage, fast-recovery diodes are needed to enhance performance of a variety of heliophysics and planetary science instruments. Transistors: Minimum 1000 V, <50-ns turn-on and turn-off times. Diodes: 2 kV to 5 kV, <50-ns recovery time. Forward voltage drop should not exceed 150% of that in SOA unhardened diodes. High-voltage, low- to medium-power solutions: In support of peak-power solar tracking systems for planetary spacecraft and small satellites, transistors and diodes are needed to increase buck converter efficiencies through faster switching speeds. Transistors: Minimum 600 V, <50-ns turn-on and turn-off times, current ranging from low to >20 A. Successful proposal concepts should result in the fabrication of GaN transistors and/or GaN or SiC diodes that meet or exceed the above performance specifications without susceptibility to damage due to the galactic cosmic ray heavy-ion space radiation environment (SEEs resulting in permanent degradation or catastrophic failure) and the fission reactor environment. These diodes and/or transistors will form the basis of innovative high-efficiency, low-mass, and low-volume systems and therefore must significantly improve upon the electrical performance available from existing heavy-ion SEE radiation-tolerant devices. Lower TRL (technology readiness level) semiconductor technologies are not solicited at this time. Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project 4 to 5 Primary Technology Taxonomy Level 1 TX 03 Aerospace Power and Energy Storage Level 2 TX 03.3 Power Management and Distribution Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II Hardware Prototype Analysis Desired Deliverables Description Phase I deliverables must state the initial SOA for the proposed technology and justify the expected final performance metrics. Well-developed plans for validating the tolerance to heavy-ion radiation must be included, and the expected total ionizing dose tolerance should be indicated and justified or test plans included. Target radiation performance levels will depend upon the device structure due to the interaction of the high electric field with the ionizing particle. Heavy-ion SEE susceptibility: For vertical-field power devices: No heavy-ion-induced permanent destructive effects upon irradiation while in blocking configuration (in powered reverse-bias/off state) with ions having a silicon-equivalent surface-incident linear energy transfer (LET) of 40 MeV-cm2/mg and sufficient energy to maintain a rising LET level throughout the epitaxial layer(s). For all other devices: No heavy-ion-induced permanent destructive effects upon irradiation while in blocking configuration (in powered reverse-bias/off state) with ions having a silicon-equivalent surface-incident LET of 75 MeV-cm2/mg and sufficient energy to penetrate to the substrate interface prior to the ions reaching their maximum LET value (Bragg peak). Induced radiation effect susceptibility: All devices should maintain performance requirements at neutron dose levels of 1011 to 1013 cm-2 total 1-MeV neutron equivalent fluence, and between 100 and 1,000 krad(Si) total ionizing gamma-ray dose under worst-case bias conditions. Deliverables in Phase II shall include prototype and/or production-ready semiconductor devices (diodes and/or transistors); and device electrical and radiation performance characterization (device electrical performance specifications, heavy-ion SEE test results, and neutron and gamma total-dose radiation analyses or test results). State of the Art and Critical Gaps High-voltage silicon power devices are limited in current ratings and have limited power efficiency and higher losses than do commercial WBG power devices. Efforts to space-qualify WBG power devices to take advantage of their tremendous performance advantages revealed that they are very susceptible to damage from the high-energy, heavy-ion space radiation environment (galactic cosmic rays), which cannot be shielded against. Higher voltage devices are more susceptible to these effects. Space-qualified GaN transistors are currently available, but these are limited to 300 V. Recent radiation testing of 600-V and higher GaN transistors has shown failure susceptibility at about 50% of the rated voltage, or less. Silicon carbide power devices have undergone several-generation advances commercially, improving their overall reliability, but catastrophically fail at less than 50% of their rated voltage. Specific needs in STMD (Space Technology Mission Directorate) and SMD (Science Mission Directorate) areas have been identified for spacecraft PMAD, and science instrument power applications and device performance requirements to meet these needs are included in this subtopic nomination. In all cases, there is no alternative solution that can provide the mass and power savings sought to enable game-changing capability. Current PPUs (power processing units) and instrument power systems rely on older silicon technology with many stacked devices and efficiency penalties. In NASA's move to do more with less (smaller satellites), and its lunar/planetary habitation objectives requiring up to 100 kW power production, the technology sought by this subtopic is truly enabling. State-of-the-art, currently available heavy-ion SEE-tolerant silicon power devices include a Schottky diode capable of 600 V, 30 A, and 27-ns recovery time, and a power MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) capable of 650 V, 28 A, with on-state resistance of 116 mohm and >50 ns turn-off time. Commercial (non-SEE tolerant) GaN and SiC offerings are available that meet the electrical performance needs indicated in this subtopic, but that cannot meet the heavy-ion SEE requirements indicated. Relevance / Science Traceability Power transistors and diodes form the building blocks of numerous power circuits for spacecraft and science instrument applications. This subtopic therefore feeds a broad array of space technology hardware development activities by providing SEE (heavy-ion) and total-dose radiation-hardened SOA device technologies that achieve higher voltages with lower power consumption and greater efficiency than is presently available. TX 03.3.4, Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) Advanced Electronic Parts, calls out the need for development of radiation-hardened high-voltage components for power systems. This subtopic serves as a feeder to the subtopic Lunar and Planetary Surface Power Distribution, in which WBG circuits for PMAD applications are solicited. The solicited developments in this subtopic will also feed systems development for the NASA Kilopower project due to the savings in size/mass combined with radiation hardness. TX 08.1.2, Sensors and Instruments Electronics: Radiation-hardened high-voltage transistors are needed for low-mass, low-leakage, high-efficiency applications such as lidar Q-switch drivers, mass spectrometers, and electrostatic analyzers. These applications are aligned with science objectives including Earth science lidar needs, Jovian moon exploration, and Saturn missions. Finally, mass spectrometers critical to planetary and asteroid research and in the search for life on other planets such as Mars require high-voltage power systems and will thus benefit from mass and power savings from this subtopic's innovations. References Partial listing of relevant references: S. J. Pearton, A. Haque, A. Khachatrian, A. Ildefonso, L. Chernyak, and F. Ren, "Review Opportunities in Single Event Effects in Radiation-Exposed SiC and GaN Power Electronics," ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology, vol. 10, p. 075004, 2021. E. Mizuta et al., "Single-Event Damage Observed in GaN-on-Si HEMTs for Power Control Applications," IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 65, pp. 1956-1963, 2018. M. Zerarka et al., "TCAD Simulation of the Single Event Effects in Normally-OFF GaN Transistors After Heavy Ion Radiation," IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 64, pp. 2242-2249, 2017. C. Abbate et al., "Experimental Study of Single Event Effects Induced by Heavy Ion Irradiation in Enhancement Mode GaN Power HEMT," Microelectronics Reliability, vol. 55, pp. 1496-1500, 2015. J. M. Lauenstein, M. C. Casey, R. L. Ladbury, H. S. Kim, A. M. Phan, and A. D. Topper, "Space Radiation Effects on SiC Power Device Reliability," in 2021 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium (IRPS), pp. 1-8, 2021. J. A. McPherson, C. W. Hitchcock, T. P. Chow, W. Ji, and A. A. Woodworth, "Ion-Induced Mesoplasma Formation and Thermal Destruction in 4H-SiC Power MOSFET Devices," IEEE Trans Nucl Sci, vol. 68, pp. 651-658, 2021. D. R. Ball et al., Ion-Induced Energy Pulse Mechanism for Single-Event Burnout in High-Voltage SiC Power MOSFETs and Junction Barrier Schottky Diodes, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 67, no. 1, pp. 22-28, 2020. R. A. Johnson, A. F. Witulski, D. R. Ball, K. F. Galloway, A. L. Sternberg, R. A. Reed, et al., "Unifying Concepts for Ion-Induced Leakage Current Degradation in Silicon Carbide Schottky Power Diodes," IEEE Trans Nucl Sci, vol. 67, pp. 135-139, 2020. S. Kuboyama et al., "Thermal Runaway in SiC Schottky Barrier Diodes Caused by Heavy Ions," IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol. 66, pp. 1688-1693, 2019. C. Shuang, Y. Qingkui, D. Guanghua, G. Jinlong, W. He, Z. Hongwei, et al., "Leakage Current Degradation in SiC Junction Barrier Schottky Diodes under Heavy Ion Microbeam," in 2019 IEEE 26th International Symposium on Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits (IPFA), 2019, pp. 1-4. A. Akturk, J. M. McGarrity, N. Goldsman, D. Lichtenwalner, B. Hull, D. Grider, et al., "Terrestrial Neutron-Induced Failures in Silicon Carbide Power MOSFETs and Diodes," IEEE Trans Nucl Sci, vol. 65, pp. 1248-1254, 2018. A. Javanainen, K. F. Galloway, C. Nicklaw, A. L. Bosser, V. Ferlet-Cavrois, J.-M. Lauenstein, et al., "Heavy Ion Induced Degradation in SiC Schottky Diodes: Bias and Energy Deposition Dependence," IEEE Trans Nucl Sci, vol. 64, pp. 415-420, 2017. A. Javanainen, M. Turowski, K. F. Galloway, C. Nicklaw, V. Ferlet-Cavrois, A. Bosser, et al., "Heavy-Ion-Induced Degradation in SiC Schottky Diodes: Incident Angle and Energy Deposition Dependence," IEEE Trans Nucl Sci, vol. 64, pp. 2031-2037, 2017.
