• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.197-202
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• 2023

This paper presents the design method and electrical characteristics of a high-efficiency power amplifier for a 50 Watts class repeater applied to a 5G system and used in in-building, subway, and tunnel. GaN was used for the termination transistor of the power amplifier designed here, and intermodulation signals were removed using DPD to satisfy linearity. In addition, in order to handle various requirements such as amplifier gain control and alarm processing required in the 5G system, the microprocessor is designed to exist inside the power amplifier. The amplifier manufactured to confirm the electrical performance of the power amplifier satisfying these conditions satisfied 46.5 dBm and the overall efficiency of the amplifier was 37%, and it was confirmed that it satisfied various alarm conditions and electrical characteristics required by telecommunication companies.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.43-51
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• 2023

In this paper, we introduce the development trends of power devices which is the key component for power conversion system in electric vehicles, and discuss the characteristics of the next-generation wide-bandgap (WBG) power devices. We provide an overview of the characteristics of the present mainstream Si insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices and technology roadmap of Si IGBT by different manufacturers. Next, recent progress and advantages of SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) which are the most important unipolar devices, is described compared with conventional Si IGBT. Furthermore, due to the limitations of the current GaN power device technology, the issues encountered in applying the power conversion module for electric vehicles were described.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.487-495
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• 2022

This paper describes the design and development of a high-power transmit receive module(TRM) for mounting on X-band synthetic aperture radar(SAR) of the NEXTSat-2. The TRM generates a high-power pulse signal with a bandwidth of 100 MHz in the target frequency range of X-band and amplifies a low-noise on the received signal. Tx. path of the TRM has output signal level of more than 200 watts (53.01 dB), pulse droop of 0.35 dB, signal strength change of 0.04 dB during transmission signal output, and phase change of 1.7 ˚. Rx. path has noise figure of 3.99 dB and gain of 37.38 ~ 37.46 dB. It was confirmed the TRM satisfies all requirements. The TRM mounted on the NEXTSat-2 flight model(FM) which will be launched using the KSLV-II (Nuri).

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.41-46
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• 2020

The characteristics of the residual stress on the types of the substrate was investigated with adjusting the V/III ratio during GaN growth via the HVPE method. GaN single crystal layers were grown on a sapphire substrate and a GaN template under the conditions of V/III ratio 5, 10, and 15, respectively. During GaN growth, multiple hexagonal pits in GaN single crystal were differently revealed in accordance with growth condition and substrate type, and their distribution and depth were measured via optical microscopy(OM) and white light interferometry(WLI). As a result, it was confirmed that the distribution area and depth of hexagonal pit tended to increase as the V/III ratio increased. Moreover, it was found that the residual stress in GaN single crystal decreased as the distribution area and depth of the pit increased through measuring micro Raman spectrophotometer. In the case of GaN growth according to substrate type, the GaN on GaN template showed lower residual stress than the GaN grown on sapphire substrate.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.601-608
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• 2014

In this paper, we have characterized the electrical properties related to gate leakage current in AlGaN/GaN MISHFETs with varying the thickness (0 to 10 nm) of $Al_2O_3$ gate insulator which also serves as a surface protection layer during high-temperature RTP. The sheet resistance of the unprotected TLM pattern after RTP was rapidly increased to $1323{\Omega}/{\square}$ from the value of $400{\Omega}/{\square}$ of the as-grown sample due to thermal damage during high temperature RTP. On the other hand, the sheet resistances of the TLM pattern protected with thin $Al_2O_3$ layer (when its thickness is larger than 5 nm) were slightly decreased after high-temperature RTP since the deposited $Al_2O_3$ layer effectively neutralizes the acceptor-like states on the surface of AlGaN layer which in turn increases the 2DEG density. AlGaN/GaN MISHFET with 8 nm-thick $Al_2O_3$ gate insulator exhibited extremely low gate leakage current of $10^{-9}A/mm$, which led to superior device performances such as a very low subthreshold swing (SS) of 80 mV/dec and high $I_{on}/I_{off}$ ratio of ${\sim}10^{10}$. The PF emission and FN tunneling models were used to characterize the gate leakage currents of the devices. The device with 5 nm-thick $Al_2O_3$ layer exhibited both PF emission and FN tunneling at relatively lower gate voltages compared to that with 8 nm-thick $Al_2O_3$ layer due to thinner $Al_2O_3$ layer, as expected. The device with 10 nm-thick $Al_2O_3$ layer, however, showed very high gate leakage current of $5.5{\times}10^{-4}A/mm$ due to poly-crystallization of the $Al_2O_3$ layer during the high-temperature RTP, which led to very poor performances.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

The paper gives an overview of the concepts, basic requirements, and trends regarding packaging technologies of power modules in hybrid (HEV) and electric vehicles (EV). Power electronics is gaining more and more importance in the automotive sector due to the slow but steady progress of introducing partially or even fully electric powered vehicles. The demands for power electronic devices and systems are manifold, and concerns besides aspects such as energy efficiency, cooling and costs especially robustness and lifetime issues. Higher operation temperatures and the current density increase of new IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) generations make it more and more complicated to meet the quality requirements for power electronic modules. Especially the increasing heat dissipation inside the silicon (Si) leads to maximum operation temperatures of nearly $200^{\circ}C$. As a result new packaging technologies are needed to face the demands of power modules in the future. Wide-band gap (WBG) semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN) have the potential to considerably enhance the energy efficiency and to reduce the weight of power electronic systems in EVs due to their improved electrical and thermal properties in comparison to Si based solutions. In this paper, we will introduce various package materials, advanced packaging technologies, heat dissipation and thermal management of advanced power modules with extended reliability for EV applications. In addition, SiC and GaN based WBG power modules will be introduced.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.421-432
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• 2020

This paper proposes a 2-kW solid-state power amplifier (SSPA) developed by employing power amplifier pallets designed using gallium-nitride high electron mobility transistors, which is used in S-band military radars and to replace existing traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA). The SSPA consists of a high-power amplifier module, which combines eight power amplifier pallets, a drive amplifier module, a digital control module, and a power supply unit. First, the amplifier module and component were integrated into a small package to account for space limitations; next, an on-board harmonic filter was fabricated to reject spurious components; and finally, an auto gain control system was designed for various duty ratios because recent military radar systems are all active phase radars using the pulse operation mode. The developed SSPA exhibited a max gain of 48 dB and an output power ranging between 63-63.6 dBm at a frequency band of 3.1 to 3.5 GHz. The auto gain control function showed that the output power is regulated around 63 dBm despite the fluctuation of the input power from 15-20 dBm. Finally, reliability of the developed system was verified through a temperature environment test for nine hours at high (55 ℃) / low (-40℃) temperature profile in accordance with military standard 810. The developed SSPA show better performance such as light weight, high output, high gain, various safety function, low repair cost and short repair time than existing TWTA.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.10-16
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• 2011

We report on the simulation results of electrical/optical characteristics for nonpolar GaN LED having Mg-doped GaN spacer and quantum barrier, in comparison with those of the typical nonpolar GaN LED. In order to reduce the band-gap energy distortion and conduction-band discontinuity in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells(MQWs) of nonpolar GaN LED, and thereby to increase their current-voltage, light output power and emission peak intensity, we applied 6 nm-thick p-type($1{\times}10^{18}\;cm^{-3}$) GaN spacer and GaN QB schemes to the typical nonpolar GaN LED epitaxial structure. As a result, we found that the radiative recombination rate was increased by 23% in MQWs at 20 mA current injection. Also, the forward voltage($V_f$) and the light output power($P_{out}$) were improved by 3.7% and 7%, respectively, for the proposed nonpolar LED epitaxial structure, compared with those of the typical nonpolar GaN LED.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.115-121
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• 2012

Sapphire single crystals have been highlighted for epitaxial gallium nitride films in high-power laser and light emitting diode (LED) industries. Among the many crystal growth methods, the Kyropoulos process is an excellent commercial method for growing larger, high-optical-quality sapphire crystals with fewer defects. Because the properties and growth behavior of sapphire crystals are influenced largely by the temperature distribution and convection of molten sapphire during the manufacturing process, accurate predictions of the thermal fields and melt flow behavior are essential to design and optimize the Kyropoulos crystal growth process. In this study, computational fluid dynamic simulations were performed to examine the effects of the crucible geometry aspect ratio on melt convection during Kyropoulos sapphire crystal growth. The results through the evolution of various growth parameters on the temperature and velocity fields and convexity of the crystallization interface based on finite volume element simulations show that lower aspect ratio of the crucible geometry can be helpful for the quality of sapphire single crystal.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.16-26
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• 2011

This paper presents high power and high efficiency Doherty amplifiers for 2.345 GHz wireless broadband (WiBro) applications that use a Nitronex 125-W ($P_{3dB}$) GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). Two- and three-way Doherty amplifiers and a saturated Doherty amplifier using Class-F circuitry are implemented. The measured result for a center frequency of 2.345 GHz shows that the two-way Doherty amplifier attains a high $P_{3dB}$ of 51.5 dBm, a gain of 12.5 dB, and a power-added efficiency (PAE) improvement of about 16 % compared to a single class AB amplifier at 6-dB back-off power region from $P_{3dB}$. For a WiBro OFDMA signal, the Doherty amplifier provides an adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) at 4.77 MHz offset that is -33 dBc at an output power of 42 dBm, which is a 9.5 dB back-off power region from $P_{3dB}$. By employing a digital pre-distortion (DPD) technique, the ACLR of the Doherty amplifier is improved from -33 dBc to -48 dBc. The measured result for the same frequency shows that the three-way Doherty amplifier, which has a $P_{3dB}$ of 53.16 dBm and a gain of 10.3 dB, and the saturated Doherty amplifier, which has a $P_{3dB}$ of 51.1 dBm and a gain of 10.3 dB, provide a PAE improvement of 11 % at the 9-dB back-off power region and 7.5 % at the 6-dB back-off region, respectively, compared to the two-way Doherty amplifier.