New transistor technology can increase heat dissipation capacity by more than twice

    According to reports, a research team at Osaka Metropolitan University has used diamond, the most thermally conductive natural material on Earth, as a substrate to create gallium nitride (GaN) transistors, which have more than twice the heat dissipation capacity of traditional transistors. It is reported that the transistor can be used not only in 5G communication base stations, meteorological radars, satellite communications and other fields, but also in microwave heating, plasma processing and other fields. The latest research findings have been recently published in the journal "Small".

    With the increasing miniaturization of semiconductor devices, issues such as increased power density and heat generation have emerged, which can affect the performance, reliability, and lifespan of these devices. It is understood that gallium nitride (GaN) on diamond exhibits promising prospects as the next generation semiconductor material, as both materials have wide bandgaps that enable high conductivity and high thermal conductivity of diamond, positioning them as excellent heat dissipation substrates.

   Previously, scientists had attempted to create GaN structures on diamonds by combining two components with some form of transition or adhesive layer, but in both cases, the additional layer significantly interfered with the thermal conductivity of diamonds, disrupting a key advantageous combination of GaN diamonds. In the latest research, scientists from Osaka Public University have successfully manufactured GaN high electron mobility transistors using diamond as a substrate. The heat dissipation performance of this new technology is more than twice that of similarly shaped transistors manufactured on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates.

    In order to maximize the high thermal conductivity of diamond, researchers integrated a layer of cubic silicon carbide between GaN and diamond. This technology significantly reduces the thermal resistance of the interface and improves heat dissipation performance. This new technology has the potential to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and potentially revolutionize the development of power and radio frequency electronic products by improving thermal management capabilities.