Here is the list of possible themes for Thesis Project of last-year Master students. Other projects are also possible upon request.

  1. Performance and Reliability Investigation of Next-Generation Vertical GaN Transistors for High-Power Applications Flyer
    Wide-Band-Gap (WBG) semiconductors are establishing new records in the field of power electronics and are among the best alternatives to Silicon in high performance applications (automotive, energy conversion, space equipment, etc.).
    Among these, Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based devices stand out thanks to their excellent metrics, low manufacturing cost, and good versatility in terms of operating power/frequency. While lateral GaN transisotrs are relatively established and already found commercial application, vertical transistors (i.e., with current flowing from the source at the top and drain at the bottom of the structure, controlled laterally by the gate terminal) are still in their infancy.
    The recent European project “YESvGaN” (lead by Bosch) aims at developing low-cost GaN vertical transistors (built on Si substrates) with voltage/current capability up to 1200 V and 100 A.
    The Master Thesis project involves the realization of a TCAD simulation platform for analyzing the electrical performance (i.e., current-voltage and capacitance-voltage characteristics) and reliability (i.e., physical mechanisms leading to early breakdown, threshold voltage/on-resistance degradation, etc.) of GaN vertical transistors. Data obtained from this analysis will be delivered to partners to guide the development of the technology.
    Contact Person(s):
    Prof. Paolo Pavan (e-mail: paolo.pavan@unimore.it)
    Dr. Nicolò Zagni (e-mail: nicolo.zagni@unimore.it)
  1. Quantifying interface and border traps in ultra-scaled III-V MOSFETs
    Goal of this project is to characterize the interface and border traps distribution in ultra-scaled III-V MOSFETs by means of hysteresis measurements and possibly also single-pulse charge-pumping methods. The results obtained by the characterization will help to calibrate numerical simulators whose results will be used to relate hysteresis of the I-V characteristics and trap distributions with a simple model.
    Further Reading: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature10677?page=37, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pssa.201600592, https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8957054
    Contact Person: Dr. Nicolò Zagni (e-mail: nicolo.zagni@unimore.it)