The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) has developed a radiation resistance evaluation technology that has secured international reliability by simulating and analyzing a high-energy space environment for the first time in Korea, and the application of next-generation SiC power semiconductors to the space industry is expected.

Dr. Jaehwa Seo's research team at the Next Generation Semiconductor Research Center of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute announced on the 17th that they have developed a technology to evaluate the radiation resistance of silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor devices in a space environment and secure their reliability.

Power semiconductors are core components of electric and electronic devices, and they play a role similar to muscles in the human body, such as controlling the direction of current and controlling power conversion. Currently, silicon (Si) is the most widely used power semiconductor material in electric vehicles and space environments, but as next-generation runners, 'wide band gap (WBG) power semiconductors' with high performance and durability, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and diamond, are receiving much attention.

Cosmic radiation is considered a major cause of serious deterioration in the electrical characteristics of power semiconductors installed in aircraft, rovers, satellites, etc. Internationally, research on the effects of radiation is being conducted, mainly in the United States and Europe, but Korea is still at the level of quantitatively analyzing radiation resistance at the silicon power semiconductor stage, and the research results have had many limitations.

Here, KERI succeeded in effectively evaluating the radiation resistance of SiC power semiconductors through high-energy space environment simulation for the first time in Korea. The most important thing was to implement an extreme space radiation experimental environment. Space radiation consists of particles of various energy bands, and protons account for 80-90% of them. Accordingly, Dr. Seo Jae-hwa's team utilized high-energy protons (100 MeV) from the accelerator facility owned by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and collaborated with the team of Professor Yoon Young-jun of Kyungkuk University, an expert in the field, to implement accurate radiation exposure conditions.

Under these space environment conditions, KERI systematically analyzed the influence of voltage changes, increased leakage current due to radiation exposure, and grid damage of SiC power semiconductors developed domestically. Based on this, a large amount of data was accumulated and design criteria were established to ensure long-term reliability when SiC power semiconductors are used as actual space components. The results of the related research were recognized for their excellence and were recently published in a paper (top 8.7%) in 'Radiation Physics and Chemistry', an SCI-level international journal in the field of nuclear and radiochemistry.

KERI's Dr. Jaehwa Seo said, "Setting various radiation impact parameters and testing core components in a similarly simulated environment is considered a core technology in the space industry around the world." He added, "The technology will be applied to various fields such as medical radiation devices, nuclear power generation and radiation waste disposal facilities, and military and defense electronics as well as space and aviation."

In the future, the research team plans to further expand the scope of the technology and develop 'next-generation radiation-resistant power semiconductor' devices along with reliability evaluations of SiC power semiconductors under ultra-high energy (over 200 MeV) radiation conditions. In addition, as they are currently conducting research on 'future power semiconductors using diamonds', which have the best semiconductor properties on Earth, in cooperation with Gyeongsangnam-do and the Japanese company 'Orbray', their goal is to help Korea lead the development of the high value-added space and aviation industry.

Meanwhile, KERI is a government-funded research institute under the National Research Council of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Science and ICT. This research was conducted as a KERI basic project (Development of core technologies for high-temperature, high-frequency, and high-efficiency power control modules (3 High)).