Ultra Materials for the Future Electricity Grid
Ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors have been identified as a crucial enabling materials technology. These UWBG semiconductor and dielectric materials (or ‘Ultra’ materials) present a new realm for high field transport, electron-phonon interactions, and heat transport. Understanding their novel properties will enable “reinventing the electricity grid” by providing efficient energy conversion and control (Smart Grid) and a significant reduction in size: a substation could be replaced by a suitcase-sized power converter (Resilient Grid).
Dr. Nemanich serves as the Director of ULTRA and is an investigator with Thrusts 1-3. His scientific role is contributing to plasma-CVD and MBE diamond and BN epitaxial growth as well as ALD of ultra-dielectrics, surface, and interface characterization.
The UWBG semiconductors of interest include cubic diamond, hexagonal AlN and BxAl1-xN alloys, which bridge the two, and oxide and fluoride dielectrics. The focus on basic science challenges are in four thrust areas:
- Growth, Defects and Impurities
- Heterogeneous interfaces
- Carrier dynamics and high field transport.
- Thermal energy transport and interfaces.
Dr. Nemanich serves as the Director of ULTRA and is an investigator with Thrusts 1-3. His scientific role is contributing to plasma-CVD and MBE diamond and BN epitaxial growth as well as ALD of ultra-dielectrics, surface, and interface characterization.