Lab test: Gallium nitride chips can withstand 500 degrees C
Researchers at the Massachusetts Insitute of Technology (MIT) have demonstrated that electronics made from gallium nitride can function even in oven-like temperatures.
Gallium nitride is regarded as a next-generation semiconductor that could one day replace silicon, but research on the material is embryonic. Its known that gallium nitride itself can withstand temperatures above 900 Fahrenheit (500 degrees Celsius), but what about chips made from the material?
Scientists at MIT and other universities decided to find out. They tested the impact on ohmic contacts at temperatures of 932 Fahrenheit (500 degrees Celsius) for 48 hours straight. They found that the contacts remained structurally intact. At MIT, they went further and exposed the structures inside a specialised furnace for 72 hours. They found that contact resistance remained the same for up to 48 hours.
The full results were published in Applied Physics Letters.
