TECH
New semiconductor building blocks make power converters smaller, more affordable
Semiconductors are essential components of modern technology, serving as the foundation for countless electronic devices. As a result, the development and manufacturing of semiconductors have become a highly competitive field, with tech companies vying for leadership in this crucial sector.
Moreover, the significance of semiconductors has sparked widespread interest in trading and investing in the companies involved in their production, with individuals seeking exposure on the price fluctuations of these companies' stocks.
Electricity is part of virtually everything we do in modern society. From our energy grids to our smartphones and even our vehicles, electricity is what makes it all run. In a world where demand for electricity is higher than ever (and rapidly growing), energy efficiency is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Whether environmentalists who want to protect the planet or businesspeople looking to cut expenses, finding new ways to improve the efficiency of our systems and generate renewable energy is a key focus for all.
Sometimes these big developments come in small packages, and when it comes to electrical systems the components might be tiny but their impacts on efficiency can be big. That’s certainly the case with semiconductor devices, which are critical components in pretty much any electrical system you can think of, from those in your home that power your appliances to massive wind farms generating renewable energy.
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory incorporated gallium nitride semiconductors to create a high-efficiency power converter that is more compact, affordable, and efficient.
A power converter is a type of device that manages semiconductor switching and transforms current or voltage, so electricity flows smoothly and safely among equipment, power sources, and users.
Silicon semiconductors are the fundamental building blocks of conventional converters. Manufacturer ROHM Semiconductor provided the ORNL research team with gallium nitride semiconductors that enable switching 10 to 20 times faster than silicon while losing less energy in the process.
In response to growing energy industry interest in gallium nitride, ORNL built converters with these semiconductors in its Grid Research Innovation and Development Center (GRID-C) and validated how the technology could fill performance gaps. GRID-C is a unique constellation of labs and test beds for pioneering research in grid systems integration, modeling, energy storage, analytics, and security.
The smaller, lighter ORNL converter can be more affordably delivered, installed, and maintained, and it enables a flexible facility footprint that is less expensive for large projects.
"In the future, these are meant to help in artificial intelligence data center applications, which need many systems with these exact requirements," said researcher Prasad Kandula. "Size and weight add up quickly when you are looking at four to eight converters for each server, with enterprise data centers using hundreds to thousands of servers."
Smaller energy-converting semiconductor components are vital because they drastically improve efficiency, reduce heat, and save space. By making these components—such as power converters and transistors—smaller and leveraging advanced materials like Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC), industries can cut energy waste and operate more sustainably.
In traditional circuits, logic devices that perform computation, like transistors, and memory devices that store data are built as separate components, forcing data to travel back and forth between them, which wastes energy.
This new electronics integration platform allows scientists to fabricate transistors and memory devices in one compact stack on a semiconductor chip. This eliminates much of that wasted energy while boosting the speed of computation.
Key to this advance is a newly developed material with unique properties and a more precise fabrication approach that reduces the number of defects in the material. This allows the researchers to make extremely tiny transistors with built-in memory that can perform faster than state-of-the-art devices while consuming less electricity than similar transistors.
By improving the energy efficiency of electronic devices, this new approach could help reduce the burgeoning electricity consumption of computation, especially for demanding applications like generative AI, deep learning, and computer vision tasks.
The main reasons why these smaller components are so important include:
Lower energy losses: Smaller components, especially those utilizing wide-bandgap materials, can switch currents on and off thousands of times per second. This minimizes heat generation and energy waste during power conversion.
Increased power density: Shrinking components allows engineers to pack more processing and conversion power into a much tighter space. For example, in large server and enterprise data centers, smaller power electronics enable more powerful infrastructure without requiring more floor space.
Improved system reliability: Smaller electronic hardware translates to shorter distances for electrons to travel, which inherently reduces power usage and prevents overheating. This decreases failure rates and extends the lifespan of the equipment.
Enhanced green energy Transition: Smaller, more effective semiconductors are critical for harvesting and converting power from renewable sources like solar panels and wind turbines. They allow devices to handle high voltages and temperatures with minimal power loss, directly supporting net-zero emission goals.
Better portability and weight reduction: In sectors like the automotive industry, shrinking semiconductor modules is essential. Smaller parts reduce the overall weight and size of electric vehicles (EVs) and charging stations, directly impacting battery range and cost.
Provided by Oak Ridge National Laboratory
No comments:
Post a Comment