A review of device-level thermal management in wide and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor devices

Abstract

With the rapid development of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, digital energy, and 5G communication, wide bandgap (WBG) and ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors have shown great potential due to their excellent properties, including high electron mobility, high breakdown voltage, and exceptional radiation resistance. However, self-heating effects pose significant challenges in epitaxially grown GaN and Ga₂O₃ devices, primarily due to their intrinsically low thermal conductivity and the additional thermal barriers introduced by nucleation layers. With increasing demands for device integration and power density, incorporating effective device-level thermal management strategies into device design becomes essential. Through material selection, structural design, and process optimization, previous research has proposed multiple thermal management solutions for WBG and UWBG semiconductor devices. Diamond-integrated cooling solutions receive particular attention due to the high thermal conductivity of diamond. Nevertheless, research on these solutions remains fragmented. A comprehensive review of existing device-level thermal management solutions is therefore essential to provide researchers with a systematic perspective. This review begins by introducing the background of thermal management. It then discusses and summarizes four key current thermal management solutions. Finally, it outlines future research directions for WBG and UWBG semiconductor device-level thermal management.