Two PhD student positions are open in Spain in semiconductor devices to (i) design and characterize photovoltaic devices aimed for new generation of high efficiency power converters; (ii) do trustable TCAD modelings for SiC laser power converters, measure critical material properties of SiC crystals and test the electrical characteristics of the LPC prototypes.
The graduate students will be part of EIC Pathfinder project on high power laser transmission (HPLT) in SiC based on the transmission of power via laser onto a photovoltaic receiver. The transmission could be through optic fiber, replacing conventional copper wires, or through free space, suitable for aerospace environments. There are many applications of this technology, such as the simultaneous transfer of power and data or optically powering remote antennas, aerial vehicles or even satellites. The current HPLT technology faces two major limitations: the intrinsic entropic losses associated to low bandgap materials (such as GaAs) and the series resistance losses that degrade the device performance at high power densities. To overcome these limitations, RePowerSiC aims to develop a new breakthrough LPC technology based on two key elements, the use of silicon carbide (SiC) and the development of new device architectures.
