Authors:

Susan Huang

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About Paper:

As wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors, such as gallium nitride (GaN), gain more prominence in aerospace applications, the packaging needs of advanced semiconductors must evolve to meet extreme performance demands. These electronic components offer significant advantages, such as high power efficiency, thermal conductivity, and switching speeds, but their small form factor, mechanical fragility, and sensitivity to thermal and electrical stress pose major challenges for packaging and for heterogeneous integration in space environments. The EPC7014 GaN field-effect transistor (FET) is a compact, high-performance device well-suited for power conversion and control in spacecraft systems. Despite its benefits, the lack of optimized packaging solutions limits its operational lifetime. This research aims to design, prototype, and test a packaging scheme based around the GaN die's dimensions, material interfaces, and performance characteristics, in order to enhance the survivability of GaN-based electronics in orbital atmospheres. Building upon insights from power device assembly literature, a custom layout will be created and rigorously tested for structural capabilities under simulated thermal cycling, charge dissipation, and reliability conditions. Key design variables include solder material selection, heat sink interface design, and conformal coating strategies. By combining theoretical knowledge, experimental configurations, and testing, the effectiveness of the packaging is comprehensively assessed. The goal is to improve device durability by enhancing material selection and mechanical design for future miniaturized power systems and to support the broader adoption of GaN technologies in emerging space-qualified hardware. This work will support future radiation testing aimed at evaluating the practicality of the design considerations. Keywords: Heterogeneous Integration; Wide Bandgap Semiconductors; Power Device; GaN Packaging; HI/AP

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

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Co-authors:

Susan Huang