The MOCA project is dedicated to the study of thin films single crystals from the perovskite family obtained on Silicon substrate by epitaxial routes. The materials developed will be Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) with Zr/Ti=52/48 and (Ba,Sr)TiO3 (BST) with Ba/Sr=70/30. Three different deposition techniques will be performed: Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), sol gel and Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). The targeted proofs of concept are three fold: acoustic resonators, high-K capacitors and piezoelectric actuators. The final aim of MOCA is to provide a clear status on the superiority of the epitaxial single crystal thin films compared to their polycrystalline counterpart. Four partners will be involved in MOCA. CEA LETI Minatec will be the leader of the project and will process the sol gel layers (PZT and BST) deposited on SrTiO3 (STO) buffered layers, which is mandatory to obtain single crystals on Si. LETI will also realise several proof of concepts devices: resonators with FEMTO, capacitors and piezoelectric or electrostrictive actuators. He will characterize these devices. INL will bring his expertise on MBE to the consortium. He will prepare the template Si wafers with the STO layer and will work specifically on this template layer. He will also prepare BST active layers in order to compare their properties to the one obtained with the other techniques. A demonstrator will be done by the partners (actuators or/and resonators). INL will provide the template layers to the partners. SPMS will work on the PLD route as it is also a recognized way to obtain single crystals as thin films. He will also help the consortium to characterize the structural behaviour of the layers deposited. FEMTO will realize resonators and characterize them. The consortium is very complementary on this dedicated topic of perovskite single crystal on Si. Finally, ST Tours, industrial with a long experience of integrating PZT capacitors with Si, will elaborate specifications and will test the capacitors based on single crystals perovskite in the framework of the MOCA project. The partners have already several common projects and developed the know-how to work together for a long time.

Nowadays, due to the rapid development of wireless communication systems, in particular, public telecommunication, such as, television, internet, mobile phones and global positioning systems (GPS), transceiver architectures demand constant miniaturization of millimeter wave and microwave devices , better integration , lower power consumption and low cost. For this reason, the next generation wireless communication systems turn toward multi-function modules by incorporating reconfigurable and tunable structures. This project aims to explore new ways in order to achieve a telecommunication system with size miniaturization and complex functionality. In this view, this project proposes to use nanotechnology to realize innovative microwave components using the ferroelectric titanate of barium and Strontium Ba1-xSrxTiO3 (BST). BST is a ferroelectric tunable material at room temperature and can be used to achieve multiple applications in circuit design and tunable devices. To achieve the goals of this project, simultaneous efforts in materials development, process technologies and device designs are required to obtain a high-quality Radio Frequency (RF) system with tunable, compact, highly integrated, reliable, temperature stable components, in addition to good power handling capabilities. To develop such innovative devices, it is necessary that engineers and researchers in advanced materials and micro-electronics work in conjunction with telecommunication industry. This project aims to achieve a new level of tunable BST technology for microwave components, such as tunable filters, antennas, and capacitors. Concerning the materials, our effort will concern the optimization of the electrodes, the structure and microstructure of the ferroelectric and the interfaces quality in the components. At a fundamental level, it is important to study the best technological conditions with respect to type of substrate, thickness of BST, and BST optimization to design the proposed components, namely filters, antennas and capacitors. In the design level, different structure topologies and design schemes should be studied to achieve maximum tunability with minimum size and power consumption. The work plan is based on technology optimization that is suitable for different microwave components including the fabrication of BST, the selection of technology and optimal design whose results will be used in the implementation of more complex structures and devices. In this project we target the presentation of new functionality and performance of BST based RF and microwave components with respect to miniaturization, multiple functionality and power handling capabilities.

GaN4AP project has the ambitious target of making the GaN-based electronics to become the main power active device present in all power converter systems, with the possibility of developing a close-to-zero energy loss power electronic systems. GaN4AP project will… 1. Develop innovative Power Electronic Systems for power conversion and management with advanced architecture and circuit topology based on state of the art GaN-based High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) available in a new concept high-frequency packages that can achieve the requested 99% power conversion efficiency. 2. Develop an innovative material (Aluminium Scandium Nitride, AlScN) that combined with advanced growth and process solutions can provide outstanding physical properties for highly efficient power transistors. Therefore, a new HEMT device architecture will be fabricated with much higher current (2x) and power density (2x) than existing transistors. 3. Develop a new generation of vertical power GaN-based devices on MOSFET architecture with vertical p-GaN inversion channel for safe power switching up to 1200 V. We will cover all the production chain from the device design, processing and characterization up to tests in low inductance half bridge power modules and their implementation in high speed power switching systems. 4. Develop a new intelligent and integrated GaN solutions (STi2GaN) both in System in Package (SiP) and Monolithic variances, that will allow the generation of E-Mobility power converters. The projects will focus on scalable concept for 48V-12V bidirectional Buck Boost converters for conventional and ADAS applications combining, in a novel wire-bond free package, a state of the art BCD driver & controller along with a common substrate Monolithic 100V e-GaN Half Bridge. The development of new device technologies and innovative power circuits, employing the GaN-based devices is a crucial factor for the world-wide competitiveness of EU industries.

Emerging communication technologies like 5G or Near Field Communication call for voltage tunable ferroelectric (FE) film capacitors to work at higher frequencies or lower voltage, thus requiring the reduction of the FE thickness. Unfortunately, two interface-related phenomena, the FE “dead layer” and leakage current, impede this evolution. Recent encouraging ab initio calculations showed the importance of the chemical bonding, polar discontinuity and distortion mismatch at electrode/FE perovskite interfaces for polarization stabilization and Schottky barrier height (SBH) adjustment. A systematic interface engineering using Combinatorial Pulsed Laser Deposition will chemically modulate electrode/(Ba,Sr)TiO3 interfaces of industrial capacitors. Advanced spectroscopy and microscopy methods coupled with first-principles calculations will help to understand the chemical, structural and electronic mechanisms controlling the SBH and FE polarization at the interface. TRL 6 industrial prototype varactors with the optimized interfaces will be tested against 5G and NFC specifications.