11/01/93:  NASA ANNOUNCES NEW SEMICONDUCTOR GROWTH PROCESS

Drucella Andersen
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                   November 1, 1993

Lori Rachul
Lewis Research Center, Cleveland

RELEASE:  93-200

     Scientists from NASA today announced a major advancement in a rapidly
emerging semiconductor technology at the International Conference on Silicon
Carbide and Related Materials in Washington, D.C.

     Dr.  David J. Larkin and his teammates from NASA's Lewis Research Center,
Cleveland, announced a new silicon carbide crystal growth process, called "site
competition epitaxy," in a paper presented at the conference.

     "This new growth process can be used to produce superior silicon carbide
semiconductor electronic devices.  Silicon carbide electronic devices can
withstand temperatures of 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, much higher than
conventional semiconductors.  This will enable electric systems to replace
cumbersome hydraulic and pneumatic systems now used in jet engines that will
result in cleaner, more fuel-efficient aircraft," Larkin said.

     Silicon carbide electronics also offer significant performance gains for
spacecraft, electric vehicles, microwave radar and cellular communications
systems and computer memories.

     High voltage diodes (diodes are fundamental components of most circuits)
have been produced by the group using the semiconductor technology described in
the paper.  These diodes successfully operated at 2000 volts, the highest
voltages ever recorded for devices using silicon carbide.

     Under the sponsorship of NASA's Office of Aeronautics, the Lewis Research
Center has been a major participant in silicon carbide electronics development
work for the last decade.  Larkin's colleagues in this research are Dr. Philip
G. Neudeck, J. Anthony Powell and Dr. Lawrence G. Matus. The group works in the
High Temperature Integrated Electronics and Sensors program at Lewis.

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