Key properties of band gap, critical electrical breakdown, electron mobility and thermal conductivity ultimately affect the peak operating temperature, voltage, efficiency and thermal management requirements the devices bring over to the applications they enable.
For instance, silicon’s low band gap limits operating temperature compared with the wide bandgap materials, GaN and Silicon Carbide. Silicon’s low breakdown electric field and low thermal conductivity compared with Silicon Carbide restricts its ability to operate at high voltages and conduct heat away.
Among wide bandgap materials, GaN has excellent electron mobility that enables high gain and high efficiency at frequencies much higher than silicon. But its poor thermal conductivity requires the help from a substrate of another material, Silicon Carbide, which offers exceptional thermal conductivity.
