Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STUBA) is attended by almost 16000 students and belongs to leading universities in microelectronics education and R&D activities in the New Member States of EU. The Institute of Electronics and Photonics of STUBA is active in a field of microelectronics, photonics and sensorics. Its membership in EUROPRACTICE provides access to advanced TCAD modelling and simulation as well as IC design tools. Structure and device characterization and failure analysis either by electrical or analytical and microscopical tools is another strong field of institute activities. The comparison and good correlation of experimental and simulated results is used for physical models calibration, physical interpretation of obtained experimental results and prediction of the properties of new semiconductor devices and IC‘s. The actual activities comprise thin film sensors and subsequent signal processing for healthcare and environmental applications, analogue and mixed signal design, smart power MOS device design and characterization, GaN based devices, organic semiconductor transistors and LED‘s, diamond and carbon nanotubes growth. The well-equipped laboratories, expertise and enthusiasms of department staff ensure the successful project solution. They are about 60 teachers and researchers and 15 PhD students at the institute. They actively participated in the 5th, 6th and 7th FP projects as well as NATO and COST projects. More than 25 projects funded by national authorities and/or within bilateral international collaboration are being solved at the institute yearly. STUBA scientists have expertise in application and development of electrical, microscopical and optical techniques for characterization and analysis of advanced heterostructures and devices. They have an expertise in application of spectrally resolved CL for characterization and visualization of GaN vertical multilayer structures, characterization of InGaN/GaN structures by a voltage dependent spectral CL with interpretation of results supported by numerical simulations using MC simulator developed at STUBA, as well as with visualization of defect distribution in various GaN buffer layers grown on foreign (sapphire, Si and SiC) substrates. They are also using μPL and μRS for investigation of the homogeneity of the layers and characterization of mechanical strain in correlation with surface morphology obtained from AFM / KPFM and vertical structure investigated by SIMS depth profiling technique. Knowledge of potential sources of a gate leakage, breakdown and degradation mechanisms in developed D- and E-mode GaN devices and test structures devices from I-V characteristics, EBIC and/or electroluminescence mapping, supported by 2/3D numerical modelling is another potential contribution to the project. Available tools for a fast and accurate electro-thermal modelling of power devices and systems either on a chip or in a package belongs to the state of the art. Modifying and application of these models to study parasitic effects in GaN based devices including trapping phenomena studied by C-V and DLTS methods is another scientific contribution. The obtained results are implemented in curricula and particularly in various "SMART" solutions (e.g. Smart Cities, medical electronics), fruitful collaboration with Spin-off and Start-up companies in European projects. Implementation of innovative solutions is an integral part of our activities.

  Electronics and Photonics