Klaus Heyers
Chief Expert for wide-bandgap Semiconductors
Bosch
Dr. Klaus Heyers received his Dipl. Ing in electrical engineering with focus on solid state electronics at the RWTH-Aachen in 1988 and his Ph.D at the “Institut für Halbleitertechnik” in 1992 at the same university with research in the field of Rapid Thermal Processing for advanced CMOS Devices. In 1992 he joined the Robert Bosch GmbH and was involved in the development of Si-MEMS Sensors. After several positions in Corporate Research and Business unit Electric Drives he is working in the field of SiC-Technology since 2008. Currently he acts as Chief Expert for wide-bandgap Semiconductors.
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 429,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2023). The company generated sales of 91.6 billion euros in 2023. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. With its business activities, the company aims to use technology to help shape universal trends such as automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and an orientation to sustainability. In this context, Bosch’s broad footprint across industries and regions strengthens its innovativeness and robustness. Bosch uses its proven expertise in sensor technology, software, and services to offer customers cross-domain solutions from a single source. It also applies its expertise in connectivity and artificial intelligence in order to develop and manufacture user-friendly, sustainable products. With technology that is “Invented for life,” Bosch wants to help improve quality of life and conserve natural resources.
Presentations
Vertical GaN Transistors: A Future Path for Wide-Bandgap Semiconductors in the Automotive World
Automotive applications, particularly traction systems of electric vehicles, have emerged as the leading market for wide-bandgap semiconductors. Although silicon carbide (SiC) is the dominant technology due to its excellent physical properties and relatively mature status, it suffers from some limitations. Although substrate costs are coming down fast, they still represent a significant part of the total device costs and are a considerable quality factor. As DC losses are being reduced more and more, dynamic losses are becoming increasingly relevant also in slow switching inverter applications, especially under partial load conditions. Vertical GaN technology, based on foreign substrates, combines the potential to leverage superior material properties with low-cost substrates. Additionally, vertical device structures are essential for high-power modules.