On the morning of March 4, CCTV-13 Live News broadcasted the research work of YANG Shu, a Research Professor at College of Electrical Engineering of Zhejiang University, under the title "Post-90s Doctoral Supervisor YANG Shu: Pouring Effort into Study and Develop an Environmental Protection and Energy Saving Technology."
Gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) are new generation of semiconductor materials. They are used to create power electronic devices with low loss, fast switching and other desirable characteristics, which are currently the key technology in power electronics invested by developed countries. With in-depth research on this frontier, YANG Shu was selected as the twelfth batch of “National Thousand Young Talents Program". She joined the College of Electrical Engineering of Zhejiang University and started developing this technology that can be used in environmental protection and energy-saving.
This semitransparent wafer is a two-inch intrinsic GaN based homogeneous epitaxial material. It will turn into functional chips after a series of micro-nano processes including lithography, ion implantation, and metallization, it can produce. Although it looks like ordinary, it can be used to produce hundreds of power electronic devices. With GaN material, a device can block voltage up to a few kilovolts and conduct current up to tens of amperes in a few square millimeters. Compared to traditional semiconductor material-silicon, the new device can dramatically reduce power loss and increase efficiency and operating frequency. As for the research in this field, YANG and the team gained wide recognition. In the recent five years, she has published over 60 papers in international journals and conferences.
YANG graduated from Fudan University, gaining her Bachelor's Degree at 20 years old. She then graduated from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, achieving her Doctor's Degree at 24 years old. In 2016, after conducted her postdoctoral research at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, YANG joined Zhejiang University, and became the youngest doctoral supervisor in the university at that time.
SHENG Kuang, Dean of the College of Electrical Engineering of Zhejiang University, said, "China's economic and the entire society have developed very well in these years. The country's growth requires a large number of talents. It provides young talents with very good opportunities and development platforms. After they finish their studies abroad, a lot of young talents return to their home country and make contributions to its development."
In 2012, the PEDL (Power Electronic Device Laboratory) of Zhejiang University and Hi-tech Zone of Suzhou jointly set up a laboratory dedicated to the development of new semiconductor power electronic devices. This is one of the few university laboratories in China that conduct research in this field. By using this platform, YANG Shu and her team conduct continuous research on lower loss, higher frequency of new type of GaN and SiC power electronic devices, aiming to create devices offering better performances for applications such as smart grid, new energy vehicles, etc.
YANG said, "I think it is very meaningful to be able to return to my home country, to my familiar environment and do what I can do for my country. The research platform is also very good, and I also hope that I could make contribution to the development of technology and strength of our country through my own efforts."
