Whitehead Lecture

The Whitehead Memorial Lecture

The Whitehead Memorial Lecture is named in honor of Dr. John Boswell Whitehead, a pioneer in electrical insulation and dielectrics and a long-time contributor to the CEIDP.  The Conference opens each year with the Lecture and it is the keynote session of the Conference.  The 2025 Whitehead Memorial Lecture will be given by Dr. Enis Tuncer, Texas Instruments, USA.

2025 Whitehead Memorial Lecture: Dr. Enis Tuncer, Texas Instruments, USA

Title— Dielectrics in Semiconductor Devices

Abstract—High voltage (HV) semiconductor devices are the backbone of modern power electronics, enabling efficient and reliable control of electrical power, measurement of current and voltage and signal integrity between isolated circuits. These devices employ numerous dielectric materials, which are classified depending on the process location (where they are applied in the manufacturing steps), wafer level, bump and assembly dielectrics. Each section has a specific material group and requirements. HV devices, can be divided into active and passive components. They are capable of handling high voltages and currents, play a pivotal role in various applications, from renewable energy systems to electric vehicles and industrial automation. Prominent examples of active high voltage semiconductor devices are the transistors and diodes that can be based on silicon, gallium nitride or silicon carbide technologies. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect further advancements in HV semiconductor devices, enabling even more efficient and innovative power solutions.
Passive semiconductor devices are the isolation semiconductor devices, i.e., opto-couplers. Central to their functionality is the concept of isolation, a technique that separates individual devices within a semiconductor chip to prevent electrical interference and ensure proper operation. In modern integrated circuits, millions of transistors and other components are densely packed onto a single chip or a circuit board. To function correctly, these devices must be electrically isolated from one another. Without isolation, signals could leak between devices, leading to malfunctions and degraded performance. In addition, different voltage zones can be created either on individual devices or printed circuit boards using isolation devices, and power transfer can be provided between voltage zones.
This lecture will explore dielectric materials employed in semiconductor devices, examining how they are applied and characterized to address some of the challenges. To describe the importance of the dielectric materials and various aspects of the high voltage physics, topics like electrical properties of dielectrics, dielectric breakdown, active device performance, high voltage measurements, and utility of electric field calculations will be presented.

Short Bio: Enis Tuncer (Institute of Physics Fellow, IEEE Senior Member) received his BSc degree in physics from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, in 1994. He then went on to earn his MSc (1996) and PhD (2001) degrees in Nanophysics and High Voltage Engineering, respectively, from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. Currently, he is a Distinguished Member, Technical Staff at Texas Instruments Incorporated. He is working on dielectric materials for semiconductor applications and novel testing methods for device and material characterization. Prior to joining TI, he held research and development roles related to dielectric materials in the Corporate Research Materials Laboratory at 3M Austin Center in Texas and in the Dielectrics & Electrophysics Lab at General Electric Global Research Center in Niskayuna, New York. He was a research staff member in the Applied Superconductivity Group, Fusion Energy Division, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee between 2005 and 2010. In 2002, he worked for Alstom Power Sweden in Vaesteraas, Sweden, on the development of high voltage hydrogenerators (PowerformerTM). Between 2002 and 2005, he performed research activities on soft dielectrics for electromechanical applications, polymer physics, and dielectric mixtures at the University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany; Ames Laboratory/Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA; and Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. He served on the IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society Administrative Committee between 2010 and 2016 and was the IEEE DEIS Historian between 2006 and 2012. Currently, he is the Nanodielectrics in High Voltage Field Subject Matter Editor in the Institution of Engineering and Technology Nanodielectrics Journal and Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation. He received the Mahboob Khan Outstanding Liaison Award twice in 2015 and in 2020 for his contributions to Semiconductor Research Corporation Community. He has 250+ publications and 35 patents.

Over 100 years of CEIDP: All the Whitehead Memorial Lecturers from 1955-present