Oct. 16 – Fabio Soci, 27 year old from Pavullo, a municipality in the province of Modena, completed in 2009 his bachelor degree in Electronic Engineering at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia with a thesis entitled “Development of a solar harvester for low power applications.” Two years later he completed his Master of Science in Electronic Engineering with highest honors. Today a doctoral candidate in the “Enzo Ferrari” Department of Engineering at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, he received in Glasgow, Scotland, international recognition and the “Honourable Mention Best Student Paper Award” for his work dedicated to gallium nitride transistors. The use of this innovative material for the development of new technologies in the electronics industry is at the center of Soci’s study, formally praised during the HEterostructure TECHnologies – HETECH2013 conference. The jury, committed to evaluating the numerous papers presented, particularly liked Soci’s study, entitled “Study on the changes in threshold voltage and extraction of the profile of oxide traps in AlGaN / GaN MIs-HEMT.” The paper provides an analysis of the mechanisms that cause the instability of the threshold voltage in transistors made with HEMT gallium nitride, a chemical compound candidate to replace silicon and revolutionize the electronics industry. “Thanks to the excellent physical properties of gallium nitride – stressed Soci – these devices allow the creation of systems for the conversion of more energy efficient and more compact power compared to current systems. They are thus proposed as main alternatives to silicon use in power electronics.” “The measurement techniques presented in the article – added Alessandro Chini, supervisor to Soci – allow a thorough analysis of the charge trapping mechanisms that undermine the transistors’ stability and reliability. These measurements also facilitate meaningful comparisons between families of devices made with different processes, an increasingly important aspect in the development of a new technology.”