Nonlinear thermoelectroelastic simulation of III-N devices

Abstract

A consistent thermoelectroelastic description of piezoelectric semiconductors with finite deformation is presented. By including both kinematic and constitutive nonlinearities as well as a proper treatment of the electrostatic conditions at free surfaces, the theory allows situations with large strains to be modeled more accurately. In addition, the theory is rotationally invariant unlike the linear theory, and can therefore be applied to semiconducting MEMS structures that involve large mechanical displacements. These points are illustrated using numerical simulations of several different III-N devices of technological interest.