For invention, development and commercialization of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor, which is one of the most important innovations for the control and distribution of energy.
Progress Energy Distinguished University Professor, Director of PSRC, NC State University.
Curriculum Vaite
- Born in India in 1948.
- 1969 – Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Madras) 1971 – Master’s Degree, 1974 – PhD, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (New York City).
- 1974 – 1988 – Performs research work in General Electric’s R&D Center (Schenectady, New York State). His team of 40 scientists studied power semiconductors and HV integrated circuits.
- 1988 – Professor of Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University. 1997 – In recognition of his contribution to NCSU he was given the highest rank – Distinguished University Professor of Electrical Engineering.
- 1991 – Founded the Power Semiconductor Research Center, which he still runs.
- 1993 – Elected as a foreign affiliate of the National Academy of Engineering (converted a permanent member in 2000). Since 2005 – A member of the European Academy of Sciences.
- 1999 – 2000 – Founded 3 companies with the purposes of licensing and commercialization of his inventions: Giant Semiconductor Corporation, Micro-Ohm Corporation, Silicon Wireless Corporation (later renamed to Silicon Semiconductor Corporation).
Scientific Achievements
- Mr. Baliga is the author of the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor. This device brings together the electronics and the electrical engineering. In the last 25 years, IGBTS saved over 73,000 TW•h of energy, over 1,48 trillion gas gallons, and decreased CO2 emissions by 49, 5 billion metric tons. The customer’s savings exceeded $23,7 trillion! Today, IGBTs are the basic element of smart energy systems (smart grids for management and distribution of energy).
- Jayant Baliga pioneered the concept of MOS-bipolar functional integration to create a new family of discrete devices.
- He is concerned with modeling new power device concepts, their production technology, and new material studies. In 1979, he theoretically proved that the performance of power MOSFETs could be enhanced by several orders of magnitude by replacing silicon with gallium arsenide and silicon carbide. This has become the foundation for a new generation of power devices of the 21st century.
- He is concerned with modeling new power device concepts, their production technology, and new material studies. In 1979, he theoretically proved that the performance of power MOSFETs could be enhanced by several orders of magnitude by replacing silicon with gallium arsenide and silicon carbide. This has become the foundation for a new generation of power devices of the 21st century.
- J. Baliga is an author of over 500 publications in international journals and conference digests, he wrote and edited 18 books, and is also a holder of over 100 USA patents.
Trivia
- The scientist’s most notable invention is widely used around the globe: in conditioning systems, household appliances (dishwashers, mixers, refrigerators), factory automation (robotics), medical systems (CAT scanners, uninterruptible power supplies), public electric transport and hybrid electric cars, engine control systems, vehicle electronics, mobile phones, laptop and serves CPUS.
- According to the US Department of Energy Report, variable speed drive motors (enabled by IGBTs) annually save 2 quadrillion of thermal energy (which equals to 70 GW power). Widespread use of compact fluorescent lamps in incandescent lamps saves 30 GW of energy.
- Most recently, the IGBT has enabled fabrication of an ultra-compact, lightweight and cheap defibrillator used to resuscitate cardiac arrest victims. By AMA’s estimate, it allows USA doctors to save over 100,000 lives each year.
- In 1984, Jayant Baliga was included in Science Digest Magazine’s “100 Brightest Young Scientists in America” list.
- In 1992, he became the first man who received the Pride of India Award.
- In 1997, Scientific American Magazine named the scientist as one of the “Eight Heroes of the Semiconductor Revolution” during the celebration of 50th Anniversary of Transistor Invention.
- In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded him with National Medal of Technology and Innovation. This is the highest engineering award in the USA.