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“Two thirds of the electricity in the world is used to run motors in consumer and industrial applications,” said chair of Millennium Technology committee Professor Päivi Törmä. “Professor Baliga’s innovation has allowed us to develop societies with electricity efficiently, while dramatically reducing energy consumption. Power electronics is a key enabling technology of any modern society in which automation of processes and energy systems plays an ever-increasing role. For the last 40 years, and still today, the IGBT is the most important power semiconductor device.”
“It is very exciting to have been selected for this great honor,” said Baliga. “I am particularly happy that the Millennium Technology Prize will bring attention to my innovation, as the IGBT is an embedded technology that is hidden from the eyes of society. Informing the public of this impactful innovation will illustrate the betterment of humanity by modern technology.”
First awarded in 2004, the €1m prize is dedicated to ‘technological innovations for a better life’ and over-seen by the Technology Academy Finland.
This year’s will be presented in Finland on 30 October by its patron, the President of Finland.
Baliga and his team continue to work n power semiconductors.
“My first recent invention, BaSIC [Baliga short-circuit improvement concept], is designed to eliminate the poor short-circuit withstand time for silicon carbide power mosfets. My second, a bi-directional FET, enables the matrix converter for power electronic applications.”
Photo: Bantval Jayant Baliga, credited to the Millennium Technology Prize
