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Title: Quantifying Dynamic On-State Resistance of GaN HEMTs for Power Converter Design via a Survey of Low and High Voltage Devices

Abstract

Designing and optimizing high switching frequency, ultra-efficient converters requires detailed knowledge of the behavior and parasitic parameters for both active and passive components. Recently, wide bandgap transistors have enabled simultaneous increases in both switching frequency and efficiency due to higher maximum operating junction temperature limits, lower dc on-state resistances, and reduced parasitic inductances and capacitances. Yet, the early acceptance of gallium-nitride (GaN) switches was plagued by detrimental dynamic on-state resistance effects. This complex phenomenon for GaN devices is characterized by deviations in on-state resistance from dc operating characteristics based on design choices such as the magnitude and duration of both voltage and current stress, switching mode, and junction temperature. While device manufacturers have made improvements compared to early generation devices, experimental evidence from a survey of commercial GaN transistors highlight measurable change in on-state resistance still exists due to variations in voltage stress during hard-switching operation. After sharing insights for obtaining low noise measurements, an analysis method along with two metrics are proposed to characterize dynamic on-state resistance measurements for power electronics designers. Furthermore, quantifying the performance of GaN devices with standardized metrics facilitates a fair comparison between different GaN device technologies during converter development, enables manufacturing qualification for GaNmore » switches, and provides a benchmark to catalyze improvement for the next generation of GaN device development.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
  2. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States); SCiBreak AB, Jarfalla (Sweden)
  3. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Power Integration Technology, LLC, Alameda, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office; National Science Foundation (NSF); National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
OSTI Identifier:
1870981
Grant/Contract Number:  
EE0008138; DGE-1144245; EEC-1449548; NASA-NNX14AL79A
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 9; Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 2168-6777
Publisher:
IEEE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION; 42 ENGINEERING; 14 SOLAR ENERGY; Dynamic on-state resistance; gallium-nitride (GaN); power transistors; wide bandgap semiconductors

Citation Formats

Foulkes, Thomas, Modeer, Tomas, and Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert N. Quantifying Dynamic On-State Resistance of GaN HEMTs for Power Converter Design via a Survey of Low and High Voltage Devices. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1109/jestpe.2020.3024930.
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Foulkes, Thomas, Modeer, Tomas, & Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert N. Quantifying Dynamic On-State Resistance of GaN HEMTs for Power Converter Design via a Survey of Low and High Voltage Devices. United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/jestpe.2020.3024930
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Foulkes, Thomas, Modeer, Tomas, and Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert N. Mon . "Quantifying Dynamic On-State Resistance of GaN HEMTs for Power Converter Design via a Survey of Low and High Voltage Devices". United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/jestpe.2020.3024930. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1870981.
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@article{osti_1870981,
title = {Quantifying Dynamic On-State Resistance of GaN HEMTs for Power Converter Design via a Survey of Low and High Voltage Devices},
author = {Foulkes, Thomas and Modeer, Tomas and Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert N.},
abstractNote = {Designing and optimizing high switching frequency, ultra-efficient converters requires detailed knowledge of the behavior and parasitic parameters for both active and passive components. Recently, wide bandgap transistors have enabled simultaneous increases in both switching frequency and efficiency due to higher maximum operating junction temperature limits, lower dc on-state resistances, and reduced parasitic inductances and capacitances. Yet, the early acceptance of gallium-nitride (GaN) switches was plagued by detrimental dynamic on-state resistance effects. This complex phenomenon for GaN devices is characterized by deviations in on-state resistance from dc operating characteristics based on design choices such as the magnitude and duration of both voltage and current stress, switching mode, and junction temperature. While device manufacturers have made improvements compared to early generation devices, experimental evidence from a survey of commercial GaN transistors highlight measurable change in on-state resistance still exists due to variations in voltage stress during hard-switching operation. After sharing insights for obtaining low noise measurements, an analysis method along with two metrics are proposed to characterize dynamic on-state resistance measurements for power electronics designers. Furthermore, quantifying the performance of GaN devices with standardized metrics facilitates a fair comparison between different GaN device technologies during converter development, enables manufacturing qualification for GaN switches, and provides a benchmark to catalyze improvement for the next generation of GaN device development.},
doi = {10.1109/jestpe.2020.3024930},
journal = {IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics},
number = 4,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Mon Sep 21 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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