On the Origin of the [Formula Omitted]-Losses in Soft-Switching GaN-on-Si Power HEMTs

The unprecedented performance potential of gallium nitride-on-silicon (GaN-on-Si) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) is seen as the key enabler for the design of power converters featuring extreme power density figures, as demanded in next-generation power electronics applications. However,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of emerging and selected topics in power electronics 2019-01, Vol.7 (2), p.679
Main Authors: Guacci, Mattia, Heller, Morris, Neumayr, Dominik, Bortis, Dominik, Kolar, Johann W, Deboy, Gerald, Ostermaier, Clemens, Haberlen, Oliver
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Electron mobility
Gallium nitrides
High electron mobility transistors
Knowledge acquisition
Multilayers
Power converters
Semiconductor devices
Silicon
Switching
Transistors
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Summary:The unprecedented performance potential of gallium nitride-on-silicon (GaN-on-Si) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) is seen as the key enabler for the design of power converters featuring extreme power density figures, as demanded in next-generation power electronics applications. However, unexpected loss mechanisms, i.e. dynamic [Formula Omitted] phenomena and [Formula Omitted]-losses, are appearing in currently available GaN transistors and are compromising their operation. In this paper, measurements of [Formula Omitted]-losses are performed in a dedicated calorimetric measurement setup and, through a systematic approach, the root cause of the loss mechanism is potentially identified. Afterward, with the essential support of a manufacturer of power semiconductors, a novel transistor, featuring an enhanced multilayer III-N buffer, is developed according to the acquired knowledge. A significant reduction in terms of [Formula Omitted]-losses, i.e. of soft-switching losses, and the absence of dynamic [Formula Omitted] phenomena are verified experimentally on the new device. These achievements enable a significant performance improvement for future soft-switching power converters featuring GaN-on-Si HEMTs.
ISSN:2168-6777
2168-6785
DOI:10.1109/JESTPE.2018.2885442