A 96% Efficient High-Frequency DC–DC Converter Using E-Mode GaN DHFETs on Si

Author

Das, Joydeep ; Everts, Jordi ; Van den Keybus, Jeroen ; Van Hove, Marleen ; Visalli, D. ; Srivastava, Prashant ; Marcon, Denis ; Kai Cheng ; Leys, M. ; Decoutere, Stefaan ; Driesen, Johan ; Borghs, G.

Author_Institution

Interuniv. Microelectron. Center (IMEC), Leuven, Belgium

Volume

32

Issue

10

fYear

2011

Firstpage

1370

Lastpage

1372

Abstract

III-Nitride materials are very promising to be used in next-generation high-frequency power switching applications. In this letter, we demonstrate the performance of normally off AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN double-heterostructure FETs (DHFETs) using a boost-converter circuit. The figures of merit of our large (57.6-mm gate width) GaN transistor are presented: R_ON * Q_G of 2.5 Ω·nC is obtained at V_DS = 140 V. The switching performance of the GaN DHFET is studied in a dedicated high-frequency boost converter: both the switching times and power losses are characterized. We show converter efficiency values up to 96.1% at 500 kHz and 93.9% at 850 kHz at output power of 100 W.

Keywords

DC-DC power convertors; III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium compounds; power field effect transistors; switching convertors; wide band gap semiconductors; AlGaN-GaN-AlGaN; E-mode DHFET; III-nitride materials; Si; boost converter circuit; double-heterostructure FET; frequency 500 kHz; frequency 850 kHz; high-frequency DC-DC converter; high-frequency boost converter; next-generation high-frequency power switching applications; power 100 W; power loss; switching times; voltage 140 V; Aluminum gallium nitride; DH-HEMTs; Gallium nitride; Logic gates; Silicon; Switches; Voltage measurement; Converters; GaN; SPICE; efficiency; high voltage; power field-effect transistors (FETs);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2011.2162393

Filename

5985468