Benchmarking of Large-Area GaN-on-Si HFET Power Devices for Highly-Efficient, Fast-Switching Converter Applications

Abstract

This work reports the development and fabrication of large area AlGaN/GaN-on-Si HFETs for the use in highly-efficient fast-switching power converters. High performance is demonstrated by full characterization of static- and dynamic-parameters and a direct comparison to two commercial state-of-the-art silicon power devices. Compared to their silicon counterparts the GaN-device achieves by a factor of 3 lower static area specific on-state resistance RON×A, and by a factor of 3 lower static on-state resistance times gate charge product RON×Q. In switching tests the device achieves a low dynamic dispersion and low switching losses. Furthermore in this work a sophisticated measurement setup for characterization of dynamic parameters is developed and demonstrated. Characterization and test conditions are adapted for the use in fast-switching power converter applications.