Experimental Challenges in Using a 1.2 kV GaN HEMT for High Power Density Converters

Recent success in the fabrication of 1.2 kV high-performance GaN HEMTs has made this technology an interesting alternative for high power applications. In this paper, for the first time, the newly available 1200V/15A GaN HEMTs is experimentally studied. The switching behavior of the device is investigated precisely to provide a better perspective on this family of switches. A test converter circuit is built with the GaN HEMT devices, which has been tested under different voltages and frequencies. Various challenges faced throughout the designing and testing stages are identified and reported in this paper for further investigations in the future.