eTV Reruns: How Enhancement-Mode Gallium-Nitride Transistors (eGAN FETs) Work

What's in This Video

In this episode, Don talks with Alex Lidow, CEO at EPC, about GaN technology. The information is still relevant today. 

Here's a breakdown of the key points made in this timeless video from our engineeringtv.com archive:

• GaN Technology Evolution [00:20]: GaN has been around for many years, but only in the last decade have researchers figured out how to grow it on standard silicon, making it a cost-effective alternative.
• Fundamental Differences from Silicon [00:37]: Unlike silicon, where impurities are intentionally added to achieve specific electrical properties, GaN's electrical characteristics are determined by imperfections in its crystal structure. These imperfections are challenging to measure and manage, requiring advanced material science and device design.
• Enhancement-Mode GaN FETs (eGAN FETs) [01:15]: EPC has developed eGaN FETs that operate similarly to power MOSFETs but offer significantly better performance (around 10X better) [01:23].
• Device Miniaturization and Packaging [01:30]: EPC's GaN devices are 6X to 10X smaller than equivalent silicon devices with the same on-resistance and boast much faster switching speeds [01:42]. They're designed for flip-chip mounting, eliminating the need for traditional plastic packaging because GaN is self-passivating [02:18].
• Electron Gas Principle [03:09]: GaN transistors utilize a "two-dimensional electron gas" (2DEG) that's quantum mechanically confined to the surface of the device. This allows electrons to move very rapidly across the surface, resulting in extremely low on-resistance [03:33].
• Achieving Enhancement Mode [03:55]: A challenge with GaN is that it naturally has electrons present (depletion mode). To achieve enhancement mode, where the device is normally off, a special material is grown on top of the active device. This material removes electrons until a positive voltage is applied to the gate, reintroducing them and turning the device on [04:18].
• Practical Application [02:32]: The video showcases a 48-V to 12-V isolated " 1/8th brick" power supply built by EPC using their eGAN FETs. This power supply demonstrates higher efficiency than existing solutions, operating at up to 500-kHz frequency [02:47].
• New Book on GaN Transistors [04:31]: EPC has released a new book, GaN Transistors For Efficient Power Conversion, covering technology, power-conversion topologies, efficiency improvements, reliability, and the future of GaN replacing silicon in power-conversion systems. The book in the video was just launched and is now in its 4th edition. The video claims it's available on Amazon, EPC's website, and from Digi-Key [04:58].

eTV Reruns,  a hand-curated selection of interesting videos from Electronic Design's engineeringtv.com archive, is created on the first and third Wednesday of each month for entry into the following Thursday's Automotive Electronics Newsletter. It may also be included in our other newsletters at the editors' discretion.

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