GN001 Application Note

An Introduction to GaN
Enhancement-mode
HEMTs

March 08, 2022

GaN Systems Inc.
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Content
❑ Basics and Mechanism
❑ GaN Material and 2D Electron Gas (2DEG)
❑ Enhancement-mode GaN HEMT
❑ GaN Systems Simple-driven GaN technology

❑ Characteristics

❑ Design Resources

Please visit http://gansystems.com or the latest version of this document

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Basic structure of GaN E-HEMT
GaN Enhancement mode High Electron Mobility Transistor (E-HEMT)
• A lateral 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel formed on AlGaN/GaN hetero-
epitaxy structure provides very high charge density and mobility
• For enhancement mode operation, a gate is implemented to deplete the 2DEG
underneath at 0V or negative bias. A positive gate bias turns on the 2DEG channel
• It works like a MOSFET except with better switching performance
VDS VDS
200
VGS = 6V
- + - + IDS (A) 180
160 VGS = 5V
+ 140
0V
VGS = 4V
Gate Gate 120
Source P-GaN Drain Source P-GaN Drain
AlGaN Barrier Layer AlGaN Barrier Layer 100
VGS = 3V
GaN Buffer Layers
2DEG Channel
GaN Buffer Layers 2DEG Channel 80
60
Si substrate Si substrate 40
VGS = 2V
20
0 VDS (V)
0 5 10 15 20
Substrate Substrate
OFF State ON State IDS vs. VDS Characteristics
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Simple-driven GaN Technology
Common with Si MOSFET
▪ True enhancement-mode normally off
▪ Voltage driven - driver charges/discharges CISS
▪ Supply Gate leakage IGSS only
▪ Easy slew rate control by RG
▪ Compatible with Si gate driver chip
Differences
▪ Much Lower QG : Lower drive loss; faster switching CISS = CGD+CGS
▪ Higher gain and lower VGS : +5-6V gate bias to turn on
▪ Lower VG(th): typ. 1.5V
GaN Systems
Versus other enhancement-mode GaN Gate Bias Level
GaN E-HEMT
Si MOSFET IGBT SIC MOSFET

▪ More robust gate: -20/+10V max rating Maximum rating -20/+10V -/+20V -/+20V -8/+20V
▪ No DC gate drive current required Typical gate bias
0 or-3/+5-6V 0/+10-12V 0 or -9/+15V -4/+15-20V
▪ No complicated gate diode / PN junction values

❖ GaN HEMTs are simple to drive, for more info please refer to application note GN012 4
GaN Technology Comparison

GaN Systems E-mode HEMT D-mode GaN (Cascode) GaN Gate Injection Transistor (GIT)

• True Enhancement mode • D-mode technology • High gate current required (like BJT)
• Simple 3-terminal power switch • Uncontrollable Speed (EMI) • Difficult to drive – Complicated gate
• Best FOM and performance • Internal Node causing reliability characteristics
• Island technology - Easy to scale problems – Hard to troubleshoot • Recombination current:
• GaNPx embedding package • Requires matching between Si/GaN • Strong temperature dependency
• No reverse recovery loss – Hard to scale • Paralleling stability is a concern
• Easy to parallel • Reverse Recovery (Qrr) • Lower speed
• Difficult to parallel • Worse FOM than E-HEMT

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Content
❑ Basics and Mechanism

❑ Characteristics
❑ Figure of merit
❑ Reverse conduction Characteristics
❑ Zero reverse recovery
❑ Output capacitance
❑ Switching transition
❑ Switching energy

❑ Design Resources

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Figure of Merit

>10x advantage

Figure of Merit of 650V/600V Power Switches (Feb.2020 update)

❖ GaN Systems E-mode devices have superior RON & QG performance over Si and SiC MOSFETs,
resulting in lower switching charge requirements and faster switching transition 7
Reverse Conduction Characteristics
Gate GaN E-HEMT MOSFET Si IGBT
GaN Reverse I/V Curve

A
A ON
RDS(ON)

B ON RDS(ON)

B
VTH+VGS(OFF)
C
C OFF

RDS(REV)
• When gate is OFF (during dead time), 2DEG exhibits
like a diode with VF= VTH(GD)+ VGS(OFF)+ ISD* RSD(ON)

❖ There is no body diode (as with Si and SiC MOSFETs)

❖ But, GaN 2DEG can conduct in 3rd quadrant – No need for anti-parallel diode (as in Si IGBT)
For more info: https://gansystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Common-misconceptions-about-the-MOSFET-body-diode.pdf 8
 Zero Reverse Recovery
Vds (100v/div)
Ids (5A/div)
• Qoss only,
• There is zero reverse
recovery in GaN HEMT
Vgs (5v/div)

GS66504B
SiC MOSFET GaN HEMT

Reverse Charger Qrr/Qoss (nC)

250

200

Reverse Characteristics @ Tj=25°C Reverse Characteristics @ Tj=100°C 150

GaN HEMT GaN HEMT 100

50

0
25degC 100degC
Temperature °C

GaN HEMT 650V/15A SiC MOSFET 650V/120mΩ Si MOSFET 650V/15A Si diode 650V/15A

❖ Zero reverse recovery results in lower switching loss and less EMI noise 9
Output Capacitance
𝑄𝑜𝑠𝑠 = 𝐶𝑜(𝑡𝑟) ∙ 𝑉
൞
𝑄𝑜𝑠𝑠 = න
𝑉𝑑𝑠
𝐶𝑜𝑠𝑠(𝑣) 𝑑𝑣
Coss curve → Qoss curve → Co(tr) value
0

Coss Vs Vds Voltage Qoss Vs Vds Voltage

100000 500
450
Si SJMOS 650V 60mΩ
10000 400
350 Si SJMOS 650V 60mΩ

Qoss Charge (nC)

Capacitance (pF)

1000 SiC MOS 650V 55mΩ 300

100
250
200
Co(tr) = Qoss / V 10x
SiC MOS 650V 55mΩ
150
GaN HEMT 650V 50mΩ GaN HEMT 650V 50mΩ
10 100
50
1 0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Vds Voltage (V) Vds Voltage (V)

❖ Si SJMOS has ~10x higher Co(tr) than GaN; SiC MOS has ~50% higher Co(tr) than GaN.
❖ Smaller output capacitance results in lower switching loss and easier zero voltage
switching realization (ZVS) 10
Faster Switching Transition
GaN E-HEMT GS66508T
VDS=400V (650V/50mΩ) VDS=400V

Cree SiC C3M006509D (900V/

GaN E-HEMT SiC
65mΩ)

5.7ns
10ns
17ns (18V/ns)
4.5ns (90V/ns)

Vgs=12V/-3V (SiC) Vgs=12V/-3V (SiC)

Vgs=6V/-3V (GaN E-HEMT) Vgs=6V/-3V (GaN E-HEMT)

VGS

Double Pulse Test Hard Switch Turn-on

(VDS=400V, ID=15A, RG(ON)=10Ω)
Hard Switching Turn-off (VDS = 400V, ID = 15A, RG(OFF)=1Ω)

❖ GaN has 4x faster turn-on and 2x faster turn-off than state of art SiC MOSFET with similar RDS(ON)
❖ Faster switching transition results in lower switching loss
❖ Layout is important for maximize the performance of GaN HEMTs. For more info: GN009
https://gansystems.com/
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Switching Energy

SiC

SiC

GaN

GaN

❖ The switching loss of a GaN HEMT is significantly lower than 650V SiC MOSFET with similar RDS(ON)

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Content
❑ Basics and Mechanism

❑ Characteristics

❑ Design Resources

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GaN Systems
Design Center
• Many resources
available
▪ Easy to find
▪ Easy to use

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APP NOTES

• Layout
• Gate Driver
• Paralleling
• Thermals
• Simulation
• Soldering

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Online Simulation Tool

• PLECS model is used on GaN Systems’ online simulation

tool
• All GaN Systems products model and 8 topologies
available online https://gansystems.com/

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 GaN Systems Hardware Tools

65W PD QR & ACF 100W PFC + QR Type-C 250W AC/DC PFC & 400W Class D Audio 12V High-Efficiency Class D 650V test kit EZDrive™ Eval Kit
Chargers USB PD 2C port Charger LLC Charger Amp & SMPS Eval Kit Audio Reference Designs

50W Wireless Power 100W Wireless Power 300W Wireless Power 100V Buck/Boost Evaluation Board 650 V Universal Motherboard 650V 150A HB IPM
Amplifier Amplifier Amplifier with Driver GaN Power Stage

650V 300W~500W Low

Power IMS2
GaN Half-Bridge & driver
board

3KW High Efficiency LLC 3kW bridgeless High Power Dual Half Bridge Non-isolated Half Bridge 650 V GaN E-HEMT Daughter 650V 150A FB Module
totem pole PFC Full Bridge, driver board Driver evaluation board Board With driver board

650 V 30A & 60A GaN

Half-Bridge and Driver
100V High-Speed High Power half bridge with Over Current
650 V Half Bridge Bipolar
GaN Half-Bridge driver board 650 V Universal HB Isolated Driver 3kW & 6kW IMS3 half bridge power boards Protection
Gate Drive Evaluation Board 17
Motherboard for IMS2 & IMS3
Design Tools and Resources at gansystems.com
TRANSISTOR DOCUMENTS https://gansystems.com/

etc …

Papers, articles and presentations

etc …

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Tomorrow’s power todayTM

Product and application support at

gansystems.com

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