On the Source of Oscillatory Behaviour during Switching of Power Enhancement Mode GaN HEMTs

Loizos Efthymiou, Gianluca Camuso, Giorgia Longobardi, Terry Chien, Max Chen and Florin Udrea
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Loizos Efthymiou: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, UK
Gianluca Camuso: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, UK
Giorgia Longobardi: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, UK
Terry Chien: Vishay General Semiconductor, Taipei 23145, Taiwan
Max Chen: Vishay General Semiconductor, Taipei 23145, Taiwan
Florin Udrea: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA, UK

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: With Gallium Nitride (GaN) device technology for power electronics applications being ramped up for volume production, an increasing amount of research is now focused on the performance of GaN power devices in circuits. In this study, an enhancement mode GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is switched in a clamped inductive switching configuration with the aim of investigating the source of oscillatory effects observed. These arise as a result of the increased switching speed capability of GaN devices compared to their silicon counterparts. The study identifies the two major mechanisms (Miller capacitance charge and parasitic common source inductance) that can lead to ringing behaviour during turn-off and considers the effect of temperature on the latter. Furthermore, the experimental results are backed by SPICE modelling to evaluate the contribution of different circuit components to oscillations. The study concludes with good design techniques that can suppress the effects discussed.

Keywords: wide band gap semiconductors; III–V semiconductors; gallium compounds; enhancement; GaN; HEMT; switching; parasitics; inductance; SPICE; clamped; Miller capacitance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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