Evaluation of the Thermal Resistance in GaN HEMTs Using Thermo-Sensitive Electrical Parameters

Adrian Valeriu Pirosca, Marcello Vecchio, Santi Agatino Rizzo () and Francesco Iannuzzo
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Adrian Valeriu Pirosca: STMicroelectronics, Stradale Primosole 50, 95121 Catania, Italy
Marcello Vecchio: STMicroelectronics, Stradale Primosole 50, 95121 Catania, Italy
Santi Agatino Rizzo: Department of Electrical Electronic and Computer Engineering (DIEEI), University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
Francesco Iannuzzo: Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: The thermal management of power converters is not only crucial for their own optimal operation and reliability, but also for the overall system in which they are operating. Reliability is a very serious aspect because power electronics systems are being increasingly widely adopted in mission-critical applications in the e-mobility sector, in smart grids, and other applications where safety and operational continuity are essential. The current trend towards miniaturization of power conversion systems and, consequently, towards high power density solutions is speeding up the diffusion of Gallium Nitride (GaN) High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT). GaN HEMT-based high power density converters must be properly managed, making the estimation of the thermal characteristics of these devices essential. This paper proposes the use of some Thermo-Sensitive Electrical Parameters (TSEP) for a simple and effective thermal resistance evaluation. The primary advantages and limitations of these TSEPs have been critically analyzed. The analysis highlighted that the use of the gate-source voltage is the best approach. However, it requires direct access to the gate pin, which may not be available externally in some system-in-package solutions.

Keywords: power electronics; thermal resistance; GaN HEMTs (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: 2023
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