PowerChip: Advanced Technologies for Integrated Power Electronics

Abstract

To realize advances in power conversion technology, the research project investigated three areas: 1) new power semiconductor devices; 2) new magnetic materials and component designs; and 3) new circuit architectures and topologies to realize higher degrees of miniaturization, integration and performance. The application focus was on power converters for driving LED loads, encompassing ac-to-dc and dc-to-dc conversion from moderate voltage levels (to above 100 V) to low voltages (e.g., tens of Volts) at low to moderate operating power levels (e.g., tens of Watts). Semiconductor device research focused on the performance, reliability and improved design of devices based on Gallium Nitride (GaN). Magnetics research focused on both development of new magnetic materials suitable to higher operating frequencies and on microfabrication of magnetic components. Systems research focused on leveraging these advances to attain higher operating frequencies, miniaturization and performance as compared to the present state of the art.