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Results for “Gallium nitride (GaN) switches”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Comparison of CCM- and CRM-Based Boost Parallel Active Power Decoupler for PV Microinverter

Single-phase inverter or rectifier systems often make use of an active power decoupler (APD) to balance the mismatch between constant dc power and fluctuating ac power. This article deals with the comparison of continuous conduction mode (CCM) and critical conduction mode (CRM) operation-based design of a parallel boost-type APD for photovoltaic microinverter applications. From a design perspective, multiobjective analysis of efficiency, volume, and cost is explored within a decision space including planar inductors, gallium nitride based devices, film capacitors, switching frequency, and modulation (CCM vs. CRM). The theoretical study analyzes all possible design configurations within CCM and CRM and identifies Pareto-optimal designs, from which the selected CRM design can achieve reduced system volume and lower cost with the use of smaller inductor core, while operating with similar California Energy Commission efficiency drop as the selected CCM design. From a control perspective, a pulsewidth modulation based control strategy is proposed to implement closed-loop CRM modulation that does not rely on zero-crossing detection. Furthermore, closed-loop systems are designed for the optimal CCM and CRM realizations, and the final system characteristics are compared. Experimental results, obtained using two separate 40-V, 400-W hardware prototypes for CCM and CRM, are presented to verify the analyses.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Power Layout Design of a GaN HEMTs-Based High-Power High-Efficiency Three-Level ANPC Inverter for 800 V DC Bus System

Multiple commutation paths exist for switching devices in a three-level active neutral point clamped (3L-ANPC) inverter operation based on the selected switching state and current direction. In addition, the capacitive coupling path of the nonswitching device is a key design aspect for enabling high voltage and high current operation of gallium nitride (GaN) switches in 3L-ANPC topology. A comprehensive study of the switching transient events of inner, outer, and clamping devices of 3L-ANPC is presented in this article. The commutation mechanisms for worst-case transient voltage overshoots (TVOs) are identified. A simplified equivalent circuit model is presented to determine the design criteria for the power layout structure's parasitic inductances. A power layout strategy satisfying the design criteria is then proposed using an insulated metal substrate power printed circuit board (PCB) to enable efficient high-power operation. The proposed design minimizes the commutation and capacitive coupling path inductances to 6 nH and 11.5 nH, respectively. This enables the fast switching operation of GaN HEMTs at 800 V dc, 36 A with a low TVO of 31% verified through experimental three-level double pulse test results. Experimental evaluation of a three-phase 3L-ANPC hardware prototype based on the proposed power layout shows 99% efficiency at 800 V, 9.5 kVA and 50 kHz switching frequency. The proposed design achieves a low case-to-ambient thermal resistance of 2.3 °C/W.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quantifying Dynamic On-State Resistance of GaN HEMTs for Power Converter Design via a Survey of Low and High Voltage Devices

Designing and optimizing high switching frequency, ultra-efficient converters requires detailed knowledge of the behavior and parasitic parameters for both active and passive components. Recently, wide bandgap transistors have enabled simultaneous increases in both switching frequency and efficiency due to higher maximum operating junction temperature limits, lower dc on-state resistances, and reduced parasitic inductances and capacitances. Yet, the early acceptance of gallium-nitride (GaN) switches was plagued by detrimental dynamic on-state resistance effects. This complex phenomenon for GaN devices is characterized by deviations in on-state resistance from dc operating characteristics based on design choices such as the magnitude and duration of both voltage and current stress, switching mode, and junction temperature. While device manufacturers have made improvements compared to early generation devices, experimental evidence from a survey of commercial GaN transistors highlight measurable change in on-state resistance still exists due to variations in voltage stress during hard-switching operation. After sharing insights for obtaining low noise measurements, an analysis method along with two metrics are proposed to characterize dynamic on-state resistance measurements for power electronics designers. Furthermore, quantifying the performance of GaN devices with standardized metrics facilitates a fair comparison between different GaN device technologies during converter development, enables manufacturing qualification for GaN switches, and provides a benchmark to catalyze improvement for the next generation of GaN device development.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design, Optimization, and Validation of GaN-Based DAB Converter for Active Cell Balancing in BTMS Applications

This paper focuses on the design of a bidirectional dual active bridge (DAB) DC/DC converter that utilizes Gallium Nitride (GaN) switches as active components. In the existing literature, MOSFET-based DAB for active cell balancing is available, but GaN-based DAB converter for active cell balancing is still new. The proposed modular isolated GaN-based DAB converter is designed as an individual module of active cell balancing for behind-the-meter storage (BTMS) applications, targeting high-power charging stations. Modular isolated converters are connected to each cell (low voltage bus), and each cell is connected in series to build up a battery module. According to the reference current command of supervisory control, each DAB converter can transfer power back and forth through the high voltage (HV) bus to balance the State of Charge (SoC) between the cells. Each module DAB converter is designed at a 50 W power rating. Switch power and transformer losses are analyzed for different switching frequencies, showing the optimum switching frequency for minimum losses. Furthermore, the procedure to select the required gate driver and the PCB layout optimization are discussed. Finally, the DAB performance analysis of GaN-based DAB and Si-based DAB is provided for a battery module operating with a LiFeMnPO4 prismatic cell with 3.2V 20Ah rated values.

active cell balancing↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design, Optimization, and Validation of GaN-Based DAB Converter for Active Cell Balancing in BTMS Applications: Preprint

This paper focuses on the design of a bidirectional dual active bridge (DAB) DC/DC converter that utilizes Gallium Nitride (GaN) switches as active components. In the existing literature, MOSFET-based DAB for active cell balancing is available, but GaN-based DAB converter for active cell balancing is still new. The proposed modular isolated GaN-based DAB converter is designed as an individual module of active cell balancing for behind-the-meter storage (BTMS) applications, targeting high-power charging stations. Modular isolated converters are connected to each cell (low voltage bus), and each cell is connected in series to build up a battery module. According to the reference current command of supervisory control, each DAB converter can transfer power back and forth through the high voltage (HV) bus to balance the State of Charge (SoC) between the cells. Each module DAB converter is designed at a 50W power rating. Switch power and transformer losses are analyzed for different switching frequencies, showing the optimum switching frequency for minimum losses. Furthermore, the procedure to select the required gate driver and the PCB layout optimization are discussed. Finally, the DAB performance analysis of GaNbased DAB and Si-based DAB is provided for a battery module operating with a LiFeMnPO4 prismatic cell with 3.2V 20Ah rated values.

active cell balancing↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Design of 1 kW Simplified Stirling Controller Using Capacitor-Based Power Factor Correction

Free-piston Stirling convertors hold potential for efficient, reliable thermal to electric power conversion, provided they are paired with a robust controller. This paper outlines work underway on a system-level optimization of a kW controller. Using simplified control and passive power factor correction (PFC) this design explores the possibility of reducing programmatic risk through system simplification. Efficiency is improved through incorporating wide-bandgap gallium nitride (GaN) switches, and PFC volume is minimized through the use of polymer multi-layer capacitors. This work is aimed at exploring new approaches for future Stirling space power concepts.

Stirling↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Optimization, Design, and Demonstration of 1 kW Stirling Controller Using Capacitor-based Power Factor Correction

Free-piston Stirling convertors provide efficient, reliable thermal to electric power conversion, provided they are paired with a reliable controller. This paper outlines work underway on design concepts for kilowatt-class controllers. Using passive power factor correction (PFC) this design explores the possibility of reducing programmatic risk through system simplification. Efficiency is maximized through incorporating wide-bandgap gallium nitride (GaN) switches, and passive PFC volume is minimized through the use of polymer multi-layer capacitors. This work is aimed at exploring new approaches for future Stirling controllers.

Christopher Barth↗
DOE OSTI2024

ARC-SAFE: Accelerated Response semiconducting Contactors and Surge Attenuation For DC Electrical systems (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The landscape of power transmission and distribution is quickly evolving as more power conversion is done through power electronics and transmitted or distributed at medium voltage direct current (MVDC). As power electronics tend to store less energy and be less resilient to faults than conventional power transformers, a reliable and fast protection against faults is critical to protect power electronics (PE) based infrastructure, especially for medium- and high-voltage applications. This motivates the development of PE based protection circuits to replace slower contemporary electromechanical breakers. In this project a novel PE based MVDC circuit breaker is developed; the new design is comprised of 1) a normally-on leg made of commercially-available, cascaded SiC junction field effect transistors (JFETs) with a passive balancing network, and 2) a normally-off leg based on an optically-triggered gallium nitride (GaN) photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS). The normally-off leg was designed to be quickly turned on, to divert current to an auxiliary dissipative circuit, as the normally-on leg is turned off. This approach, using solid-state devices, was selected for a high-performance, fast-switching operation for the DC circuit breaker as compared to approaches that use slower mechanical switches. To be practical, the circuit breaker must have low conduction loss (low Ron) in the normally-on leg and fast coordinated triggering of the normally-off leg to avoid damage from inductive flyback, which could be considerable for long lengths of cable.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Bistable Optical Semiconductor Switching Based on C-Doped GaN

Highly resistive gallium nitride (GaN) is an essential material for power optoelectronic applications. While carbon doping is widely used to achieve semi-insulating properties in GaN, the persistent photoconductivity (PPC) arising from deep-level defect traps remains a major obstacle for high-speed power switching. This study demonstrates a novel approach: leveraging the ultrahigh photoresponsivity of GaN:C (up to 2.1 A ⋅ cm/W ⋅ kV, surpassing alternatives such as GaN:Fe) and employing defect-selective optical control to effectively quench the PPC. By synchronizing a short infrared (1064 nm) quenching pulse with UV (385 nm) excitation in an epitaxially grown GaN:C layer on a heavily doped n-type GaN substrate, we achieve a dramatic reduction in photocurrent fall time by approximately 293× (from 470 to 1.6 μ s), increasing modulation bandwidth from 745 Hz to nearly 218 kHz. Here, this advancement not only establishes a new pathway for controlling PPC in GaN:C but also enables the practical integration of GaN:C in fast power switching devices. Enhanced modulation bandwidth, along with GaN:C excellent photoresponsivity, makes it a promising candidate for optically controlled high-voltage, high-power electronic systems, such as photoconductive semiconductor switches (PCSSs) used in pulsed-power drivers, high-power microwave (HPM) sources, and high-voltage gate drivers for wide bandgap (WBG) power electronics.

Carbon-dopped Gallium nitride (GaN:C)↗
NASA NTRS2018

Cryogenic Parametric Characterization of Gallium Nitride Switches

This report presents the parametric characterization results of four GaN field-effect transistor (FET) devices from three manufacturers, one of which is a cascode device, and compares those results to a Si power metal-oxide-semiconductor fieldeffect transistor (MOSFET) and a SiC power MOSFET. The devices were first characterized at ambient temperature, then at cryogenic temperatures down to -196 C (LN2 temperature), and finally at ambient temperature again in the event that the device parameters were permanently affected by the cryogenic temperatures. In general, the results indicate that the GaN devices show significant improvement overall at cryogenic temperatures in the parameters characterized, such as onresistance and leakage currents, compared to the Si and SiC devices. The results show that the SiC device tested should not be used at cryogenic temperatures due to the significant increase in on-resistance. The results also show that the GaN and Si parameters characterized were either not affected by the cryogenic temperatures or changed by no more than +/-20 percent post LN2 submersion. The device that exhibited the most parametric change post LN2 submersion was the SiC power MOSFET in its leakage currents.

Gonzalez, Marcelo C.↗
DOE OSTI2023

7.86 kV GaN-on-GaN PN power diode with BaTiO3 for electrical field management

Devices based on gallium nitride (GaN) have great potential for high power switching applications due to the high breakdown field and high electron mobility. In this work, we present a vertical GaN-on-GaN PN power diode using high dielectric constant material, BaTiO3, for electrical field management and high breakdown voltages, in together with an optimized guard-ring and field plate design. Numerical simulation shows that with high-k dielectrics implemented, the peak electrical field at the PN interface is mitigated from 3.5 to 3.1 MV/cm under a reverse bias of −9.05 kV. The device design with BaTiO3 shows a breakdown voltage of 9.65 kV or about 600 V improvement. The fabricated diodes with a 57 μm thick drift layer demonstrate a breakdown voltage of 7.86 kV on a bulk GaN substrate. The device has an on-resistance of 2.8 mΩ cm2 and a Baliga figure of merit of 22 GW/cm2.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

An RC snubber design method to achieve optimized switching noise‐loss trade‐off of cascode GaN HEMTs

Abstract The cascode gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors (GaN HEMTs) are very vulnerable to self‐sustained turn‐off oscillation due to their cascode configuration. This paper presents a design approach for the RC snubber of cascode GaN HEMTs to achieve the optimized noise‐loss trade‐off. At first, an analytical model is proposed to describe the instability of cascode GaN HEMTs‐based test circuits utilizing RC snubber. Based on the model, an analytical approach is proposed to achieve two optimum RC snubber designs S1 and S2. The design S1 can satisfactorily dampen the oscillation with minimum switching losses. The design S2 achieves maximum effective damping on the oscillation at a minimized cost of additional power losses. In the end, the accuracy of the proposed model is validated by the double‐pulse test and good agreement is obtained.

Xue, Peng↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Smart Silicon Carbide Power Module With Pulse Width Modulation Over Wi-Fi and Wireless Power Transfer-Enabled Gate Driver, Featuring Onboard State of Health Estimator and High-Voltage Scaling Capabilities

A wide range of utility applications require controllable switches with features such as high-voltage blocking and high-current carrying capacity, especially at high pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. Low- and medium-voltage utility applications such as motor drives and flexible AC transmission systems as well as solid state transformers could also benefit from a low-cost high-voltage switching module. Wide-bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are considered to be the present and next-generation device choices, although they have limitations. For relatively high-voltage applications with demanding thermal management, SiC is still the only choice, and GaN dominates the low-voltage regime. This manuscript proposes a new half-bridge power MOSFET module that is suitable for conventional H-bridge of multilevel configurations used in high-voltage applications. Constructed from bare SiC dies, this half-bridge module takes advantage of (1) optimized MOSFET placement inside the module, (2) customized heat exchanger, manifold, and cooling, (3) integrated gate driver module with pulse width modulation (PWM) over wi-fi to eliminate the need for low-voltage signals, (4) wireless power transfer (WPT)-enabled gate driver and other ancillary circuits, (5) and the option to incorporate an onboard state-of-health (SOH) estimator module. The entire architecture has been designed and built at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO.

Ga2O3 devices↗
DOE OSTI2024

Wide Bandgap Generation (WBGen): Developing the Future Wide Bandgap Power Electronics Engineering Workforce

This Final Technical Report (FTR) summarizes the work conducted at the Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES) under the Wide-Bandgap Generation (WBGen) fellowship and traineeship program established by the Advanced Manufacturing and Technologies Office (AMMTO) of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at Virginia Tech, which had as main objective to train the next generation of U.S. citizen power engineers with wide-bandgap (WBG) power semiconductor expertise, with the intent to aid in fulfilling the future workforce needs in this field. The latter was deemed of strategic importance given the fast-paced growth observed—and predicted—in the demand of this technical expertise, whose practitioners have become the enablers and executioners of the electrification transformation process that not just the U.S., but the whole world, is currently undergoing as it seeks for more effective and efficient ways to use energy. As such, the WBGen program set forth to achieve its educational goals, which in addition sought to broaden the range of WBG-based power electronics by conducting research and development on high-efficiency grid apparatus and high-efficiency electrical power systems, and to also enhance the power engineering curriculum by formalizing WBG-oriented design procedures replacing existent yet now obsolete design procedures developed for Silicon (Si) based power electronics. This effort led CPES to spearhead the development of a new major within The Bradley Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department at Virginia Tech, namely Electronic Power and Energy Systems (EPES), which coalesced power electronics and power systems courses to provide undergraduate students with a strong formation in the power engineering field, while creating a pipeline of graduate students that could pursue the WBG-based curriculum and conduct research at CPES. In all, in what is considered a true success, eight of the twenty WBGen fellows that graduated program were recruited from the ECE department undergraduate cohort. The traineeship emphasized as well, from its beginning, the partnership with industry and national laboratories, which took advantage of the successful industry consortium at CPES that has historically been formed by 80–90 power and energy companies working in close collaboration with the center. This gave WBGen fellows the accessibility and possibility to conduct internships at partner facilities during the summer months, focused solely on the evaluation, testing, and adoption of WBG devices, which were many times tightly related to their respective research work and plans. In addition, WBGen fellows conducted their main research work within the confines of research programs at CPES conducted with these industry partners, providing them with a unique opportunity to develop not just their technical expertise—while advancing their knowledge, but to also learn and practice a slew of skills needed for their professional growth. As such, the fellows tackled a variety of WBG-related research topics, from device reliability and capability aspects as well as packaging and integration, encompassing the use of advanced materials and new structures, current sharing challenges, and insulation systems, to advanced gate-drivers with integrated sensors and protection mechanisms and active current- and voltage-based control, to optimized layouts seeking to maximize the switching and power processing performance of these devices, to power processing solutions adopting Gallium-Nitride (GaN) and Silicon-Carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for a variety of applications; including radiation-hardened converters for space dc distribution systems, direct three-phase ac-to-ac power converters for aerospace systems, dc-ac inverters for automotive traction drives, high-frequency isolated dc-dc battery chargers also for heavy transportation systems, and medium-voltage dc-dc and dc-ac converters for distribution systems and future power grids. The WBGen program ultimately graduated a total of 20 power engineers, all experts on WBG-based power electronics, awarding 18 M.S. and 2 PhD degrees in the process. These fellows, all U.S. citizens, allowed CPES to increase the number of citizens students to 33 % at the peak of the program, as the traineeship made possible the recruitment of talent with more attractive graduate research assistantship (GRA) contracts. Unfortunately, the present U.S. citizen enrollment at CPES has declined back to historic levels—approximately 10 %, as the regular GRA rates are not competitive enough when compared with entry-level industry jobs. In all, WBGen fellows published a total of 7 peer-reviewed journal articles, 44 papers at international technical conferences, made 42 presentations at international technical conferences, and filed 4 invention disclosures and patent applications, which have since then been granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Their contribution to CPES, Virginia Tech, the United States, and the world, has been significant, and continues to yield results thanks to the exemplary career that the fellows have initiated at many of the partners of the program, which include Wolfspeed, Raytheon Technologies, Infineon, Lockheed Martin, Dominion Energy, Northrop Grumman, Rivian, Aerospace Corporation, Sandia National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, John Hopkins University, and Virginia Tech.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

High-Voltage Pulsed Power Generator for Beam Injection Systems

Beam injection systems in hadron colliders require kickers generating ±50 kV peak voltages into a 50 Ω impedance, with peak currents of 1000 A and sub-10 ns rise and fall times. This paper presents a novel high-voltage pulse power generator utilizing a distributed pulser architecture. It combines gallium nitride (GaN) transistors in a Marx topology with an inductive adder, achieving nanosecond-scale switching speeds and high-power efficiency. Compared to other solutions such as based on MOSFETs or fast ionization dynistors, our development offers superior peak and average power performance, reduced system complexity, and enhanced reliability, marking a significant step forward in high-voltage pulse generation for accelerator applications.

Smirnov, Alexander (ORCID:0000000280631691)↗
DOE OSTI2021

SiC and GaN Devices With Cryogenic Cooling

This article presents the cryogenically cooled application for wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices. Characteristics of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) at cryogenic temperatures are illustrated. SiC MOSFETs exhibit increased on-state resistance and slower switching speed at cryogenic temperatures. However, cryogenic cooling provides low ambient temperature environment and thus enables the SiC converter to operate at lower junction temperature to achieve higher efficiency compared to room temperature cooling. A cryogenically cooled MW-level SiC inverter prototype is developed and demonstrated the feasibility of operating high-power SiC converter with cryogenic cooling. GaN HEMTs exhibit more than five times on-state resistance reduction and faster switching speed at cryogenic temperatures which makes GaN HEMTs an excellent candidate for cryogenic power electronics applications. The significantly reduced on-state resistance of GaN devices provides the possibility to operate them at a current level much higher than rated current at cryogenic temperatures. A GaN double pulse test (DPT) circuit is constructed and demonstrated that GaN HEMTs can operate at nearly four times of rated current at cryogenic temperatures. Challenges of utilizing WBG device with cryogenic cooling are discussed and summarized.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Compact Solid-State High-Voltage Switch

Researchers at Sandia have developed a semiconductor-based high-voltage switch, with experimental results showing potential for enhanced radiation hardness, for use in multiple power conversion applications. Gallium nitride (GaN) metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) were modeled using commercial and Sandia CHARON simulation software to understand their performance and for future prediction of device operation in radiation environments.

42 ENGINEERING↗