Virginia Tech endorses CQD ICeGaN technology

Author: EIS Release Date: Apr 4, 2023

Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) has had its ICeGaN technology endorsed in a paper  by Virginia Tech as more reliable and robust than other GaN platforms.

 

The paper called A GaN HEMT with Exceptional Gate Over-Voltage Robustness  says ICeGaN shows an exceptionally high over-voltage margin of over 70 V, which is comparable to state-of-the-art traditional silicon devices, and possibly even higher.

 

“Accidental high drive voltage is a critical concern for the gate reliability and driver design of GaN HEMT devices,” says CGD’s Daniel Popa, “state-of-the-art GaN HEMTs survive around 25 V, which can be within gate voltage overshoots in applications such as converters, resulting in device failure. Until ICeGaN, higher breakdown voltage values of 70 V and more, were only possible with state-of-the-art SiC and superjunction devices.”

 

ICeGaN HEMTS possess a set of intrinsic capabilities, that together elevate device reliability while approaching the ruggedness of  Si-based devices.

 

In addition to the elevated dynamic gate breakdown capability, enabled by the inclusion of a fully integrated GaN smart circuitry, and confirmed by the Virginia Tech research, ICeGaN technology has a higher voltage threshold of 3 V, higher voltage range (0 – 20 V), and a stronger gate voltage clamping action at lower temperatures.

 

More, a novel Miller-clamp design, also integrated within the smart ICeGaN circuitry, ensures immunity against high dV/dt and dI/dt events and obviates the need for negative gate voltages for turning-off (and keeping-off) the HEMT, which in turn reduces

exposure to dynamic Ron stress.

 

“The two major advantages of CGD’s ICeGaN technology are ease-of-use and reliability,” says CQDs Andrea Bricconi, “our design, which integrates smart protection circuitry fabricated in GaN on-chip with the HEMT, facilitates both these key benefits, enabling devices to be driven like a MOSFET – without the need for special gate drivers, complex and lossy driving circuits, negative voltage supply requirements or additional clamping components – and to survive rugged and challenging application conditions.”