GaN transistors island layout boosts current performance

21st May 2014

Caroline Hayes

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PCIM 2014: Five normally-off 100V GaN transistors and a 650V normally-off GaN transistor family have been introduced by GaN Systems. The GS61002P, GS61004P, GS61006, GS61008P and GS71008P areoptimised for high speed designs, with low on resistance and total gate charge.

The normally-off 100V GaN transistors span 20 to 80A with very low on resistance. Girvan Patterson, president, explains that a single transistor can be used to deliver 80A, instead of having to use four 20A transistors in parallel. The transistors in the family are the GS61002P (20A/21mΩ), GS61004P (40A/11mΩ), GS61006P (60A/8mΩ ) and GS61008P (80A/5mΩ) and the half-bridge GS71008P (80A/5mΩ).

An island layout allows more drains and sources to be used than is possible with a conventional ‘finger’ layout, explains Patterson. The transistors also feature a reverse current capability, source-sense for optimal high speed design and “exceptionally low” total gate charge (QG) and reverse recovery charge (QRR).

Also at Nuremberg, the company announced another family, of normally-off 650V GaN transistors optimised for high speed system design. The GS66502P (8.5A/165mΩ), GS66504P (17A/82mΩ), GS66506P (25A/55mΩ), GS66508P (34A/41mΩ) and the GS43106L (30A/60mΩ) parts have a reverse current capability, zero reverse recovery charge and source-sense for optimal high speed design.

Both families are RoHS-compliant, and delivered in the company’s embedded GaNPX package which is claimed to minimise inductance and optimise thermal performance.

Applications include high speed DC/DC converters, resonant converters, AC motor drives, inverters, battery chargers and switched mode power supplies.