Gallium Nitride & Power Systems, a perfect pair
Unlocking the true potential of Gallium Nitride (GaN) with the world’s first GaN-on-GaN power semiconductor, NexGen Vertical GaN™
Simple GaN-on-GaN 3D structure and scalable roadmap
High-Density Vertical JFET provides scalable, high conductivity power switch JFET channel utilizes high bulk GaN mobility to achieve a low overall RDSon Device structure enables robust edge termination for full avalanche capability innovative design patented by NexGen.
Leverage 3D architecture to scale
NexGen Vertical GaN™ devices can leverage the 3D architecture for increasing current by growing in X and Y dimensions and increasing voltage by growing thicker EPI layers. This allows for a reliable, robust, and scalable architecture to make the perfect high voltage and high current power semiconductor.
Lateral Architectures lack Scalability
Lateral architectures do not allow for easy scalability to higher voltages and currents. The device architecture must grow laterally for both increased current and voltage and vertical growth is limited due to the already thick EPI material due to the insulating buffer layers. This leads to a larger, less reliable power semiconductor.
Best-in-class temperature coefficient
- 1.6 for Vertical GaN™ vs. 2.25 for HEMT and 2.3 for Si SJ devices
- A 70mΩ Vertical GaN™ has an effective RDSon of 112mΩ at 150C
- This is comparable to a 50mΩ GaN-on-Si or Si SJ device
Lowest cost and better switching performance than SiC.
- 44% better FOM than SiC for Soft switching
- 47% better FOM than SiC for Hard switching
| Coss | Co(tr) | FOM Soft SW |
Co(er) | FOM Hard SW |
RDSon at 150oC |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NexGen 170mΩ | 12pF | 21.9pF | 5900 | 16.6 | 4500 | 270mΩ |
| 270mΩ SiC (Scaled) | 32pF | 56pF | 13400 | 40 | 9600 | 240mΩ |
| Vertical Gan vs SiC | 0.38 | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.42 | 0.47 | 1.13 |
World’s only demonstrated single and repetitive avalanche robust.
- Reliable GaN-on-GaN structure
- Ability to weed out weak devices based on avalanche testing
- Applying best practices of Silicon product testing to Vertical GaN™
- Not possible with GaN-on-Si devices
| Parameters | SiC JFET | NEXGEN GaN FinFET |
|---|---|---|
| Blocking Voltage (V) | 1200 | > 800 |
| Active Area (mm2) | 7 | 0.14 |
| Testing condition | 25 s, repetitive | 3 s, repetitive |
| Critical EAVA (mJ) | 621 | 7∼10 |
| Normalized EAVA (mJ/mm2) | 82.7 | 71.4 |
| Avalanche cycle numbers survived | 180 | 5000 (best) |
World’s only >10µs short circuit robustness.
- Short-circuit test is a widely used criterion for power device
- 10 µs is the usual minimal time that most over-voltage protection circuits can step in to protect
- Only Si IGBT can achieve this today
- SiC and GaN-on-Si HEMT devices cannot withstand >10µs SC at bus voltage > 400V
Tests performed by Virginia Tech / CPES, “Breakthrough Short Circuit Robustness Demonstrated in Vertical GaN Fin JFET” published in IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 37, NO. 6, JUNE 2022
Vertical GaN is the perfect power semiconductor to meet and exceed power electronics market needs.
