Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) has released its second ICeGaN 650-V gallium nitride HEMT family series, offering unparalleled robustness, usability and efficiency. The CGD smart-gate interface used by the H2 Series ICeGaN HEMTs practically removes the flaws often present in e-mode GaN, significantly improving overvoltage resilience and increasing noise immunity, dV/dt suppression and ESD protection.

The new 650-V H2 ICeGaN transistors are driven similarly to silicon MOSFETs, as with earlier generations of devices, doing away with the requirement for elaborate and inefficient circuits in favor of industry-standard gate drivers. Last but not least, H2 ICeGaN HEMTs have a Q_G that is 10× lower than silicon parts and a Q_OSS that is 5× lower. This allows H2 ICeGaN HEMTs to significantly cut switching losses at high switching frequencies, reducing size and weight. This yields efficiency performance that leads the industry in SMPS applications by a full 2% above the best silicon MOSFETs.

Record-low power losses are achieved via the ICeGaN H2 Series’ revolutionary NL3 (no-load and light-load) circuit, which is integrated on-chip with the GaN switch. By eliminating the need for negative gate voltages and integrating a Miller clamp, an enhanced clamping structure that is also on-chip, achieves true zero-volt turn-off and enhances dynamic R_DS(on) performance. These monolithically integrated interface and safety circuits on these e-mode (often off) single-chip GaN HEMTs provide unsurpassed gate reliability and design simplicity. A current-sense function also enables direct connection to ground for improved cooling and EMI while reducing power dissipation.

Source: Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio for Power Electronics News