In this last installment, we terminate our overview of gallium nitride (GaN)-based solutions from leading power device manufacturers. In this article, we will explore the technologies and key products that other manufacturers offer. Specifically, we will examine GaN solutions from Qorvo, EPC Space, Renesas, Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD), GaNPower International, and Wise-Integration. This time, we will also introduce GaN-based solutions designed for specific applications, like radiation-hardened or -tolerant devices, RF devices, and power solutions with digital control.
Qorvo
Qorvo is a pioneering company in the use of gallium nitride to make components for radio frequency (RF) applications, such as discrete power components and power amplifiers (PAs) capable of operating at very high frequencies.
In the RF field, GaN offers advantages in power, high bandwidth, high operating voltage, and improved thermal capabilities. All of these provide the RF advantages of high power-added efficiency (PAE), high power output, low form factor, wide bandwidth, and enhanced robustness.
Qorvo can boast over twenty years of experience in research and development of GaN-based solutions, using silicon carbide (SiC) as the preferred substrate. Although GaN-on-Si technology has lower manufacturing costs, GaN-on-SiC enables better thermal conductivity, a key requirement for high-frequency and high-power RF applications.
An example of a product based on this technology is the QPD1035L, a 40W discrete GaN-on-SiC HEMT transistor operating from DC to 6 GHz from a 50V supply rail. The device has an input pre-match and is ideally suitable for broadband amplifier applications for pulsed and CW operation. Enclosed in a compact package with low thermal resistance, this device features high gain, making it suitable for high-frequency RF applications such as radar, jammers, test systems, and radio communication.
EPC Space
Semiconductor devices exposed to radiation experience damage that degrades their electrical performance. These radiation-induced effects fall into three main categories, each significantly impacting complex systems in nuclear power plants, avionics, and satellites:
- Single Event Effects (SEEs)
- Displacement Damage
- Total Ionization Dose (TID) Damage
The strong bonding in binary and ternary nitrides, such as GaN, inherently enhances their resistance to radiation, making gallium nitride suitable for high-performance, radiation-tolerant applications, particularly in space and front-end electronics for nuclear power generation.
EPC Space provides a range of radiation-hardened GaN power devices, including discrete transistors, integrated circuits (ICs), and modules. These components offer key advantages over silicon-based space-grade power devices, such as a smaller form factor, lower resistance, and higher switching frequencies.
Critical spaceborne applications benefiting from EPC Space’s advanced GaN technology include satellite DC/DC converters, reaction and momentum wheels, solar array drive assemblies, and micro-pumps for propulsion systems.
In addition to GaN transistors, EPC Space provides radiation-hardened GaN power stage ICs and GaN gate drivers. The EPC7011L7SH is the world’s first radiation-hardened GaN power stage IC, featuring a 60 VDC/6 A half-bridge driver (Figure 1). This integrated solution combines eGaN® output FETs with an input logic interface, level shifting, bootstrap charging, and gate drive buffer circuits—all housed in a custom 7-pin Aluminum Nitride SMT ceramic package for enhanced thermal performance and radiation resistance.
EPC Space has obtained JANS MIL-PRF-19500 certification, a stringent standard set by the U.S. Department of Defense. This certification defines high benchmarks for reliability, performance, and environmental resilience in semiconductor components. Notably, EPC Space is the first company to achieve this certification for GaN HEMTs.
Renesas
Following the acquisition of Transphorm, Renesas Electronics Corporation has expanded its existing portfolio of discrete power components, which already included IGBTs, SiC, and Si Power FETs, with the addition of GaN power devices. JEDEC- and AEC-Q101-qualified, Renesas’ GaN FETs can achieve over 99% efficiency, 40% more power density, and 20% lower system cost compared to silicon-based counterparts.
Renesas’ GaN transistor structure, inherited from Transphorm, uses GaN depletion mode (D-mode, normally-on) devices in a cascode configuration. This platform couples the normally-on GaN HEMT with a highly reliable and high-performance low-voltage normally-off Si MOSFET in a normally-off D-mode configuration. As detailed in a white paper, this ensures the platform’s fail-safe normally-off operations while maintaining maximum GaN performance and Si MOSFET gate reliability.
Figure 2 details how this platform is built: a high-voltage normally-on D-mode GaN HEMT is combined with a low-voltage normally-off Si FET to form a normally-off GaN power discrete.
An example of a device that utilizes this technology is the TP65H300G4LSG. This 650V, 240mΩ Gallium Nitride (GaN) FET is a normally-off device built on Renesas’ Gen IV platform. It integrates cutting-edge high-voltage GaN HEMT and low-voltage silicon MOSFET technologies, ensuring high reliability and performance.
The Gen IV SuperGaN® platform leverages advanced epitaxial and patented design technologies to enhance manufacturability while improving efficiency compared to silicon. This is achieved through lower gate charge, reduced output capacitance, minimized crossover loss, and lower reverse recovery charge.
Housed in an industry-standard PQFN88 package with a common-source configuration, the TP65H300G4LSG is ideal for AC-DC bridgeless totem-pole PFC designs. It enhances efficiency in both hard- and soft-switched circuits and is easy to drive using commonly available gate drivers.
With a long tradition of providing solutions for the defense and space sectors, which began with the founding of Radiation, Inc. in 1950, Renesas also offers various GaN products in the Intersil series, such as FETs, drivers, and gate drivers, both radiation-tolerant and radiation-hardened.
CGD
Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) is a fabless semiconductor company that spun out from Cambridge University in 2016 to deliver an efficient and user-friendly GaN-based power technology.
Traditionally, GaN transistors have posed significant operational challenges. Most manufacturers recommend additional components or customized gate drivers to ensure safe and reliable functionality. To address this issue, CGD introduced ICeGaN®—the industry’s first enhancement-mode GaN transistor designed to operate just like a silicon MOSFET.
Unlike conventional GaN solutions, ICeGaN® eliminates the need for special gate drivers, complex drive circuitry, or specific voltage clamping mechanisms. By removing the requirement to pair GaN with silicon MOSFETs in Cascode or Direct Drive configurations, CGD’s solution is a true single-chip E-mode GaN, enclosed in a low-profile, low-inductance package.
CGD’s GaN devices are fully compatible with standard, off-the-shelf gate drivers, supporting voltages up to 20-22V. With an integrated Miller clamp and a threshold voltage set around 3V, users no longer need to apply negative gate voltages to ensure the device remains off when required. Additionally, CGD integrates key features such as built-in current sensing, eliminating the need for external components like sense resistors. Most importantly, thermal management is significantly improved, as CGD’s GaN can be directly connected to the ground, enabling the use of smaller components and maintaining lower operating temperatures.
The ICeGaN® portfolio includes 650V-rated power devices grouped into the H1, H2, and P2 Series. These devices share common features with some customizations:
- H1 & H2 Series: Feature an integrated current sensing function for overcurrent protection and bottom-side cooled DFN packages.
- H2 Series: Incorporate a fully integrated NL³ (No Load and Light Load) circuit that enhances energy efficiency by reducing power losses during light-load and no-load conditions.
- P2 Series: Offer thermally enhanced packages with bottom-side cooling, dual-side cooling, and wettable flanks for automated optical inspection.
CGD recently unveiled a solution suitable for EV powertrain systems exceeding 100kW—a market valued at over $10 billion. The Combo ICeGaN® merges smart ICeGaN® HEMT ICs with silicon IGBTs within a single module or Intelligent Power Module (IPM). This hybrid approach maximizes efficiency while providing a cost-effective alternative to premium silicon carbide (SiC) solutions.
GaNPower International
GaNPower International Inc. is a fabless design company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, specializing in gallium nitride (GaN)-based technology for power electronics. With a strong focus on innovation, the company develops high-performance GaN solutions to deliver high efficiency and power density.
GaNPower International’s product portfolio spans discrete GaN power devices, GaN/silicon co-packaged ICs, and fully integrated all-GaN power ICs. These solutions are available in voltage ratings of 650V and 1200V, with current capabilities ranging from 8A to 60A. To support a variety of applications, they are offered in multiple package types, including TO-220, TO-252, TO-263, DFN, and LGA. All discrete GaNFETs are single-die enhancement-mode (E-mode) devices, featuring a threshold voltage of approximately 1.4V.
A prime example is the GPI65060DFC, an N-channel 650V Power GaN HEMT built on GaNPower International’s proprietary E-mode GaN-on-silicon technology. Engineered for cutting-edge performance, this device boasts an ultra-low on-state resistance of just 25mΩ, minimal input capacitance, and zero reverse recovery charge, making it an ideal choice for applications demanding exceptional power density, ultra-high switching frequencies, and outstanding efficiency. Additionally, the device integrates a unique, patent-pending lossless source-side GaN current sensing IC, further enhancing its efficiency and functionality.
Wise-Integration
Wise-Integration, a spin-off from CEA-LETI, is a fabless company specializing in advanced integrated GaN solutions designed to miniaturize power supplies and enhance energy efficiency. The company’s innovative approach combines WiseGan®, its power GaN integrated circuits, with WiseWare®, an advanced GaN digital controller, to deliver next-generation power solutions.
WiseGan® is a 700V enhancement-mode (E-mode) GaN Power IC, available in a DFN package as either a discrete device or a half-bridge configuration. Complementing this, WiseWare® is a state-of-the-art digital controller engineered to fully capitalize on the benefits of GaN technology.
With switching frequencies reaching up to 2 MHz, WiseWare® enables the development of compact, high-performance AC-DC power converters. Its proprietary real-time optimization algorithms, including Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS), help achieve exceptional power density, minimize energy losses, and simplify system architecture. These advantages make Wise-Integration’s solutions ideal for consumer electronics, e-mobility, industrial systems, and data centers, where demand for compact, reliable, and energy-efficient power solutions continues to grow.
To support developers, Wise-Integration offers demonstration boards, such as a 65W Active-Clamp Flyback (ACF) converter, designed for e-mobility and consumer applications. This ACF converter (Figure 3) is built around the WiseGan® WI62195 half-bridge, a 650V, 195mΩ GaN device. It also integrates a low-profile planar transformer (Z = 15mm) and features a USB-PD output. The input voltage range spans 90V to 265V AC, with selectable output options including 20V-2.25A, 15V-2A, 9V-2A, and 5V-2A, ensuring USB 3.0 compliance.
See also:
Overview of Gallium Nitride (GaN) Solutions from Leading Manufacturers – Part 1
Overview of GaN Solutions from Leading Manufacturers – Part 2
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