Dilder Chowdhury

Wide-bandgap semiconductors have significantly contributed to the development of power systems, resulting in cost-effective component reductions. The use of WBG semiconductors in the most challenging power applications cannot be separated from a careful assessment of the reliability of the devices. The automotive market, for instance, is demanding solutions with small sizes and reduced weight to be used in electric vehicles.

Power GaN FETs are increasingly making their way into mainstream markets by providing the best power efficiency and most compact solution size. Brave innovators already benefit from having disruptive GaN high-electron–mobility transistor (HEMT) technology as a key component for their applications, as it offers the fastest transition/switching capability (highest dV/dt and di/dt) and delivers the best efficiency, regardless of whether it is for low- or high-power–conversion applications.

Growing pressure from society and increasing legislation for reduced CO2 emissions is pushing industries from automotive to telecoms to invest in more efficient power conversion and increased electrification. Traditional silicon-based power semiconductor technologies like insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) are fundamentally limited in operating frequency, speed, and have poor high-temperature performance and low-current characteristics.