Characterisation and modelling of gallium nitride power semiconductor devices dynamic on-state resistance

Li, Ke; Evans, Paul; Johnson, Mark

Abstract

GaN-HEMTs suffer from trapping effects which increases device ON-state resistance (RDS(on)) above its theoretical value. This increase is a function of the applied DC bias when the device is in its OFF state, and the time which the device is biased for. Thus, dynamic RDS(on) of different commercial GaN-HEMTs are characterised at different bias voltages in the paper by a proposed new measurement circuit. The time-constants associated with trapping and detrapping effects in the device are extracted using the proposed circuit and it is shown that variations in RDS(on) can be predicted using a series of RC circuit networks. A new methodology for integrating these RDS(on) predictions into existing GaN-HEMT models in standard SPICE simulators to improve model accuracy is then presented. Finally, device dynamic RDS(on) values of the model is compared and validated with the measurement when it switches in a power converter with different duty cycles and switching voltages.

Citation

Li, K., Evans, P., & Johnson, M. (2018). Characterisation and modelling of gallium nitride power semiconductor devices dynamic on-state resistance. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 33(6), 5262 - 5273. https://doi.org/10.1109/TPEL.2017.2730260

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 16, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Sep 18, 2017
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 21, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 13, 2018
• Journal: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics
• Print ISSN: 0885-8993
• Electronic ISSN: 1941-0107
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 5262 - 5273
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TPEL.2017.2730260
• Keywords: GaN-HEMT; Dynamic ON-state resistance; Power semiconductor device characterisation; Power semiconductor device modelling; Equivalent circuit
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/873056
• Publisher URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8039282/
• Contract Date: Jul 21, 2017