GaN FETs: delivering AEC-Q101 level robustness

Power GaN technology has shown that it offers the best possible efficiency for power conversion. But for markets such as automotive, solutions also need to be incredibly robust, delivering high quality and reliability. So, we need to show that Nexperia’s GaN technology delivers the robustness of operation at high voltages and temperatures, while delivering the quality, reliability, and scalability in manufacturing to be successful in high-current, high-power automotive applications.

Nexperia’s GaN FET technology currently focuses on high power applications operating at 650 V. That includes AC/DC, PFC, OBC and DC/DC conversion in telecoms, server, storage, data centers and industrial market sectors where it is already delivering the highest possible efficiency levels (see GaN FETs help push 80 PLUS Titanium grade). But importantly it also includes automotive power conversion and traction inverters, and that requires them to meet AEC-Q1O1 robustness levels.

The product parameters below are from our 50 mΩ 650 V device (GAN063-650WSA), but all products share the same specifications.

  • High reliability gate structure (± 20 V) and high threshold voltage (4 V) provide a safety margin against gate source transients
  • High voltage source-drain transient specification can handle switching transients up to 800 V
  • -55 to 175 °C operating range makes them ideal for harsh environments
  • Very low Vf (1.3 V @ 12 A) enables Si-like freewheeling current capability

From these product specifications we know our Nexperia GaN products are incredibly robust. But of course, we also need to be able to show that robustness is in line with AEC-Q101 standards, which requires significant testing.

Ensuring GaN meets the standards required

The automotive market has some of the toughest standards and Nexperia’s 650 V GaN FETs are qualified in accordance with AEC-Q101 Rev D level qualification tests. To meet this demanding standard, the products needed to pass a variety of tests including: High Temperature Reverse Bias (HTRB) tests, temperature cycling tests, gate bias tests, biased and unbiased humidity tests, and from Nexperia’s perspective High-Temperature Operating Life (HTOL) tests. In a recent white paper, “650 V GaN FET technology delivers the best efficiency, and the robustness needed for AEC-Q101 qualification”, Nexperia presented some of the results of these tests which clearly show that our GaN FETs meet and often surpass current testing criteria.

 

Dynamic Rdson measurement during HTRB
Dynamic Rdson measurement during HTRB

To highlight one example from testing on our GAN063-650WSA 50 mΩ 650V device, the AEC-Q101 Rev D condition for passing the HTRB test is that RDS(on) does not shift by more than 20%.  Figure 1 shows the shift in dynamic RDS(on) for the test device and you can see that the maximum shift is less than 15%. Read more about the testing we undertook and the results from those tests in our white paper - 650 V GaN FET technology delivers the best efficiency, and the robustness needed for AEC-Q101 qualification.

Download the white paper