Revving Up SiC And GaN


Silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are becoming more popular for power electronics, particularly in automotive applications, driving down costs as volumes scale up and increasing the demand for better tools to design, verify, and test these wide-bandgap devices. Both SiC and GaN are proving essential in areas such as battery management in electric vehicles. They can handle much ... » read more

Innovative Technology Drives Rapid Deployment Of New 5G Products, Services, And Business Models


The wireless future is about developing the most compelling products using a combination of advanced technologies to maximize system performance, while optimizing both cost and power. Doing so will unlock deployment of new 5G products and services for mobile operators and the whole 5G ecosystem, from businesses to consumers to the economy. With 5G offering so much potential, how can the industr... » read more

Apple’s First GaN Charger


It has been heavily rumored and anticipated for a few years now, but we have finally seen Apple make the switch to using gallium nitride (GaN) as the power transistor in one of their charging products: the 140 W charger for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro. As has been the case with many innovations in the past, Apple may not be the first, but when they do adopt a technology people take notice! A... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Nov. 2


GaN CMOS ICs Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) are working to increase the functionality available to wide bandgap gallium nitride (GaN) electronics. GaN is frequently used in power electronics, such as power converters and supplies. However, GaN CMOS technology has been hampered by the difficulties in implementing p-channel transistors and integrat... » read more

The Silicon Carbide Race Begins


The growing adoption of silicon carbide (SiC) for a variety of automotive chips has reached the tipping point where most chipmakers now consider it a relatively safe bet, setting off a scramble to stake a claim and push this wide-bandgap technology into the mainstream. SiC holds great promise for a number of automotive applications, particularly for battery electric vehicles. It can extend d... » read more

Gearing Up For Next-Gen Power Semis


After years in R&D, several vendors are moving closer to shipping power semiconductors and other products based on next-generation wide-bandgap technologies. These devices leverage the properties of new materials, such as aluminum nitride, diamond, and gallium oxide, and they are also utilized in different structures, such as vertical gallium-nitride power devices. But while many of thes... » read more

Gate Drive Solutions For CoolGaN 600 V HEMTs


This paper explains the gate drive requirements for Infineon’s CoolGaN 600 V e-mode HEMTs. Various driving solutions are discussed, ranging from the standard RC-coupled driver to a new differential drive concept utilizing dedicated gate driver ICs. In half-bridge topologies, a hybrid configuration combining isolated and non-isolated drivers could be an exciting alternative. Practical applicat... » read more

Problems In The Power Grid


The gap is widening between power availability and peak demand. Ritesh Tyagi, head of innovation and growth strategy at Infineon Technologies, talks about what needs to be done to fix the power grid, particularly as more cars are electrified and more electronic devices are mobile. While there currently is a surplus in power being generated on a macro level in the United States, for example, it�... » read more

Going Vertical With GaN Devices


Gallium nitride has long been on the horizon for a variety of uses in semiconductors, but implementing this on a commercial scale has been relatively slow due to a variety of technical hurdles. That may be about to change. The wide bandgap of GaN makes it particularly attractive material for power conversion applications. Still, actually realizing its benefits in commercial devices has been ... » read more

IC Materials For Extreme Conditions


The number of materials being researched for chips used in extreme environments, such as landing on the planet Venus, is growing. While GaN has captured much of the attention for power conversion circuits, it's just one of several applications for semiconductors in extreme environments. The high voltage, high temperature, and caustic atmospheres found in many industrial and aerospace environ... » read more

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