Gallium Nitride (GaN) power devices switch faster and are more efficient than conventional silicon-based devices. This enables a new generation of power conversion solutions with reduced size, weight, and environmental impact.
Despite the great potential, Driving GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (GaN HEMTs) presents unique challenges owing to their inherent characteristics, such as fast switching speeds and high input capacitance. The need for precise control and effective handling of these features becomes crucial in optimizing the performance of GaN HEMTs in various applications. Traditional drivers may struggle to provide the necessary slew rates and voltage handling capabilities, leading to suboptimal performance, increased power dissipation, and potential reliability issues.
In response to these challenges, the Smart-GaNTM technology introduced by NovaWave emerges as a superior solution: NW GaN devices can be operated exactly like a conventional Silicon MOSFET, without the need for special gate drivers, driving circuitry, or unique gate voltage clamping mechanisms. Our devices show great gate reliability with an allowed gate swing up to 20 V and a positive Vth of 3 V, which avoids any false turn-on event or the need for negative gate voltage. In addition, the Smart-GaNTM technology introduces several additional integrated features such as lossless current sensing, ESD protection, standby mode, under-voltage lockout, and over-temperature protection. All these features are directly embedded in the device and enable a safer and more efficient operation leading to unprecedented reliability and efficiency.
Reliability
Our Smart-GaNTM technology comprises several protections including over-current and short circuit, over-temperature, and ESD. Together with our optimized gate driving, this leads to high reliability of the GaN device, which is always operated in optimal conditions and protected from system failures.
Ease of Use
NovaWave devices can be operated similarly to silicon MOSFETs or super-junctions. The large gate swing and positive threshold voltage do no require any dedicated driver or extra components and are compatible with conventional controllers reducing the complexity and cost of the overall converter.
High Speed
NovaWave solutions enable you to take full advantage of GaN incredible speed. No need to worry about high dV/dt or false turn-on events, which are taken care of by our Smart-GaNTM Technology. This means more than 10x faster switching than Si devices, leading to more compact and efficient solutions.