GaN Transistors for Efficient Power Conversion

This textbook provides power system design engineers basic technical and application-focused information on how to design more efficient power conversion systems using gallium nitride-based transistors. As a practical guide for power systems design engineers, it provides insights on the use of GaN transistors in power electronics applications, ranging from buck converters to Power over Ethernet.

Also included are discussions on fundamental power engineering subjects such as; performance characteristics of GaN transistors, layout considerations for GaN circuits, paralleling GaN transistors and driver IC requirements for GaN transistors. The final chapters address GaN device reliability, their exceptional radiation-resistant characteristics as well as their future in power electronics.

Alex Lidow is CEO of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC). Prior to founding EPC, Dr. Lidow was CEO of International Rectifier Corporation. A co-inventor of the HEXFET power MOSFET, Dr. Lidow holds many patents in power semiconductor technology and has authored numerous publications on related subjects. Lidow earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Caltech in 1975 and his Ph.D. from Stanford in 1977.
Johan Strydom is Vice President, Applications at EPC Corporation. He received his Ph.D. from the Rand Afrikaans University, South Africa in 2001. From 1999 to 2002 he worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Power Electronics (CPES), Virginia Tech. Dr. Strydom held various application engineering positions at International Rectifier Corporation and Linear Technology Corporation, working on DC-DC converters, motor drives, and class-D audio.
Michael A. de Rooij is Director of Applications at EPC. He received his Ph.D. from the Rand Afrikaans University, South Africa in 1998. Dr. de Rooij worked at Windspire Energy Inc., where he helped develop the next generation of small vertical-axis wind turbine inverters. Prior to Windspire Energy, Dr. de Rooij worked at the GE Global Research Center where his research interests and activities included high-frequency power converters, photovoltaic converters, magnetic resonance imaging systems. Dr. de Rooij is a Senior Member of the IEEE.
Yanping Ma is the head of Quality and Reliability at Efficient Power Conversion Corporation. She received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1996. Prior to joining EPC, Dr. Ma held various engineering positions at International Rectifier Corporation.