Loss Estimation and Analysis in High-Frequency GaN E-HEMT-Based Power Converters

Abstract

Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors offer many advantages for power electronics converters, such as compact size and high-frequency operation. However, accurate loss estimation and calculation of the various losses in these transistors are generally more complicated compared to other power semiconductors due to the device's very high switching speed (small capacitances), incomplete datasheet information, dynamic on-state resistance effects, and the increasing influence of parasitic elements at high frequencies. This paper proposes a systematic loss-estimation workflow as an extension of the TopBench framework for determining the losses of GaN transistors. The suggested methodology integrate datasheet information, analytical modeling, and the Spice model (or double-pulse characterization), implemented in MATLAB. For validation and database enrichment, the results are compared with simulation results and experimental tests. The method is experimentally validated through thermal measurements in a GaN-based single-phase inverter.