8/7/2019 GaN Overview nitox.com ganessential

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GaN Overview NITRONEX CORPORATION2305 Presidential DriveDurham, NC 27703Telephone: 919-807-9100Fax: 919-807-9200

GaN EssentialsApplication NotesGallium Nitride (GaN) HEMTs (High Electron Mobility Transistors) are the nextgenerationof RF power transistor technology that offers the unique combination of higherpower, higher efficiency and wider bandwidth than competing GaAs and Si basedtechnologies. With Nitronexs commercial offering of GaN-on-Si products, thisperformance advantage is combined with the reliability, low cost and ease of useadvantages of industry-standard silicon wafers. GaN Essentials is a collectionof application notes targeted toward designers who want to take advantage of GaNdevices while avoiding many common implementation pitfalls of this new

technology. Be sure to check back for updates to GaN Essentials and otherdesign support material.GaN for LDMOS UsersGaN HEMTs offer efficiency, bandwidth, and power advantages compared to Si LDMOSFETs. Making the switch to GaN involves assessing how the devices behavecompared to Si LDMOS to understand what aspects of a design need to berethought. This application note compares device behavior between the twotechnologies and highlights issues that are important to traditional LDMOSdesigners.Substrates for GaN RF DevicesGaN is primarily offered on silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), and sapphiresubstrates and it is sometimes difficult to understand the pros and cons of thevarious substrates. This application note gives an overview of GaN substratesand the advantages and disadvantages of each.Bias Sequencing and Temperature

Compensation of GaN HEMTs (UPDATED June 2009) Click HERE for therelated spreadsheetGaN HEMTs are depletion mode devices, meaning a negative gate voltage andgate-drain bias sequencing is required for proper operation. The circuits toimplement these functions are well understood by GaAs FET users and can bereused by GaN users. This application note discusses proper biasing requirementsand bias circuit recommendations, highlighting the mistakes most commonly madewhen using depletion mode devices.Broadband Performance of GaN HEMTsBroadband applications are the heart of todays market for GaN RF power devices.The higher operating voltage and power density of GaN results in significantperformance advantages for GaN in broadband applications. This application note

shows theoretical and practical broadband matching techniques and limitations,and a methodology for modeling devices and synthesizing an output matchingnetwork. Broadband capability of GaAs FETs, Si LDMOS, and GaN HEMTs is comparedand a design example with measured results using a Nitronex device ispresented.Thermal Considerations for GaN TechnologyGaN HEMTs offer much higher power density than competing technologies, providingsignificant performance advantages in many applications. However, this alsoleads to a thermal challenge of removing the heat from a relatively small FETarea. This application note illustrates thermal design challenges and offersmeasured and simulated results for various circuit board and flange mountingconfigurations. Recommendations are made for junction temperature limits andchoosing the proper device for a given application.