Industry-First 1200 V GaN-on-Sapphire MOSFET Revolutionizes Power Semiconductor Market
Transphorm has released the industry’s first 1200 V GaN-on-Sapphire MOSFET. The GaN-on-Sapphire construction enables much higher operating voltages due to the superior insulating properties of sapphire. The 1200 V GaN switches, made with high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on sapphire substrates, offer fast-switching and low-loss capabilities at higher voltages than traditional GaN-on-Silicon devices, which typically support voltages up to 650 V. The new MOSFET will enable better performance and more increased safety for high-powered applications such as electric vehicles (EV) and three-phase power applications. This development enables professionals in the power electronics industry to achieve higher power densities, improved performance, and higher voltage ratings up to 1200 V.
According to the company, the combination of sapphire substrates and Transphorm’s SuperGaN technology, utilizing both low-voltage silicon MOSFET and high-voltage GaN HEMT devices, results in faster and more efficient GaN switches. As EV battery bus voltages continue to increase from 400 V to 800 V and beyond, power conversion components with higher voltage ratings are in high demand. While wide bandgap (WBG) technologies like GaN and SiC compete within the EV market, most GaN FETs have been limited to 650 V. However, This new 1200 V GaN-on-Sapphire device offers a game-changing solution that meets the voltage requirements of 800 V powertrains, as well as high voltage three-phase industrial and energy power systems.
System designers can benefit from this new switching solution, as it offers higher power density, equal or better performance, and competitive pricing compared to existing 1200 V solutions. The company’s claims have been validated through testing, where a 5 kW, 900 V to 450 V buck converter configuration achieved an impressive 98.76% efficiency at a 100 kHz switching speed, surpassing comparable SiC devices.
Key Specifications
Along with a maximum load current of 29 A, some key specifications for the new MOSFET include:
• 70 mΩ RDS(on)
• Efficient bidirectional current flow
• ± 20 Vmax gate robustness
• Low 4Vth gate drive noise immunity
• Zero QRR
• 3-lead TO-247 package
