Transphorm’s Gen III GaN platform earns automotive qualification

Transphorm Inc of Goleta, near Santa Barbara, CA, USA — which designs and manufactures JEDEC- and AEC-Q101-qualified high-voltage (HV) gallium nitride (GaN) field-effect transistors (FETs) for high-voltage (HV) power conversion applications — has announced that its third-generation, JEDEC-qualified high-voltage GaN platform has passed the Automotive Electronics Council’s AEC-Q101 stress tests for automotive-grade discrete semiconductors. This marks the firm’s second automotive-qualified product line, as well as its most reliable, given the Gen III GaN platform’s ability to perform at 175°C during qualification testing.

The TP65H035WSQA Gen III AEC-Q101-qualified GaN FET has typical on-resistance of 35mΩ in an industry-standard TO-247 package. As with its predecessor — the 50mΩ Gen II TPH3205WSBQA — the devices target AC-to-DC on-board chargers (OBCs), DC-to-DC converters and DC-to-AC inverter systems for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Launched last June, Transphorm’s Gen III devices came onto the market as what was claimed to be the highest-reliability, highest-quality (Q+R) GaN FETs available. They offered lower electromagnetic interference (EMI) along with increased noise immunity (threshold voltage at 4V) and gate robustness (at ±20V), producing quieter switching and higher performance at higher current levels with minimal external circuitry.

Transphorm says that commitment to Q+R influences its choice to conduct extended and accelerated standards testing, to include JEDEC and AEC-Q101. For this latest automotive qualification, the firm stressed the devices’ thermal limits to 25°C more than those of the standard AEC-Q101-qualified high-voltage silicon MOSFET counterparts.

Beyond proving the GaN platform’s robustness, the higher-temperature testing demonstrates that Transphorm’s AEC-Q101 GaN FETs can give design engineers ample thermal headroom when developing any power system.

“Proving device quality and reliability is perhaps the most critical factor influencing customer confidence in high-voltage GaN FETs — particularly in the automotive and electric vehicle markets,” says Philip Zuk, VP of worldwide technical marketing. “To that end, we ensure that our GaN maintains its performance and reliability even in real-world conditions that may be far harsher than what mission profiles call for,” he adds. “As shown by the published reliability data, our JEDEC-qualified Gen III platform has a Field Failure FIT rate of 3, which is in line with that of silicon carbide (SiC). It’s this high reliability level that allowed Transphorm to release a Gen III automotive FET at 175°C.”

Transphorm reckons that its second AEC-Q101-qualified device further validates its Q+R, as was also demonstrated in the January release of what was claimed to be the industry’s first Field Reliability data and first Early Life Failure rate calculations (the source of the FIT rate referenced above).

See related items:

Transphorm releases quality and reliability data behind device shipment numbers

Transphorm’s new Gen III GaN power conversion platform increases noise immunity and reduces switching noise

Transphorm announces first automotive-qualified GaN FETs

Tags: Transphorm GaN-on-Si GaN HEMT Power electronics

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