Parallel combination of ICeGaN HEMT and IGBT delivers high efficiency at reduced cost

CAMBRIDGE, England: Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD), the fabless, clean-tech semiconductor company that develops energy-efficient GaN-based power devices that make greener electronics simpler to design and implement, today revealed more details about a solution that will enable the company to address EV powertrain applications over 100kW – a market worth over $10B - with its ICeGaN® gallium nitride (GaN) technology. Combo ICeGaN® combines smart ICeGaN HEMT ICs and IGBTs (Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors) in the same module or IPM, maximizing efficiency and offering a cost-effective alternative to expensive silicon carbide (SiC) solutions.

The proprietary Combo ICeGaN approach uses the fact that ICeGaN and IGBT devices can be operated in a parallel architecture having similar drive voltage ranges (e.g. 0-20V) and excellent gate robustness. In operation, the ICeGaN switch is very efficient, with low conduction and low switching losses at relatively low currents (light load), while the IGBT is dominant at relatively high currents (towards full load or during surge conditions). Combo ICeGaN also benefits from the high saturation currents and the avalanche clamping capability of IGBTs and the very efficient switching of ICeGaN. At higher temperatures, the bipolar component of the IGBT will start to conduct at lower on-state voltages, supplementing the loss of current in the ICeGaN. Conversely, at lower temperatures, ICeGaN will take more current. Sensing and protection functions are intelligently managed to optimally drive the Combo ICeGaN and enhance the Safe Operating Area (SOA) of both ICeGaN and IGBT devices.

ICeGaN technology allows EV engineers to enjoy GaN’s benefits in DC-to-DC converters, on-board chargers and potentially traction inverters. Combo ICeGaN further extends the benefits of CGD’s GaN technology into the rich 100kW+ traction inverter market. ICeGaN ICs have been proven to be very robust and IGBTs have a long and proven track record in traction and EV applications. Similar, proprietary parallel combinations of ICeGaN devices with SiC MOSFETs have also been proven by CGD, but Combo ICeGaN – which is now detailed in a published IEDM paper - is a far more economical solution. CGD expects to have working demos of Combo ICeGaN at the end of this year.

CGD will be exhibiting at APEC (Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition). For more details about Combo ICeGaN, visit Booth 2039 at the Georgia World Congress Center | Atlanta, GA | March 16-20, 2025.

About Cambridge GaN Devices

Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) designs, develops and commercialises GaN transistors and ICs enabling a radical step in energy efficiency and compactness. Our mission is to bring innovation into everyday life by delivering effortless energy-efficient GaN solutions. CGD’s ICeGaN® technology is proven suitable for high-volume production, and the company is rapidly scaling up with manufacturing and customer partnerships in place. A fabless enterprise, CGD was spun out from Cambridge University, and its founders, CEO Dr. Giorgia Longobardi, and CTO Professor Florin Udrea, still retain strong links with the world-renowned High Voltage Microelectronics and Sensors group (HVMS) at the University. CGD’s ICeGaN HEMT technology is protected by a strong and constantly growing IP portfolio, resulting from the company's commitment to innovation. The technical and commercial expertise of the CGD team, combined with an extensive track record in the power electronics market, has been fundamental to the market acceptance of its proprietary technology.

Fonte: Business Wire