EpiGaN showcasing 200mm GaN-on-Si epiwafers for 650V power switching and RF power

In booth 432 (Hall 6) at the 2017 Power Conversion and Intelligent Motion (PCIM) Europe expo in Nuremberg, Germany (16-18 May) and also at the International Conference on Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology (CS ManTech 2017) in Indian Wells, CA, USA (22-14 May), EpiGaN nv of Hasselt, near Antwerp, Belgium is showcasing the latest enhancements of its gallium nitride on silicon epiwafer family that meets industrial specifications for high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) devices at 650V.

EpiGaN has developed 200mm versions of its HV650V and HVRF GaN-on-Si epiwafers. The firm claims good dynamic behavior for power devices for the HV650V RF power products, and the lowest RF losses (<0.5dB/mm up to 50GHz) for the HVRF product family.

EpiGaN says that a key concept of its GaN/Si epiwafer technology is the in-situ SiN capping layer. Pioneered by EpiGaN, this feature is said to provide superior surface passivation and device reliability, and enables contamination-free processing in existing standard Si-CMOS production infrastructures.

Also, in-situ SiN structuring allows the use of pure AlN layers as barrier materials, which results in lower conduction losses and/or allows the design of smaller-size chips of the same current rating.

“GaN technology has begun to enter many applications, either in power switching or in RF power amplification,” says co-founder & CEO Dr Marianne Germain. “We are particularly proud to have developed GaN-on-Si epiwafers that show the lowest RF loss up to 100GHz,” she adds. “This is a timely answer to the increasing demands in wireless communication such as the introduction of 5G and the Internet of Things.”

At PCIM Europe, Germain is participating in a panel discussion ‘GaN – Design, EMC and Measurement’ at the Fach Forum, organized by Bodo’s Power Systems (17 May). Also, chief marketing officer Dr Markus Behet is giving a presentation ‘From Hype to Reality: GaN/Si – Where Are We Today?’ at PCIM Europe’s Exhibitor Forum (18 May) and at the CS ManTech Exhibitor Forum (23 May).