STTR Phase I: Integrated GaN FET based high density on board EV charger

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种大功率GaN半桥(HPGHB)模块，该模块是大多数电力电子系统的通用构建块。因此，HPGHB可以用于大多数大电流变流器应用。该项目将与一家知名汽车零部件制造商合作，从高电动车(EV)应用开始。电动汽车需要在发达城市和农村/欠发达世界得到广泛采用。高功率车载充电器并不总是可用的；因此，高功率车载充电器(OBC)是更广泛采用电动汽车的关键推动因素，从而减少碳排放。在教育方面，这项技术研究将有助培训香港大学的研究生，使他们在电力电子这个需求甚高的领域使用氮化镓。公司将能够招聘研究生并从培训中受益。最后，在知识传播方面，根据这项建议开发的技术将在APEC和ECCE等IEEE会议的展位上展示。这个小企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目旨在通过纳入HPGHB来开发一个强大和高电流的HPGHB和一个快速OBC的参考设计。从高dV/dt控制、短路保护和热管理的角度来看，大电流集成GaN HB具有极大的挑战性。HPGHB计划用于长期可靠性非常重要的领域，例如汽车/电动汽车应用。该STTR计划研究各种旋钮的HPGHB的设计，以提高其在包括电动汽车在内的苛刻应用中的可靠性。开发高效率、高功率密度的FAST-OBC将加速电动汽车的采用。计划中的OBC计划使用创新的多电平拓扑，以支持使用低成本的650V GaN-HEMT技术。该STTR项目的关键挑战是a)针对非常高的dv/dt(至少150V/ns)的保护；b)针对短路的保护，以防止灾难性的损害；c)高效率，以减少冷却需求并减小尺寸和重量；d)多电平转换器，以实现成本相对较低的GaN-on-Si技术；e)通过动态高温工作寿命(HTOL)测试来解决汽车/电动汽车市场的良好的长期可靠性；和f)通过将与晶片热探测相关的成本降至最低来降低总体系统成本，这是目前的做法。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the development of a high-power GaN half-bridge (HPGHB) module which is a generic building block for most power-electronic systems. Hence, HPGHB can be used in most high current converter applications. This project will start with high electric-vehicle (EV) application in collaboration with a well-known automotive parts maker. EVs need to be widely adopted in advanced cities and in the rural/underdeveloped world. High-power off-board charger may not always be available; hence high-power on-board charger (OBC), which is the topic of this STTR, is a critical enabler for wider adoption of EV leading to reduced carbon emission. On the educational front, this STTR will help train graduate students at the University to use GaN for power electronics which is a high demand area. Companies will be able to recruit and benefit from training of graduate students. Finally, regarding knowledge dissemination, technology developed under this proposal will be showcased in an exhibition booth at IEEE conferences like APEC and ECCE.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to develop a robust and high-current HPGHB and a reference design for a fast-OBC by incorporating HPGHB. High-current integrated GaN HB is extraordinarily challenging from the point of high dV/dT control, short-circuit protection and thermal management. HPGHB is planned for areas where long-term reliability is important, such as in automotive/EV applications. This STTR plans to research design of HPGHB with various knobs to increase its reliability in demanding applications including EVs. Development of a fast-OBC with high efficiency and high-power density will accelerate the adoption of EVs. Planned OBC plans to use innovative multi-level topologies to enable use of low-cost 650V GaN-HEMT technology. Key challenges for this STTR project are a) protection against very-high dV/dt (of at least 150V/nS); b) protection against short circuit to prevent catastrophic damage; c) high efficiency to reduce cooling requirement and reduce size and weight; d) multilevel converter to enable usage of relatively-lower cost GaN-on-Si technology; e) good long-term reliability for automotive/EV market is addressed via dynamic high-temperature-operating-life (HTOL) test; and f) reduced overall system cost by minimizing the cost related to hot probing of the wafer which is the current practice.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.