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

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发高功率GaN半桥（HPGHB）模块，该模块是大多数电力电子系统的通用构建模块。因此，HPGHB可用于大多数高电流变换器应用。该项目将与一家知名汽车零部件制造商合作，从高电动汽车（EV）应用开始。电动汽车需要在发达城市和农村/不发达国家得到广泛采用。大功率车载充电器可能并不总是可用；因此，作为本次STTR主题的大功率车载充电器（OBC）是推动电动汽车更广泛采用从而减少碳排放的关键因素。在教育方面，这个STTR将帮助培养大学的研究生在电力电子领域使用GaN，这是一个高需求领域。企业将能够招聘并从研究生培训中获益。最后，在知识传播方面，根据该提案开发的技术将在APEC和ECCE等IEEE会议的展台上展示。这项小型企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在开发一个强大的大电流HPGHB，并通过结合HPGHB为快速obc提供参考设计。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是非常具有挑战性的。HPGHB计划用于长期可靠性很重要的领域，例如汽车/电动汽车应用。该str计划研究设计具有各种旋钮的HPGHB，以提高其在包括电动汽车在内的苛刻应用中的可靠性。高效率、高功率密度的快速obc的发展将加速电动汽车的普及。OBC计划使用创新的多层次拓扑结构来实现低成本650V GaN-HEMT技术。这个STTR项目面临的主要挑战是a)高dV/dt防护（至少150V/nS）；B)防止短路，防止灾难性破坏；C)效率高，减少冷却要求，减小尺寸和重量；d)多电平转换器，能够使用成本相对较低的GaN-on-Si技术；e)通过动态高温工作寿命（HTOL）测试，为汽车/电动汽车市场提供良好的长期可靠性；f)通过最小化与晶圆热探测相关的成本（这是目前的做法），降低了整体系统成本。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.