A Novel Circuit Topology for Turning a ‘Normally On’ GaN Transistor

In the past year, it has become clear that Gallium Nitride (GaN) power transistors have been successfully launched in end user’s products, as has been reported by the various GaN device manufacturers. Examples include Transphorm products in Corsair’s AX1600i Power Supply Unit (PSU) and Bel Power Solution’s TET3000-12-069RA power supply, and Infineon products in Eltek’s Flatpack2 SHE power conversion module. The system performance and cost benefits in, for instance, a Totem Pole Power Factor Correction (PFC) in high-end AC/DC power supplies
(such as is the case in the Corsair and Bel Power Solutions’ products) are so significant that GaN transistors are clearly destined to replace the incumbent Si MOSFET transistors. The increased volume will lead to reduced GaN transistor pricing and in turn to accelerated adoption in PFC, DC/DC, and inverter applications.
By Prof. Shmuel (Sam) Ben-Yaakov, Ben-Gurion University, and Luc Van de Perre, Sr. Director of Sales and Marketing, VisIC Technologies