Foreword xi -- Acknowledgments xiii -- 1 GaN Technology Overview 1 -- 1.1 Silicon Power MOSFETs: 1976–2010 1 -- 1.2 The GaN Journey Begins 2 -- 1.3 GaN and SiC Compared with Silicon 2 -- 1.4 The Basic GaN Transistor Structure 6 -- 1.5 Building a GaN HEMT Transistor 11 -- 1.6 GaN Integrated Circuits 15 -- 1.7 Summary 21 -- References 22 -- 2 GaN Transistor Electrical Characteristics 25 -- 2.1 Introduction 25 -- 2.2 Device Ratings 25 -- 2.3 Gate Voltage 30 -- 2.4 On-Resistance (R DS(on)) 31 -- 2.5 Threshold Voltage 34 -- 2.6 Capacitance and Charge 35 -- 2.7 Reverse Conduction 38 -- 2.8 Thermal Characteristics 40 -- 2.9 Summary 42 -- References 42 -- 3 Driving GaN Transistors 45 -- 3.1 Introduction 45 -- 3.2 Gate Drive Voltage 47 -- 3.3 Gate Drive Resistance 48 -- 3.4 dv/dt Considerations 50 -- 3.5 di/dt Considerations 53 -- 3.6 Bootstrapping and Floating Supplies 56 -- 3.7 Transient Immunity 59 -- 3.8 Gate Drivers and Controllers for Enhancement-Mode GaN Transistors 61 -- 3.9 Cascode, Direct Drive, and Higher-Voltage Configurations 61 -- 3.10 Using GaN Transistors with Drivers or Controllers Designed for Si MOSFETs 67 -- 3.11 Driving GaN ICs 68 -- 3.12 Summary 69 -- References 70 -- 4 Layout Considerations for GaN Transistor Circuits 75 -- 4.1 Introduction 75 -- 4.2 Origin of Parasitic Inductance 76 -- 4.3 Minimizing Common-Source Inductance 77 -- 4.4 Minimizing Power-Loop Inductance in a Half-Bridge Configuration 79 -- 4.5 Paralleling GaN Transistors 85 -- 4.6 Summary 93 -- References 93 -- 5 GaN Reliability 95 -- 5.1 Introduction 95 -- 5.2 Getting Started with GaN Reliability 95 -- 5.3 Determining Wear-Out Mechanisms Using Test-to-Fail Methodology 95 -- 5.4 Using Test-to-Fail Results to Predict Device Lifetime in a System 98 -- 5.5 Wear-Out Mechanisms 99 -- 5.6 Mission-Specific Reliability Predictions 133 -- 5.7 Summary 150 -- References 150 -- 6 Thermal Management of GaN Devices 155 -- 6.1 Introduction 155 -- 6.2 Thermal Equivalent Circuits 155 -- 6.3 Cooling Methods 160 -- 6.4 System-Level Thermal Overview: Single FET 163 -- 6.5 System-Level Thermal Analysis: Multiple FETs 176 -- 6.6 Experimental Thermal Examples 182 -- 6.7 Summary 191 -- References 191 -- 7 Hard-Switching Topologies 195 -- 7.1 Introduction 195 -- 7.2 Hard-Switching Loss Analysis 196 -- 7.3 External Factors Impacting Hard-Switching Losses 217 -- 7.4 Frequency Impact on Magnetics 223 -- 7.5 Buck Converter Example 224 -- 7.6 Summary 245 -- References 245 -- 8 Resonant and Soft-Switching Converters 249 -- 8.1 Introduction 249 -- 8.2 Resonant and Soft-Switching Techniques 249 -- 8.3 Key Device Parameters for Resonant and Soft-Switching Applications 254 -- 8.4 High-Frequency Resonant Bus Converter Example 261 -- 8.5 Summary 269 -- References 271 -- 9 RF Performance 273 -- 9.1 Introduction 273 -- 9.2 Differences Between RF and Switching Transistors 275 -- 9.3 RF Basics 276 -- 9.4 RF Transistor Metrics 277 -- 9.5 Amplifier Design Using Small-Signal s-Parameters 284 -- 9.6 Amplifier Design Example 285 -- 9.7 Summary 292 -- References 292 -- 10 DC–DC Power Conversion 295 -- 10.1 Introduction 295 -- 10.2 DC–DC Converter Examples 295 -- 10.3 Summary 317 -- References 318 -- 11 Multilevel Converters 321 -- 11.1 Introduction 321 -- 11.2 Benefits of Multilevel Converters 321 -- 11.3 Experimental Examples 338 -- 11.4 Summary 348 -- References 348 -- 12 Class D Audio Amplifiers 351 -- 12.1 Introduction 351 -- 12.2 GaN Transistor Class D Audio Amplifier Example 355 -- 12.3 Summary 364 -- References 364 -- 13 High Current Nanosecond Laser Drivers for Lidar 367 -- 13.1 Introduction to Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) 367 -- 13.2 Pulsed Laser Driver Overview 368 -- 13.3 Basic Design Process 378 -- 13.4 Hardware Driver Design 384 -- 13.5 Experimental Results 388 -- 13.6 Additional Considerations for Laser Transmitter Design 394 -- 13.7 Summary 399 -- References 399 -- 14 Motor Drives 403 -- 14.1 Introduction 403 -- 14.2 Motor Types 403 -- 14.3 Inverter 403 -- 14.4 Typical Applications 404 -- 14.5 Voltage Source Inverters and Motor Control Basics 404 -- 14.6 Field-Oriented Control Basics 408 -- 14.7 Current Measurement Techniques 410 -- 14.8 Power Dissipation in Motor and Inverter 411 -- 14.9 Silicon Inverter Limitations 412 -- 14.10 LC Filter Dissipation 412 -- 14.11 Torque Sixth Harmonic Dissipation 413 -- 14.12 GaN Advantage 413 -- 14.13 GaN Switching Behavior 413 -- 14.14 Dead Time Elimination Effect 414 -- 14.15 PWM Frequency Increase Effect 415 -- 14.16 Layout Considerations for Motor Drives 420 -- 14.17 GaN Devices for Motor Applications 421 -- 14.18 Application Examples 421 -- 14.19 Summary 430 -- References 430 -- 15 GaN Transistors and Integrated Circuits for Space Applications 433 -- 15.1 Introduction 433 -- 15.2 Failure Mechanisms in Electronic Components Used in Space Applications 433 -- 15.3 Standards for Radiation Exposure and Tolerance 434 -- 15.4 Gamma Radiation 434 -- 15.5 Neutron Radiation (Displacement Damage) 437 -- 15.6 Single-Event Effects (SEE) Testing 438 -- 15.7 Performance Comparison Between GaN Transistors and Rad-Hard Si MOSFETs 440 -- 15.8 GaN Integrated Circuits 441 -- 15.9 Summary 445 -- References 445 -- 16 Replacing Silicon Power MOSFETs 449 -- 16.1 Introduction: GaN, Rapid Growth/Great Future 449 -- 16.2 New Capabilities Enabled by GaN Devices 449 -- 16.3 GaN Devices Are Easy to Use 453 -- 16.4 GaN Cost Reduction over Time 454 -- 16.5 GaN Devices Are Reliable 454 -- 16.6 Future Direction of GaN Devices 455 -- 16.7 Summary 456 -- References 456 -- Appendix Glossary of Terms 459 -- Index 477.