Question

1. The trend in research and development nowadays is towards GaN-based power electronics.

1. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of GaN-baed power electronics compared to silicon and silicon carbide (SiC)

Answer 1

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Advantages

Gallium Nitride bases devices can sustain higher voltages than silicon and the current can flow faster through it.

Electrons in GaN offer very high saturation velocity. Hence GaN devices deliver much high current density when they are combined with large charge carriers. The energy loss is significantly less in GaN, making it a lot more efficient.

Manufacturers can pack more of GaN in a given area, resulting in smaller devices that are considerably more energy efficient. Due to low voltage operation, small size and high linearity it can be used in small cells/DAS architecture based 5G network deployment.

According to subject matter experts, replacing all current electronics with those made of GaN would reduce energy consumption by about 15 to 20 percent.GaN devices can withstand higher temperatures, allowing designers as well as manufacturers greater freedom in design and production.

Disadvantages

It offers high cost due to higher material cost and costly processes involved in its manufacturing.

It requires lit of research to control defect in its manufacturing.

Currently small signal MMIC and LNA market is dominated by GaAs devices. It will take some time for GaN to take over this market due to cost factor.

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