Comparison of Thermally Optimized SMD Packages for 100 V GaN HEMTs in 300 kHz Buck Converter High Current Applications

In this work an approach for a direct experimental comparison of the application-oriented performance between two high current GaN DC/DC converters based on 7mΩ, 100V GaN HEMTs in a commercial off-the-shelf top-cooled package and 5mΩ, 100V GaN HEMTs embedded in a thermally-optimized single-chip package is given. The two packaging versions are compared by a maximally identical implementation of the power and gate loops in a 48V, 300kHz buck converter with two parallel GaN HEMTs. In the single-chip package the die is directly mounted on a 12×6mm
²
copper-heat spreader offering a significantly lower thermal resistance to heatsink (1.69KW
⁻¹
) in comparison to the commercial off-the-shelf version (2.45KW
⁻¹
). For a direct benchmark, the COTS-based converter has an identical power-loop to the SCP-version with a novel gate-drive concept. Both versions have an efficiency of 96.8% at 65A output current (output power: 1.5kW), while the commercial off-the-shelf version has a better efficiency for lower currents, due to its better hard-switching Figure-of-Merits and therefore lower switching losses and reaches an output current of up to 80A (output power: 1.75kW). A detailed analytical loss breakdown for the different transistors in dependence of the temperature and output current is given to proof the measured current point, where the efficiencies of both converters are identical, since the higher switching losses of the SCP version are compensated by lower conduction losses at higher currents and temperatures compared to the smaller COTS transistor. Finally, an outlook on further improvements for reaching higher output currents and potential converters for a more fair comparison of different thermally optimized SMD packages are given.