Electro-thermal simulation in the time domain of GaN HEMT for RF switch-mode amplifier

• Published in: Microelectronics and reliability Vol. 52; no. 9-10; pp. 2224 - 2227
• Main Authors: Ono, Satoshi, Ciappa, Mauro, Hiura, Shigeru, Fichtner, Wolfgang
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Microwave and submillimeter wave devices, electron transfer devices; Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Switching, multiplexing, switched capacity circuits; Transistors; Temperature dependence; Binary compound; Microwave device; Lumped parameter circuit; Compact design; Power electronics; Radiofrequency; Gallium nitride; III-V compound; Finite element method; High electron mobility transistor; Three dimensional model; Time domain method; D class; Power device; Radiofrequency amplifiers; Selector switch; Dynamic model; Voltage mode; Thermal model
• ISSN: 0026-2714; 1872-941X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2012.06.063

Accurate transient temperature prediction in GaN devices is an increasingly important process in the design of dependable radio frequency systems. In this paper, a methodology for dynamic electro-thermal simulation of GaN microwave and power devices is presented, which bases on the extraction of compact thermal models by three-dimensional finite element simulation. The obtained compact thermal model is coupled to an electric compact model, where the temperature dependence of the lumped elements is described analytically. The proposed methodology is applied to the case of GaN HEMTs used in a voltage mode D-class radio frequency amplifier operated in the frequency range from 300MHz up to 3GHz.