A Technology Overview of the PowerChip Development Program

• Published in: IEEE transactions on power electronics Vol. 28; no. 9; pp. 4182 - 4201
• Main Authors: Araghchini, Mohammad, Jun Chen, Doan-Nguyen, Vicky, Harburg, Daniel V., Donghyun Jin, Jungkwun Kim, Min Soo Kim, Seungbum Lim, Bin Lu, Piedra, Daniel, Jizheng Qiu, Ranson, John, Min Sun, Xuehong Yu, Hongseok Yun, Allen, Mark G., del Alamo, Jesus A., DesGroseilliers, Gary, Herrault, Florian, Lang, Jeffrey H., Levey, Christopher G., Murray, Christopher B., Otten, David, Palacios, Tomas, Perreault, David J., Sullivan, Charles R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.09.2013; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Capacitors; Electric power; Electrical equipment; Electronics; Gallium nitride; high frequency (HF); Inductors; integrated magnetics; integrated power converter; Light emitting diodes; light-emitting diode (LED) driver; Magnetics; Power electronics; Prototypes; PwrSoC; R&D; Research & development; Semiconductors; Switches; Voltage control
• ISSN: 0885-8993; 1941-0107
• DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2013.2237791

The PowerChip research program is developing technologies to radically improve the size, integration, and performance of power electronics operating at up to grid-scale voltages (e.g., up to 200V) and low-to-moderate power levels (e.g., up to 50W) and demonstrating the technologies in a high-efficiency light-emitting diode driver, as an example application. This paper presents an overview of the program and of the progress toward meeting the program goals. Key program aspects and progress in advanced nitride power devices and device reliability, integrated high-frequency magnetics and magnetic materials, and high-frequency converter architectures are summarized.