This Phase 11 reliability report adds to the growing knowledge base published in the first ten reports [1-10] and covers several key new topics. Gallium nitride (GaN) power devices have been in volume production since March 2010 and have established a remarkable field reliability record. This report will discuss the strategy used to achieve this track record that relied upon tests forcing devise to fail under a variety of conditions to create strong and strong products for the industry.
Alejandro Pozo Ph.D., Shengke Zhang Ph.D., Ricardo Garcia, John Glaser Ph.D., Zhikai Tang Ph.D., and Robert Strittmatter Ph.D, Efficient Power Conversion Corporation
Key Takeaways
- The key mechanisms impacting dynamic RDS(on) have been identified and are used to create more robust designs. The result = dynamic RDS(on) is not an issue for eGaN FETs
- Several eGaN products were tested exhaustively throughout their data sheet safe operating area (SOA), and then taken to failure to probe the safety margins. The result = eGaN FETs will not fail when operated within the data sheet SOA
- eGaN devices are tested to destruction under short-circuit conditions to determine how long and what energy density they withstand before catastrophic failure. The result = failures are thermally limited, and withstand time exceeds 10 µs at recommended gate drive.
- EPC developed a custom system to assess eGaN reliability over long-term lidar pulse stress conditions. The result = As of report date, devices have passed four trillion pulses (a typical automotive lifetime) without either failure or significant parametric drift
- eGaN’s wafer level chip scale (WLCS) package is subjected to mechanical force testing. The result = eGaN FETs demonstrate robustness that exceeds MIL-STD-883E recommendations.
- eGaN devices have been in volume production for more than a decade and have demonstrated very high reliability in both laboratory testing and customer applications. The result = field reliability data over a period of more than three years and 123 billion hours of operation that is unmatched by silicon power devices.