Recently AlexLidow (former IRCEO now EPC--EfficientPowerConversion--, CEO of the) published an article tells the story of the relatively new gallium nitride (GAN) technology, now translate this article out to share with you.
Using gallium nitride silicon replacement
38 years ago, Dr. AlexLidow just after graduation from Dr. Standford, the first contact with the semiconductor project is to develop a new type of transistor, performance is better than the mainstream of the bipolar transistor. 1970s transistor in general or the use of 1947 John Bardeen and Shockley Walter brattain H., Bardeen and Shockley in 1947 at Bell Labs invented the transistor technology to produce (third person because of the invention of the transistor and 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics). AlexLidow and his colleague TomHerman determined to use the most advanced IC technology to develop new types of transistors to break the monopoly of the 30 years old technology. After two people unremitting efforts, as well as the entire development team's outstanding contribution, in the end they invented the power MOSFET (Alex and Tom will be named HEXFET). MOSFET is a truly disruptive technology, with only about 15 years to replace most of the bipolar transistor market share.
This experience makes AlexLidow think, a new semiconductor technology is able to become the mainstream technology, mainly determined by the following four points:
1 can be based on the technology to produce important new applications?
2 is the technology easy to use?
3 for the customer, the technology is very advantageous in terms of cost?
4 is the technology reliable?
In the field of power conversion technology to replace silicon, gallium nitride technology has become a new generation of mainstream technology? Let us look at it one by one
Can be based on the technology to produce important new applications?

The switching speed of Gan transistor than silicon transistors, which makes many new applications possible:
* envelope tracking: envelope tracking (real time measuring signal amplitudes) is a power management technique for the satellite, a base station and a mobile phone RF power amplifier (RFPA) can use the envelope tracking technology to improve energy utilization efficiency. Signal modulation RF PA will require different supply voltage, envelope tracking is based on the needs of the PA to provide the corresponding voltage to PA. Only if the use of a fixed voltage to supply power to the PA, so as to prevent the emergence of cutoff distortion, RFPA is to work in maximum power and envelope tracking to ensure the transmitter to work in the most appropriate power, so compared with the fixed voltage power supply mode and envelope tracking more power. Is now only in the Gan transistor transistor 4GLTE base station to achieve the envelope tracking function.
* wireless charging: mobile phones, gaming machines, laptops, tablets, and even electric cars can use the wireless way to complete the charge. A4wp has just approved a high frequency (6.78MHz) wireless charging standard, now silicon power devices, power MOSFET) is not in such a high frequency, by the IC and Gan transistor may be a solution, because the Gan transistor switching speed is fast enough.
* laser radar (LightDistancingandRanging, referred to as lidar): the use of laser radar pulse laser can quickly produce a three-dimensional image of the surrounding environment and the technology are widely used in mapping and geographic driverless cars. Gan transistor high switching speed ensures that the ultra high resolution and fast response, can make the application of laser radar surveying and mapping from the extended to enhance the reality and real driverless cars.
Is the technology easy to use?

EPC development and design of Gan transistor (eGaNFET) in the use of methods and power MOSFET like, so experienced power system engineers requires little training can be used. In order to help design engineers to quickly master the use of Gan transistor, EPC in education and promotion of Gan devices are sparing no effort. EPC has now published 100 articles about the Gan articles and speeches, 2011 EPC published industry first the Gan transistor textbook both in the English version and the Chinese version of the Gan transistor - efficient power conversion devices, GaNTransistorsforEfficientPowerConversion. The book the second edition was published in 2015. EPC and the world more than 60 university cooperation, the purpose is to foster a new generation of master Gan technology in power supply design engineer.
Does the technology have an advantage in cost?
Gan EPC design and production process using similar silicon power MOSFET, but a lot less than the MOSFET process. In addition, unlike silicon MOSFET, the high cost of the package need not Gan transistor to protect themselves. Encapsulates only this one, Gan transistor can the lower half of the manufacturing cost, and high yield, EPC production Gan transistor in cost than the corresponding silicon power transistor (performance than Gan transistor to poor) is much lower. Now Gan devices cost is low enough, not to mention the designer can also use Gan performance advantage to realize the system of low cost.
Is the technology reliable?
To date, both in the manufacturing factory of tens of millions of hours of stress tests or practical application of tens of billions of devices (devicehour) of the measured data of, Gan technology has to meet the reliability of commercial applications.
summary
Fast switching speed, small size, low cost and reliability that Gan transistor with the elements of replacement of MOSFET in power conversion, a similar analysis can be obtained in analog ic field of Gan technology also have the advantage, perhaps three to five years, the field of Digital IC will use gallium nitride process, the drama of the gallium nitride is a new technology has only just begun.