Addressing Power Switch Technology Selection Si/SiC/GaN in High Efficiency ZVS-PFC Resonant Converters

Abstract:
The use of Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) in power electronics has increased due to their advantages at the system level. They are now being used in various applications, even in fields where Silicon (Si) MOSFETs were preferred. However, while GaN and SiC offer better switching performance, in high efficiency applications all the losses contributions must be evaluated. For example, in resonant circuits that typically operate with zero voltage switching (ZVS), GaN or SiC devices may lead to a different switching frequency compared to Si, consequently a different losses distribution could be observed. This paper compares the overall performance of Si, SiC, and GaN MOSFETs in a resonant ZVS-PFC topology, with 99.2% efficiency, to provide general guidance on technology selection for a high efficiency design.