Day 2 - December 13th, 2023

Bodo's WBG - GaN

Welcome to the program for the GaN track, which will be held in room Munich II at the Hilton Munich Airport. Below you can see the companies we have invited to present. Please note, there will be no public call for papers, the event is “invite only”. You can expect the contributions to be highly technical.

All times refer to time zone CET

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08:00
A5
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Opening
  Roland R. Ackermann
 Correspondent Editor Bavaria
 Bodo’s Power Systems
(No session description available yet)
08:30
G1
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Bi-Directional GaN Switch: Technology Insights and Application Use Cases
  Tiziano Pastore
 Senior Director; Head of Technical Marketing for HV GaN
 Infineon
A novel approach to cost-effectively replace back-to-back power switches in different converter topologies will be presented. GaN-based bi-directional power switches with true 4-quadrant operation enable reliable, lightweight, and compact rectifying and/or inverting conversion stages.
08:45
G2
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Why MOSFETs are Obsolete, and GaN is Taking Over
  Dr. Alex Lidow
 CEO and Co-founder
 Efficient Power Conversion
In this talk Alex Lidow, CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, will discuss why low voltage GaN is gaining mass market acceptance in industries like high-density computing, automotive, renewable energy, and space and what the future holds as GaN continues to emerge as the dominant semiconductor technology to replace silicon.
09:00
G3
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GaN Power IC Innovations For High-Frequency, High-Power Industrial Motor Drive
  Alfred Hesener
 Senior Director Industrial and Consumer Applications
 Navitas
GaN power ICs now address the entire power range available from a single-phase AC grid, up to 3.5 kW in Europe, and 8 kW in China. The switching-frequency upgrade – up to 6x higher - from 8 kHz (with Si IGBTs) to 20-50 kHz with GaN power ICsand improved control-loop bandwidth deliver size reduction and better dynamic performance (shorter time required to change rotational speed with minimal torque overshoot). Negligible switching losses deliver higher efficiency across the frequency range, with total losses reduced by 66% vs legacy IGBT solutions, and heatsinks can be reduced in size, or even eliminated.
09:15
G4
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Empowering Fabless Customers to Become a Virtual IDM
  Dr. Marnix Tack
 CTO & VP Business Development
 BelGaN
Started early 2022 as a new GaN-focused foundry at the heart of Europe, BelGaN recently announced the production-release of its Gen1 650V eGaN technology and is currently ramping-up production. BelGaN is now moving to a next stage by offering various differentiating services. Under the mantra “Make Our Customers Stronger” these services aim at empowering Fabless customers to behave as a virtual IDM towards their customers:
(1)  Open Foundry services, supporting process installs, PDKs, and providing capacity of 20k 8” wfrs/month
(2)  Quality services, enabling customers to deliver automotive quality GaN Chips to their customers
(3)  Design services, supporting our customers to develop GaN chips and dramatically reduce time-to-market throughout the value chain
(4)  Innovation services, through the ‘BelGaN Open Innovation Factory’, a Lab-to-Fab service bringing GaN innovations from proof-of-concept to industrialization and scale-up
(5)  GaN-ValleyTM, a European GaN ecosystem, offering unique benefits through collaboration along the GaN value chain
09:30
B1
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Coffee Break & Tabletop Exhibition
  
 
 
All breaks and catering, as well as the tabletop exhibition, will take place in the foyer.
The perfect spot for networking and learning about the latest products and services!
10:15
G5
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Exploring the GaN Landscape: The Battle of Configurations or the Perfect Co-Existence
  Dario Pagnano
 Principal GaN System Architect
 Nexperia
Gallium nitride (GaN) devices have emerged as superior alternatives to traditional Si technology, offering higher efficiency, power density, and cost-effectiveness. The GaN landscape features three main technologies: Depletion mode (D-mode), Enhancement mode (E-mode), and vertical GaN, although the latest one not yet broadly commercially available. D-mode function as normally-on switches, often combined with cascode or direct drive configurations offering higher gate threshold voltage, lower 3rd quadrant losses or lower gate leakage current. E-mode HEMTs, based on a p-GaN layer on the gate (normally-off), provide efficiency benefits at lower voltages, simpler manufacturing, and improved slew rate control. This presentation will analyse each technology’s strengths, weaknesses, target segments, applications, and market sizes.
10:30
G6
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Enhancing Performances, Shrinking Size and Lowering Cost of Power Solutions with Price Competitive GaN Power Devices
  Dr. Denis Marcon
 General Manager
 Innoscience Europe
Gallium Nitride (GaN) power devices are the next-generation technology capable of outperforming standard Silicon (Si) power devices in both AC-DC and DC-DC applications. Thanks to their high frequency capabilities, they allow shrinking of the whole power system implementation, which is often combined with cost saving on the BOM (e.g. smaller passives, removal of heat sinks, etc..). As proof of the uptake of this technology, Innoscience – the largest producer of 8-inch GaN-on-Si power devices wafers – has shipped to date more than 300M devices that are being used in numerous applications with different power ranges and voltages.
In this presentation, Denis Marcon will show how to take advantage of discrete (InnoGaN™) and integrated (SolidGaN™) Innoscience GaN power devices in enhancing the performance of AC-DC and DC-DC converters to maximize their efficiency whilst reducing their size. He will also present a multi-level solution for addressing applications that require bus voltages around 800V. Since GaN technology is rather new, there are often questions on their reliability. Denis Marcon will tackle this aspect by presenting the tests and results we perform at Innoscience to prove the strength and endurance of our GaN power devices. He will conclude his talk by showing that it is now possible to provide price-competitive GaN power devices by leveraging the economies of scale, combining 8-inch GaN-on-Si wafers (about twice the number of devices per wafer than 6-inch processes) and high yield.
10:45
G7
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Next Generation of D3GAN Technology for Automotive
  Dieter Liesabeths
 Senior Vice President of Product
 VisIC Technologies
The presentation will focus on a novel top side cooled isolated package using latest D3GAN technology from VisIC for automotive, renewable and industrial usage. By using a novel isolated gull wing package with AIN substrate, customers can easier assemble their system without worrying about isolation of packages and less consideration about creepage and clearances. Additionally the next Generation of D-Mode GaN will be presented which will be a breakthrough for drive train inverters to replace SI & SiC solutions within 2L and 3L Inverters.
11:00
G8
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The Long-Awaited Power Shift:
Normally-Off d-Mode GaN Takes Its Rightful Place
  Philip Zuk
 SVP Technical Marketing and Business Development
 Transphorm
Recent marketplace analysis questions the viability of Silicon Carbide (SiC) as a broad-spectrum wide bandgap (WBG) power conversion solution. While SiC’s performance and reliability are strong, its ROI is proving to only exist in exclusive higher power applications where costs and larger system footprints can easily be absorbed without impacting the end product’s overall value proposition.
Enter normally-off d-mode GaN: the WBG technology supporting 45 W to 7.5 kW in commercially available products. From adapters to data center PSUs and solar microinverters to uninterruptible power supplies, d-mode GaN demonstrates the performance, reliability, and versatility needed to cross the power spectrum. GaN technology delivers future-proofed innovation by offering 10X lower specific on-resistance limit over SiC. That benefit along with others have led to a 1200 V GaN platform (in development) that positions GaN as the next generation power conversion technology capable of efficiently serving up to 50+ kW applications.
To help audiences understand the now proven differences between the two technologies, this presentation will discuss:
· General market opinion of SiC and GaN
· SiC challenges
· Inherent advantages of various GaN platforms
· Specific advantages of normally-off d-mode GaN in cascode configuration versus SiC
11:15
G9
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1250-Volt GaN Switcher ICs Extend GaN Application Range
  Andrew Smith
 Director of Training
 Power Integrations
Compared to older semiconductor technologies, GaN transistors begin to approach the “ideal switch” that we learned about early in our EE courses at university – an enviably low specific RDSON and extremely low gate and source-drain capacitance. The technology requires no rare materials and its processing energy budget is far lower than that of SiC, its closest WGB competitor. This being the case, it’s reasonable to state that if an application can be fulfilled using a GaN switch, then the engineer should choose GaN for the application.
So, the question is “when will GaN reach the voltage and current carrying capacity of SiC?” “Now” is the answer when discussing the universal mains voltage level, and this has been the case for some time. With Power Integrations release of a 900V GaN platform in the first quarter of 2023 and a new 1250V device in late October 2023, should SiC be worried in regards to higher voltage applications too? This presentation explains the pros and cons of GaN at voltage levels above that needed for residential mains powered equipment and provides some experimental data that attendees should find both informative and intriguing.
11:30
G10
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Isolated Gate-Drive – Made Easy
  Joseph Duigan
 Senior Director, Engineering and Business Development
 Allegro MicroSystems
Simplifying your isolated gate drive design by integrating the isolated supply and the PWM information transfer across one isolation boundary inside one package is a huge system advantage. It immediately removes components from your system.  Also, one single isolation boundary reduces the system common-mode (CM) capacitance which reduces CM circulating currents in the system.  This eases filtering requirements.  The net effect is reduced cost, reduced BOM count, reduced filtering requirements improved system performance. This can be achieved today with the Allegro PowerThru isolated gate driver product family which is available now.
11:45
B2
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Lunch Break & Tabletop Exhibition
  
 
 
All breaks and catering, as well as the tabletop exhibition, will take place in the foyer.
The perfect spot for networking and learning about the latest products and services!
13:30
G11
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The Key to Sustainable and Robust Industrial and Automotive Applications
  Peter Di Maso
 Vice President Business Development (Americas)
 Cambridge GaN Devices
In this talk, discover how ICeGaN™ technology is revolutionizing the Industrial and Automotive sectors by providing robust, reliable, and flexible solutions. We’ll explore the cutting-edge advancements and the pivotal role ICeGaN™ plays in shaping the future of power electronics.
13:45
G12
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Pioneering the Future of Power Electronics with Digital GaN Technology
  Thierry Bouchet
 CEO
 Wise Integration
The evolving electronics landscape places a dual emphasis on miniaturization and energy efficiency. In this context, Gallium Nitride (GaN) emerges as a pivotal component, surpassing conventional Silicon (Si) power devices in AC-DC and DC-DC applications. In the presentation, Thierry Bouchet explores the formidable alliance of GaN technology and digital control within the realm of power converters.
This presentation underscores the dynamic synergy between GaN technology and digital control, representing a strong alliance ready to reshape the landscape of power electronics. The integration of GaN and digital control delivers heightened efficiency, reduced system complexity, and the development of compact, lightweight designs. This convergence holds substantial promise for revolutionizing power electronics and advancing the cause of global electrification.
14:00
G13
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The ZOS Effect – Unveil Full Performance of Unlimited Fast Semiconductor Devices
  Dr.-Ing. Stefan Matlok
 Group Leader DC/DC Converter
 Fraunhofer IISB
Classic transistor switching cell compromise between parasitic inductance, switching speed, losses and overvoltage. Using the Zero Overvoltage Switching (ZOS) effect instead enables transistors to change their conductance step-like – without voltage overshoot and under the presence of parasitic inductance.
14:15
G14
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Cooling of the GaN Devices in Low Side Switch Topologies
  Radek Sochor
 Application Engineer
 ST Microelectronics
Cooling of the semiconductor component is crucial part of the power electronics system, gallium nitride (GaN) devices are no different. GaN devices made its way to converters with lower power topologies such as flyback or boost.  In these low side topologies GaN devices have advantages than traditional silicon device in terms of cooling and overall performance. With careful use of this advantages we can reduce the EMI issues, increase efficiency and minimize size of the design. This advantages will be demonstrated on newest devices from ST like VIPERGAN, MASTERGAN and discrete devices as well.
14:30
G15
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GaN Devices and AC/DC Controller IC for High Efficiency Single Phase Totem Pole PFC 
  Abdelmouneim Charkaoui
 Application Engineer
 ROHM Semiconductor
Industrial and consumer power supplies (power range of up to 500W) must be compact and energy efficient while at the same time meeting requirements of power factor correction and low input current THD. To achieve this a highly efficient AC/DC conversion with active PFC is needed. The totem pole topology is perfectly suited to meet this requirement. The properties of 650 V GaN HEMT devices make them a perfect choice for this topology. ROHM will present the benefits of a solution approach consisting of 650V GaN HEMTs, driving solutions and a matched control IC.  
14:45
B3
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Coffee Break & Tabletop Exhibition
  
 
 
All breaks and catering, as well as the tabletop exhibition, will take place in the foyer.
The perfect spot for networking and learning about the latest products and services!
15:30
G16
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How GaN Improves the Efficiency and Speed of Decarbonization
  Alex Sami
 Head of Application Business Development EMEA & Southeast Asia
 Infineon
In this presentation, we will explore how the momentum of GaN power switches is steadily increasing in a multitude of application areas. The number of projects, variety of suppliers, and understanding of how GaN should be used has seen a steady and major increase. Product maturity has reached levels that allow for GaN adoption in Automotive, where it is expected to replace Si and SiC in various applications.
15:45
G17
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Microinverter Topology Trade-offs and where WBG Weighs in
  Harald Parzhuber
 System Manager, Grid Infrastructure & Renewable Energy
 Texas Instruments
Combining the photovoltaic panel power point tracking and inverter simplifies the end user experience of installing a home solar system, leading to the recent trend of more microinverters entering the market; and their spinoff with the battery, the portable power station. However as these solutions become more popular, the push for power density and efficiency has grown to be competitive. This presentation will focus on looking at many of the popular topologies being leveraged for the DC/AC stage of microinverters; compare them based on their key parameters such as efficiency and cost; and show how each benefits, or doesn’t, from the application of SiC and GaN.
16:00
G18
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Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger: Busting the GaN Myths
  David Czajkowski
 Strategic Business Development Manager
 MinDCet
Switching faster and more efficiently: yes, GaN enables that. However, there are many key parameters to take into the equation when deciding upon GaN or Si power stages. How do we make a fair comparison taking into account system cost, size, thermals, EMC, reliability and more? What is a realistic benefit in terms of switching frequency, power density and power losses? In this presentation an overview is given of the performance of various types of GaN power stages and how they compare to each other and to a silicon solution, for different use cases and situations. Ultimately, considerations are given for an informed decision towards an optimized GaN solution.
16:15
G19
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The Journey of Optimization for Complex Magnetics
  Jonathan Church
 Director of Technical Marketing Strategy
 Frenetic
In the advent of Wide Bandgap (WBG) maturity, predominantly devices with faster switching speeds and higher blocking voltages have allowed for rapid growth in power converter innovation, yielding solutions with greater power densities and efficiencies and transforming numerous expanding markets around the world. Whilst this revolution has provided a step change in the potential for converter optimization it has created challenges, and an awareness of opportunities for enhancement in the field of magnetics. Sometimes being referred to as the “bottleneck” of the converter, it’s acknowledged that in fact a prudent design of the magnetic has the greatest potential to impact the converter size, weight, and performance. However, to prudently design magnetics in these increasingly challenging contexts, and to get the best solution, one must be aware of the impacts/impositions their high-level design objectives have on the degrees of freedom in design and how these steer the process itself. In ‘The Journey of Optimization for Complex Magnetics’ - Jonathan will present an overview of the challenges involved with magnetics design optimization post WBG advent.
Where does the optimization journey really begin? How can we ensure we start the process in the right way? How do we close the gap between design and production? And how can we avoid trapping ourselves with poorly defined constraints? Amongst others, these are some of the questions tackled in the presentation.
16:30
G20
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Unlocking the Potential of GaN in High Voltage, Hard Switching Applications
  Rob Gwynne
 Founder & CEO
 QPT
GaN transistors are the future of power electronics because they can switch in 1-2ns instead of 20-50ns for Si and SiC transistors. Fast switching means that less energy is lost in the resistive phase of switching and this promises ultimate hard switching efficiency.  GaN devices also have no parasitic PN junction – making GaN the only efficient solution for fast converters (above 100KHz).  This efficiency comes at a cost, however – RF emissions that cannot be resolved with current filtering approaches.  This is further exacerbated by switching at high PWM frequencies – 2-20MHz which also has great systems advantages in terms of power density and total system cost, but again, the price is a severe EMC problems.  QPT has solved the EMC, RF, thermal, isolated drive/sense and packaging problems so that GaN is unleashed to switch at up to 20 MHz for ultra-efficient switching.
16:45
G21
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Unleashing Power GaN: A Dive into Market Dynamics and Supply Chain Evolution
  Milan Rosina
 Principal Analyst
 YOLE Group
The Power GaN market is poised to represent 6% of the power electronics industry by 2028. Consumer fast chargers and adapters are driving this growth, where trends such as increased power capacities and the advent of “all-GaN” chargers contribute to a higher GaN content per power supply. Power GaN is also extending to other consumer applications like Over-Voltage-Protection in smartphones, offering a billion-unit market potential. Automotive is an additional growth driver; GaN devices find applications in automotive LiDAR, On-board chargers, and DC-DC converters. The Power GaN device market is expected to reach $2B by 2028 with a remarkable 49% CAGR from 2022 to 2028. This presentation aims to delve into the Power GaN market, exploring the evolving supply chain landscape and the various investments underway in this rapidly evolving industry.