High voltage GaAs rectifiers for advanced power conditioning applications

Power supply performance enhancements are mainly attributed to advances in packaging technology and thermal management, as well as incremental improvements in semiconductors and passive components. In this regard, rectifier switching losses are posing limits for achieving the desired high efficiency, high power density and low noise levels. The development and manufacturing of high voltage GaAs rectifier diodes at Motorola has led to an enabling technology which allows for high voltage switching at extremely fast switching speeds. In contrast to silicon, the reverse recovery characteristics and leakage current of GaAs devices do not degrade as rapidly with increasing temperature. The GaAs rectifiers, which are provided in discrete packages or in chip form, have been implemented to switch power levels in the kilowatt range, at frequencies of up to 1 MHz. The design, electrical characteristics, and applications of these state of the art devices, as well as results on their reliability studies are reported