Reinventing Power Electronic Architectures for a Fully-Integrated Power Converter-on-a-Chip

Introduction

As the world undergoes an unprecedented transformation towards de-carbonized energy generation and electrification of the transportation sector, there is an increasing need for efficient, compact, and lightweight power electronics.

Challenges in Miniaturization

However, miniaturization of contemporary energy conversion systems is hindered by:

• The performance limitations of the power devices
• The size and weight restrictions of the passive components

Project Overview

The ENRICH project proposes a fundamental reconsideration of the entire electric power conversion chain by co-designing novel multilevel converter topologies with new semiconductor structures, based on wide band gap materials, mainly Gallium Nitride (GaN).

System Inspiration

The envisioned system is inspired by the high-power equivalent of a digital-to-analogue converter, directly controlled by a single reference signal (pseudo-analogue control). This is the first attempt to demonstrate the concept of a solid-state selector switch, which is free from magnetic components and allows all switching elements to be connected in parallel with a common source reference, avoiding the burden of multiple voltage-isolation zones.

Radical Approach

This radical approach paves the way for true monolithic integration of the entire multilevel inverter on a single chip, in the form of a power processor.

Addressing Integration Challenges

The proposed parallel architecture addresses all current integration challenges, such as:

1. Crosstalk effects
2. Back-gating effects
3. Limitations regarding the maximum number of levels

Potential Impact

The GaN power processor has huge potential to reach record power densities that are beyond what is currently possible.

Research Scope

The ambitious research spans across the fields of Power Electronics, Material Science, and Control Theory, and aims to bring numerous benefits with important technological and socioeconomic impact in the automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy generation sectors.