CIES Consortium

National Projects

NEDO project

R&D of GaN bidirectional power converter

This project is engaged in R&D on higher-voltage tolerance of GaN-on-Si device (Co-research representative: Prof . T. Endoh) under the “Research and development of GaN Bidirectional power converter” (Project leader: Panasonic Corporation) performed under the strategic innovation program for energy conservation technologies funded by New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). High-efficiency power-converter circuit such as inverter and converter is essential for energy-saving. However, since energy conversion efficiency of existing Si devices is approaching the limit due to the material property, GaN devices are expected to realize higher-efficiency drivability than Si devices.
This R&D aims to realize GaN bidirectional power converter with lower energy loss, and establish the practical technologies for power converter with low energy loss and low power consumption. So far, normally-off operation and AC-AC direct conveter have successfully demonstrated.