Experimental Evaluation of an Enhanced GaN-Based Non-Symmetric Switching Leg Integrated Module for Synchronous Buck Converter Applications

The paper deals with an improved low-voltage monolithic power stage switching leg based on GaN FET devices applied to a synchronous buck converter for not isolated auxiliary power supply in 48V to 12V regulation voltage application. The switching leg module is designed with two GaN FET components with different electrical parameters characteristics in order to optimize the power losses and the switching performance in a 500kHz switching frequency synchronous step-down converter. In the paper the asymmetric switching leg is described and experimentally evaluated. Furthermore, a comparison with a state of art GaN FETs integrated switching leg is carried out in a synchronous stepdown converter suitable to use in a volume reduced auxiliary power supply oriented to 48V regulator for automotive application.