Infineon KIT_HB_GaN Half-Bridge Daughterboards

Introduction

The Infineon KIT_HB_GaN series consists of half-bridge daughterboards designed for evaluating and developing high-performance power-conversion systems based on Infineon CoolGaN™ 650 V G5 transistors. These boards provide a practical platform for testing gallium nitride (GaN) switching devices and gate-drive approaches in compact, fast-switching power stages.

Part Description

KIT_HB_GaN Half-Bridge Daughterboards are evaluation boards from Infineon Technologies built around 650 V CoolGaN™ G5 transistor technology. Each daughterboard implements a half-bridge topology, typically comprising a high-side and low-side GaN power switch arranged for efficient power conversion.

The boards support several gate-drive configurations to accommodate differing CoolGaN transistor and system requirements. Supported approaches include:

• Unipolar gate-to-source drive voltages
• Bipolar gate-to-source drive voltages
• Gate Injection Transistor (GIT) products
• Isolated single-channel gate driver IC implementations
• Isolated dual-channel gate driver IC implementations

As daughterboards, they can be integrated into compatible evaluation platforms and test environments. Their purpose is to help engineers investigate switching behavior, driver performance, power-loop layout effects, electromagnetic interference considerations, and thermal behavior associated with high-voltage GaN half-bridge designs.

Applications

Potential applications for the KIT_HB_GaN daughterboards include:

• High-frequency DC-DC converters
• AC-DC power supplies
• Power-factor-correction stages
• Half-bridge and full-bridge converters
• LLC resonant converters
• Phase-shifted full-bridge systems
• Synchronous rectification studies
• Motor-drive inverter development
• Solar inverter power stages
• Battery charger development
• Energy-storage conversion systems
• On-board and off-board electric-vehicle chargers
• High-density server and telecom power supplies

Industries

The KIT_HB_GaN boards can support development activity in several industries, including:

• Power electronics
• Industrial automation
• Renewable energy
• Electric vehicles and e-mobility
• Automotive electronics
• Telecommunications infrastructure
• Data centers and cloud computing
• Consumer electronics
• Aerospace and defense power systems
• Medical power equipment
• Robotics
• Smart energy and grid infrastructure

Usage Ideas

1. High-Frequency Buck Converter Evaluation
   Build a 650 V to low-voltage buck converter test setup to compare GaN switching performance at different frequencies, gate resistances, and load conditions.

2. LLC Resonant Power Supply Prototype
   Use the half-bridge daughterboard as the switching stage of an LLC resonant converter for investigating high-efficiency, high-power-density isolated power-supply designs.

3. Gate-Drive Comparison Platform
   Evaluate unipolar versus bipolar gate-drive strategies and compare isolated single-channel and dual-channel driver arrangements for switching loss, ringing, and EMI performance.

Conclusion

Infineon’s KIT_HB_GaN Half-Bridge Daughterboards provide a flexible evaluation platform for CoolGaN™ 650 V G5 transistors and associated gate-drive architectures. By supporting multiple drive methods and half-bridge operating arrangements, these boards help developers accelerate experimentation with high-voltage GaN power stages for efficient, compact, and high-frequency energy-conversion applications.