Co-optimization Design and Analysis of WBG and UWBG Power Diodes with Operational Regimes

Ultra-wide-bandgap (UWBG) materials are recognized for their potential to address performance limitations inherent in wide-bandgap (WBG) devices. This paper presents a comprehensive optimization design methodology for power diodes, targeting minimized power dissipation across specified system operational regime-based reverse voltage, forward current density, frequency, duty cycle, and temperature for diverse device types and materials. Juxtaposed with traditional WBG devices, such as SiC and vertical GaN diodes, UWBG materials like diamond, Ga2O3, and AlGaN have been evaluated and optimized. The derived optimized device loss metrics, encompassing both conduction and switching losses, are used in circuit simulations that assess UWBG device efficacy within a single-phase threelevel boost power factor correction (PFC) converter topology. This serves as a tangible application benchmark, contrasting WBG and UWBG material performances. The established framework introduced in this work underscores a holistic co-design and optimization approach, considering distinctive device attributes with converter behavioral insights and comparing different material systems and device categories within a practical power conversion application context.