GaN HFET digital circuit technology

We report on a demonstration of GaN digital circuits implemented in a first generation GaN digital technology, which has yielded circuits of considerable complexity. We have implemented simple logic blocks, comparators, ring-oscillators and frequency dividers. We have yielded a 31-stage ring-oscillator using 217 transistors [1]. As a result of unique material characteristics GaN digital control circuits have the potential to operate in high radiation environments, at elevated temperature, and directly from high voltage rails. While we have successfully operated 31-stage GaN ring-oscillators at 265C, we believe that these circuits can operate at significantly higher temperatures and will be tolerant of total dose radiation exposure.