Panel Discussion: GaN Wide Bandgap: State of the Art

Bodo Arlt

Publishing Editor

Bodo received his engineering degree from Kiel University of Applied Sciences in 1976. His professional life comprises decades of engineering, application design and marketing of power semiconductors with companies including RCA, GE and Harris Semiconductor. He was a member of the PCIM Conference Advisory Board for many years. In 2006 he launched Bodo’s Power Systems magazine, which today still continues to serve the power electronics industry worldwide.

Laszlo Balogh

Senior Technologist

Laszlo is currently representing Texas Instruments on the Technical Committee of the European Power Sources Manufacturers Association. Laszlo is a TI Distinguished Member, Technical Staff; has authored more than 50 conference papers, seminar presentations and application notes; and has numerous granted and pending patents. He received his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Technical University of Budapest, Hungary, in 1983.

Jim Honea

GaN Applications Director

Jim Honea, PhD, has been working on the application of high-voltage, high-speed gallium nitride (GaN) switching transistors in energy-conversion systems since 2007. Before joining Nexperia, Jim spent 11 years as Senior Manager of Applications Engineering at Transphorm. He began his career in IC design, industrial control, and instrumentation before transitioning to focus on GaN technologies. Jim holds a BSEE and MSEE from the University of Arkansas and earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Wesley Hsu

Head of Technology

Alex Lidow

CEO and Co-Founder

Alex Lidow is CEO and co-founder of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC). Prior to founding EPC, Dr. Lidow was CEO of International Rectifier Corporation. A co-inventor of the HEXFET power MOSFET, Dr. Lidow holds many patents in power semiconductor technology and has authored numerous publications on related subjects, including co-authoring the first textbook on GaN transistors, GaN Transistors for Efficient Power Conversion, now in its third edition published by John Wiley and Sons. Lidow earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Caltech and his Ph.D. from Stanford.

Llew Vaughan-Edmunds

Senior Director of Product Management (GaN, SiC)

Llew Vaughan-Edmunds is currently Senior Director, Product Management at Navitas. He has over 21 years of power semiconductor experience at Infineon, International Rectifier, ON Semiconductor, and Applied Materials. He has been responsible for strategy, engineering, and product line ownership for Gate Drivers, IGBTs, Diodes, and Wide Band Gap (SiC/GaN). He holds an MBA from Chapman University, BS in Applied Electronics from Liverpool University, and a patent in GaN device technology. He is currently Chairman for PowerAmerica and holds various board positions in power semiconductor companies and consortiums.