ASL and JTMicroelectronics Demonstrate GaN Driver Chip Operation at −196 °C

September 3, 2026

Applied Superconductivity Laboratory in University of Strathclyde and JTMicroelectronics jointly conducted performance testing of the driver chip in a liquid nitrogen environment at an ultra-low temperature of -196°C.

Preliminary results show that 2511U1 series chips from JTM possess cold-start capability and can withstand repeated power cycling at cryogenic temperature. Ultimately, the driver chip achieved repeated charge-discharge cycles of a 100 pF capacitive load at a switching frequency of 100 kHz in the liquid nitrogen environment. Furthermore, in the cryogenic temperature environment, the chip successfully controlled and drove Infineon’s CoolGaN series products at the same frequency. Without any dedicated low-temperature optimization, its switching times differed from those at room temperature by only a few nanoseconds.

Based on these results, in the application scenario of “Next-generation all-electric aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells with superconducting motors as the propulsion system”, this driver chip has preliminarily demonstrated its potential to serve as the driver component for cryogenic temperature DC/DC or DC/AC converters. Although its further physical and electrical characteristics await systematic testing, the performance already exhibited is highly promising.

 Figure 1. Output voltage waveform measured at room temperature.

Figure 2. Output voltage waveform in liquid nitrogen (-196 °C).

Figure 3. Experimental setup used for cryogenic testing.