Developments on DC/DC converters for the LHC experiment upgrades

Prototypes of DC/DC converters were designed and built with the aim of satisfying the foreseen working parameters in the Phase 2 LHC experiments, using both MOSFETs and more recent devices like SiC and GaN transistors. Optimization of their design, based on the comparison between the simulated and measured thermal, electrical and mechanical performance, is in progress, and many improvements are under implementation. Many tens of samples, chosen among the devices commercially available in the three different technologies, Si, SiC and GaN, were electrically characterized and tested under gammas, neutron, proton and heavy ion radiation, also using a combined run method.