Advances and emerging trends in GaN-based logic technologies

Gallium nitride (GaN) technology has expanded beyond its established roles in high-power and high-frequency switching to become a credible platform for monolithic logic and smart power integrated circuits. This transition is driven by the need to co-integrate level shifting, gate driving, sensing, and protection circuits in close proximity to high-voltage GaN switches, thereby reducing parasitic interconnections and improving robustness under high-dV/dt transients and harsh-environment operation. This work reviews the evolution of GaN-based logic from early D-/E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT demonstrations to more manufacturable integration solutions enabled by E-mode technologies, including p-GaN gate HEMTs, recessed MIS-HEMTs, and emerging p-channel device concepts. Major GaN logic families, including direct-coupled FET logic (DCFL), resistor–transistor logic, pseudo-complementary FET logic, bootstrap logic, and complementary logic (CL), are evaluated in terms of voltage swing, noise margin, static power consumption, area efficiency, and suitability for co-integration with power HEMTs. The two most prevalent families, DCFL and CL, are further benchmarked using normalized output swing, noise-margin balance, and transistor current capability to clarify key design trade-offs across reported platforms. Finally, remaining barriers to large-scale GaN digital integration are discussed, including limited p-channel device performance, leakage control at low supply voltages, reliable on-chip rectification for bootstrapped nodes, and reliability-centric circuit/device co-design for high-field and high-temperature operation.