Stage Power

Lieu : Leuven, Belgium

Acteur spatial mondialement reconnu dans les domaines des télécommunications, de la navigation, de l’observation de la terre, de l’exploration et de la réalisation d’infrastructures orbitales, Thales Alenia Space est une Joint-Venture entre les groupes Thales (67%) et Leonardo (33%).

**Overall context**

Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor is proven as an alternative for Si-semiconductor in power converters below 10kW. Additionally, GaN-based devices are more resistant to radiation effects due to wide-bandgap characteristics. Therefore, using GaN devices for power conversion is becoming a trendy research topic in the domestic, automotive, and satellite industries.

Thales Alenia Space Belgium (TAS-B) is one of the world-wide leaders in developing electrical energy conversion boards for the space industry. Since 2014 we have been kicked-off product designs using GaN power switches to maintain the competitiveness of TAS-B products in the global space industry. We successfully developed GaN-based converter boards, including controllers, drivers, power switches, and integrated power switches.

It is remarkable to highlight that TAS-B is one of the very few companies that master the GaN rad-hard devices in the EU. TAS is also the unique satellite manufacturing company in the EU that realizes both GaN-based power boards in production.

Soft switching is a well-known technique to improve the power efficiency of Si-based converter boards. However, due to its control complexity and stringent requirements of long-term robustness in satellites, soft switching has yet to be broadly applied in space-grade converters. The internship aims to realize the soft-switching in a GaN-on-board converter design while high-power density is optimized.

This proposed thesis offers an internship position (7-12 weeks) for both Bachelor and Master student(s). Intern(s) will mainly work with the DC/DC design team, which is located in Leuven, Belgium.
- University/Engineering school student with at least two years of study completed in Electrical Engineering; knowledge of power electronics is a must; automatic is an asset
- Passion for hands-on / lab activities, RC hobbies, and particularly satellites.
- Know-how of PCB design tools like Altium, and Eagle.
- Fluent in English (reading, writing, speaking); French is an asset.

Innovation, passion, ambition : rejoignez Thales et créez le monde de demain, dès aujourd’hui.