GaN Talk a blog dedicated to crushing silicon
Term: Buck Converter
2 post(s) found

Feb 22, 2024

Why you shouldn’t use Rds(on) to select and compare devices in switching power converters

Andrea Gorgerino, Director of Global Field Application Engineering

Learn why RDS(ON) shouldn't be your main criteria for selecting switching devices. EPC's insights reveal a more effective approach for evaluating GaN FETs.

Aug 17, 2021

From Development Board to Buck Converter

Mark Gurries, Field Applications Engineer

EPC development boards offer the opportunity to evaluate eGaN® FETs and ICs in common applications. For example, the EPC9094 half-bridge development board can be configured as a buck or boost converter. The EPC9094 features the newly released EPC2054 200 V 43 mOhm max eGaN FET in a 1.3 x 1.3 mm 2 x 2 pin WLCSP package. The very low RDS(on) value of this very small FET permits it to support high current loads from a high voltage supply. To demonstrate this ability, we will modify the EPC9094 development board to a buck converter. Using a 140 V supply, Spice simulation suggest 28 V output at 2.5 A will offer a high 90% efficiency. A Vishay IHLP-4040DZET330M11, 33 uH, 4.4 A, 95 mOhm Max, 10.2 x 10.8 x 4 mm inductor is selected which will provide 40% ripple at 500 Khz. Output capacitors consisted of four 10 uF Y5V 50V 1210 ceramic capacitors. The simulation showed a tradeoff between ripple current and overall efficiency when switching frequency was changed between 500 kHz down to 375 kHz. The simulation also showed that adjusting the dead time to permit full ZVS transition from high to low maximized the light load efficiency performance in the buck converter.