Gallium nitride FETs have continued to gain traction in many power electronic applications, but GaN technology is still in the early part of its life cycle. While there is much room to improve basic FET performance figures of merit an even more promising avenue is the development of GaN power ICs.

Bodo’s Power Systems
November, 2020
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The ultimate aim of Artificial Intelligence is to provide machines the ability to operate autonomously. One such area which is projected to grow exponentially over the next decade is Autonomous Vehicles. With Artificial Intelligence coupled with the rapid advances in electronics and computer technology, the word driverless will soon take over the roads.

AI Time Journal
October, 2020
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THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minnesota, USA – Digi-Key Electronics, the leading global electronic components distributor, announced that it has partnered with Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) to host a webinar on how to harness the power of eGaN FETS and ICs for motor drives. The webinar will take place on October 28 at 8 a.m. PST.

Register for the Harness the Power of GaN for Smaller, Lighter, More Precise Motor Drives webinar at EPC’s webinar page

Two solutions for high power density DC-DC conversion using ultra-efficient eGaN^® FETs from EPC (Efficient Power Conversion) enable highly efficient solutions for ultra-thin laptops, displays, high-end gaming systems and other physically thin consumer electronics.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— October, 2020 — EPC announces the availability of the EPC9148 and EPC9153 demonstration boards for 48 V DC-DC conversion.  The EPC9153 is a 250 W, extremely thin, power module using a simple, low-cost synchronous buck configuration delivering a 98.2% peak efficiency with a maximum component height of 6.5 mm.  The EPC9148 utilizes a multilevel topology enabling a maximum component height less than 4 mm, while maintaining a 98% peak efficiency.

Discrete power transistors, whether silicon-based or GaN-on-silicon, are entering their final chapter. GaN-on-Si integrated circuits offer higher performance in a smaller footprint with significantly reduced cost and less engineering required. This article details how the ascent of GaN is redefining power conversion.

Bodo’s Power Systems
October, 2020
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These new generation 100 V eGaN^® FETs are ideal for 48-V_OUT synchronous rectification, class-D audio, infotainment, and lidar.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— September, 2020 — EPC, the world’s leader in enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power FETs and ICs, advances the performance capability while lowering the cost of off-the-shelf gallium nitride transistors with the introduction of EPC2218 and EPC2204 100 V eGaN FETs.  The applications for these leading-edge devices include synchronous rectification, class-D audio, infotainment systems, DC-DC converters (hard-switched and resonant), and lidar for autonomous cars, robotics, and drones.

Standard qualification testing for semiconductors typically involves stressing devices at-or-near the limits specified in their data sheets for a prolonged period of time, or for a certain number of cycles, with the goal of demonstrating zero failures. By testing parts to the point of failure, an understanding of the amount of margin beyond the data sheet limits can be developed, but more importantly, an understanding of the intrinsic failure mechanisms of the semiconductor can be found.

Bodo’s Power Systems
September, 2020
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Silicon power MOSFETs have not kept pace with the evolutionary changes in the power electronics industry, where factors such as efficiency, power density, and smaller form factors are the main demands of the community. Silicon MOSFETs have reached their theoretical limits for power electronics, and with board space at a premium, power system designers need alternatives. Gallium nitride (GaN) is a high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) semiconductor that is adding real value in emerging applications.

EETimes
August, 2020
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These new generation 200 V eGaN^® FETs are ideal for 48 V_OUT synchronous rectification, class-D audio, solar microinverters and optimizers, and multilevel, high-voltage AC/DC converters

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— August, 2020 — EPC, the world’s leader in enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power FETs and ICs, advances the performance capability while lowering the cost of off-the-shelf gallium nitride transistors with the introduction of the EPC2215 and EPC2207 200 V eGaN FETs.  The applications for these leading-edge devices include class D audio, synchronous rectification, solar MPPTs (maximum power point tracker), DC-DC converters (hard-switched and resonant), and multilevel high voltage converters.

Gallium nitride is helping the transition from internal combustion engines to electric and smart cars.

Power Systems Design
July/August 2020 Issue
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In this inaugural episode, guests are Alex Lidow, CEO of Efficient Power Conversion Corp., and Dinesh Ramanathan, co-CEO of NexGen Power Systems. EPC and NexGen both have expertise with gallium nitride technology and GaN power devices. EETimes speaks with both about the technology and about the market for GaN power devices.

EETimes
August, 2020
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Gallium nitride (GaN) power devices have been in volume production since March 2010 and have established a remarkable field-reliability record. An automotive application using GaN power devices in high volume is lidar (light detection and ranging) for autonomous vehicles. Lidar technology provides information about a vehicle’s surroundings, thus requiring high accuracy and reliability to ensure safety and performance. This article will discuss a novel testing mechanism developed by Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) to test eGaN devices beyond the qualification requirements of the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC) for the specific use case of lidar.

eeNews Europe
July 30, 2020
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Just like life’s reality, when the aged leaves the center stage for the younger ones, Silicon is taking the bow. The advent and adoption of Gallium Nitride (GaN) have succeeded in gradually easing out the old reliable Silicon. For over four decades, power management efficiency and cost have improved steadily as innovations in power MOSFET structures, technology, and circuit topologies have kept pace with the growing need for electrical power. In the new millennium, however, the rate of improvement has slowed dramatically as the silicon power MOSFET approaches its theoretical bounds. At the same time, the new material, GaN is steadily progressing on its journey toward a theoretical performance boundary that is 6,000 times better than the aging silicon MOSFET and 300 times better than the best GaN products on the market today.

EEWeb
July 16, 2020
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The combination of Microchip Technology’s digital signal controllers with ultra-efficient eGaN^® FETs from EPC (Efficient Power Conversion) enable best-in-class power density of 730 W/in³ for high efficiency, low cost DC-DC Conversion.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— July, 2020 — EPC announces the availability of the EPC9143, a 300 W DC-DC voltage regulator in 16^th brick size. The EPC9143 power module integrates Microchip’s dsPIC33CK digital signal controller (DSC) with the latest generation EPC2053 eGaN FETs from EPC to achieve 96% efficiency in a 48 V input to 12 V output conversion at 25 A.  The switching frequency of 500 kHz enables the 300 W in the very small 16^th brick format which is just 33 mm x 22.9 mm (1.3 x 0.9 in). Additional phases can be added to this scalable 2-phase design to further increase power. The flexibility of the Microchip digital controllers allows the input voltage to be adjusted from 8 V – 72 V and the output voltage from 3.3 V – 25 V.

In this second part of EEWorld’s “virtual roundtable” discussion on Class D audio, our panelists delve into the impact that the emergence of gallium-nitride (GaN) is having on Class D designs: Where are silicon devices still dominant? What are the performance benefits of using GaN in Class D amplifiers? And what are the anticipated future trends of GaN versus Silicon in Class D amplifiers? Joining us for this virtual roundtable are Joshua LeMaire (JL), Audio Systems Architect at Analog Devices; Steve Colino (SC), Vice President Strategic Technical Sales with Efficient Power Conversion; and Jens Tybo Jensen (JTJ), Head of Application Engineering for Class D Audio at Infineon Technologies.

EEWorld Online
July, 2020
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GaN power transistors are an ideal choice for power and RF applications to support extreme space missions. Through its new eGaN^® solutions, EPC Space guarantees radiation hardness performance and SEE (single-event effects) immunity, with devices that are specifically designed for critical applications in commercial satellite space. These devices have exceptionally high electron mobility and a low-temperature coefficient with very low R_DS(on) values.

EETimes
July, 2020
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A high power 1/16^th brick converter using GaN FETs could increase maximum load current in these designs.

Electronics Specifier
July, 2020
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Enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN^®) technology enables a new generation of power converters in space operating at higher frequencies, higher efficiencies, and greater power densities than ever achievable before. eGaN devices also exhibit superior radiation tolerance compared with silicon MOSFETs.

Bodo’s Power Systems
June, 2020
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Why these chips are gaining ground, and what still needs to be addressed. Suppliers of gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) power devices are rolling out the next wave of products with some new and impressive specs. But before these devices are incorporated in systems, they must prove to be reliable.

Semiconductor Engineering
June, 2020
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EPC Space, a joint venture company, will provide advanced, high-reliability, gallium nitride (GaN) power conversion solutions for critical spaceborne and other high reliability environments.

EL SEGUNDO, CA and BLACKSBURG, VA – June 2020 – Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) Corporation and VPT, Inc., A HEICO company (NYSE:HEI.A) (NYSE:HEI)  announce the establishment of EPC Space LLC, a joint venture focused on designing and manufacturing radiation hardened (Rad Hard) GaN-on-silicon transistors and ICs packaged, tested, and qualified for satellite and high-reliability applications.