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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Brushless DC (BLDC) motors are a popular choice and are finding increasing application in robotics, drones, electric bicycles, and electric scooters. All these applications are particularly sensitive to size, weight, cost, and efficiency. A monolithically integrated GaN power stage is demonstrated powering a 400 W capable BLDC motor with low switching losses and significant savings in size and weight.

Power Electronics Europe
May, 2020
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Beyond just performance and cost improvement, the most significant opportunity for GaN technology to impact the power conversion market comes from its intrinsic ability to integrate multiple devices on the same substrate. GaN technology, as opposed to standard silicon IC technology, allows designers to implement monolithic power systems on a single chip in a more straightforward and cost-effective way.

Bodo’s Power Systems
May, 2020
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Starting on page 13 of this story, EPC discusses with David Morrison the latest GaN developments meant for APEC. Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC, discussed his company’s new power stage ICs, their development of GaN-based reference designs using a multi-level topology and various demos that were originally bound for APEC.

How2Power Today
April, 2020
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EPC has posted additional modules to the educational video podcast series focusing on reliability and leading-edge applications including high-density computing for Artificial Intelligence (AI), lidar for robots, drones, and cars, and Class-D audio using gallium nitride FETs and ICs.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – April 2020 – Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) Corporation has posted an update to its popular “How to GaN” video podcast series. The six videos included in the current release of the series provide practical examples to help designers employ GaN technology to create state-of-the-art DC-DC converters for AI servers and ultra-thin laptops, lidar for robots, drones, and autonomous cars, and audio systems with the highest quality acoustics possible.

With silicon near its theoretical limits new designs heavily favor the continued adoption of GaN devices. GaN devices are early in their evolution, with advances in performance and integration and more products coming.

Electronics Weekly
December, 2019
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It’s getting harder to avoid using GaN power transistors and ICs, says Alex Lidow. There are many reasons to use GaN-on-Si power transistors such as eGaN FETs, in telecoms, vehicles, healthcare and computing. Smaller, faster, lower cost, and more integrated, GaN-on-Si devices have spent a decade gaining the confidence and trust of designers across the spectrum of power conversion applications.

Electronic Specifier
November 20, 2019
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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) provides gallium nitride-based power devices for Solace Power’s 250 W wireless power platforms to enable higher power solutions and faster design cycle times.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— September 2019 — EPC announces collaboration with Solace Power, a leading wireless power, sense and data company, to enable 250-watt wireless power solutions designed for 5G, aerospace, automotive, medical, and industrial applications. Solace Power’s intelligent wireless platform use EPC’s 200 V enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN^®) power transistors. This modular platform shares the same Equus™ architecture and enables up to 250 Watts of transmitted power with superior six degrees of spatial freedom.

GaN is making possible what was once thought to be impossible in many industries. Alex Lidow, EPC, explains how GaN technology is contributing to significant improvements in medicine.

Electronic Specifier
August, 2019
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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has recently introduced two new, 100V, GaN devices that are able to handle 48V server and automotive needs. I will be examining the 48V server power solutions to the processor as well as in automotive and energy storage systems (See my article Bi-directional DC/DC power supplies: Which way do we go?) bi-directional supplies, in an EDN exclusive article coming up in the near future. GaN power transistors MUST be a part of these kinds of architectures; from my point-of-view there is no better alternative.

Planet Analog
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In the final installment of this series, how GaN has met the requirements to displace silicon is explored. As the adoption rate of GaN explodes, it is important to remember that, while GaN has made many advancements in just a few short years, it is still far from its theoretical performance limitations and thus there are profound improvements that can continue to be achieved. In time, the performance and cost advantages of GaN-on-silicon will result in a majority of applications currently using silicon-based devices converting to the smaller, faster, cheaper, and more reliable GaN technology.

Power Systems Design
February, 2019
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With the power architecture transition from a 12 V to a 48 V bus power distribution in modern data centers, there is an increased demand to improve 48 V power conversion efficiency and power density. In this context, DC-DC converters designed using eGaN^® FETs and ICs provide a high efficiency and high power density solution. Additionally, with the advent of 48 V power systems in mild-hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, GaN transistors can provide a reduction in size, weight, and Bill of Materials (BOM) cost.

Power Systems Design
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Spirit's Marti McCurdy and EPC's CEO Alex Lidow discuss the performance and cost benefits of gallium nitride over silicon and how leading companies the world over work with EPC to develop their next gen technologies with the power of GaN.

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Spirit Electronics now provides distribution support to assist customers in adopting eGaN^® FETs and ICs for leading-edge power conversion systems in the defense and aerospace market.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— May 2018 — To support its accelerating growth in the defense and aerospace markets, Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) is proud to announce the appointment of Spirit Electronics as a distribution partner focusing on these key market segments.  Spirit Electronics, in operation since 1979 and located in Phoenix, Arizona and Irvine, California, supplies products and services to the Department of Defense, aerospace, and telecommunication industries.  

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) will exhibit live demonstrations at PCIM Europe 2018 showing how GaN technology’s superior performance is transforming power delivery for entire industries including computing, communications, and automotive.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — May 2018 — The EPC team will be delivering five technical presentations on gallium nitride (GaN) technology and applications at PCIM Europe 2018 in Nuremberg, Germany from June 5^th through the 7^th. In addition, in Hall 7, Stand 539, the company will exhibit its latest eGaN^® FETs and ICs in customers’ end products that are enabled by eGaN technology.

In this video Alex Lidow, Founder and CEO of EPC, talks to Alix Paultre, Editor-in-Chief of Power Electronics News, about the various demonstrations of GaN-based solutions at the EPC booth at APEC 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. The high-frequency operation and other advanced performance advantages over Silicon enables GaN to empower applications from LIDAR to wireless power transmission. The booth exhibits include examples of these, from a real-time LIDAR demonstration to a running "wireless desk".

Power Electronics News
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