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Forecasting System Reliability in Real-World Mission Profiles in EPC’s Phase 16 Report on GaN Reliability

Forecasting System Reliability in Real-World Mission Profiles in EPC’s Phase 16 Report on GaN Reliability

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) publishes Phase-16 Reliability Report adding new findings to the extensive knowledge base on GaN reliability and mission robustness.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— March 2024 — EPC announces the publication of its Phase-16 Reliability Report, documenting continued work using test-to-fail methodology and adding specific guidelines for overvoltage specifications and improving thermo-mechanical reliability.

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Experts Weigh in on GaN & SiC at APEC 2024

Experts Weigh in on GaN & SiC at APEC 2024

In this video from Power Electronics News, a lineup of distinguished speakers from semiconductor companies shares insights into groundbreaking developments in gallium nitride– and silicon carbide–based power devices.

The GaN speakers address two critical questions shaping the future of wide bandgap:

  1. The significance of substrate material choice for GaN-based power devices. They elaborate on how this choice impacts device performance, reliability and manufacturability and discuss how researchers are tackling substrate-related challenges.
  2. Specific market segments where GaN devices are outperforming traditional silicon-based solutions, driving adoption and revealing the technology direction of their respective companies. The speakers include:
    • Robert Taylor, applications engineer/general manager industrial applications at Texas Instruments
    • Michael de Rooij, VP of applications engineering at EPC
    • Balu Balakrishnan, CEO of Power Integrations

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First GaN FET with 1 Milliohms On-Resistance Announced by EPC

First GaN FET with 1 Milliohms On-Resistance Announced by EPC

EPC introduces the 100 V, 1 mOhm EPC2361 GaN FET in compact 3 mm x 5 mm QFN package, offering higher power density for DC-DC conversion, fast charging, motor drives, and solar MPPTs.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— February 2024 — EPC, the world’s leader in enhancement-mode gallium nitride (GaN) power FETs and ICs, launches the 100 V, 1 mOhm EPC2361. This is the lowest on-resistance GaN FET on the market offering double the power density compared to EPC’s prior-generation products.

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Using GaN FETs with Controllers and Gate Drivers Designed for Silicon MOSFETs

Using GaN FETs with Controllers and Gate Drivers Designed for Silicon MOSFETs

Gallium Nitride (GaN) FETs have revolutionized the power electronics industry, offering advantages such as smaller size, faster switching, higher efficiency, and lower costs compared to traditional silicon MOSFETs. However, the rapid evolution of GaN technology has sometimes outpaced the development of dedicated GaN-specific gate drivers and controllers. Consequently, circuit designers often turn to generic gate drivers designed for silicon MOSFETs, necessitating careful consideration of various factors to ensure optimal performance.

Bodo’s Power Systems
February, 2024
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EPC GaN FETs Deliver Benchmark Power Density and Efficiency for DC/DC Conversion

EPC GaN FETs Deliver Benchmark Power Density and Efficiency for DC/DC Conversion

EPC GaN FETs leverage drivers and controllers by Analog Devices to simplify GaN design, increase efficiency, reduce cooling cost, and help enable the highest power density for computing, industrial, and consumer DC/DC converters.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— January, 2024— EPC announces the availability of several reference designs that feature EPC GaN FETs and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) controllers.

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GaN FETs Enable 75 - 231 Ampere Laser Diode Control in Nanoseconds for Advanced Automotive Autonomy

GaN FETs Enable 75 - 231 Ampere Laser Diode Control in Nanoseconds for Advanced Automotive Autonomy

EPC launches three laser driver boards showcasing AEC-Q101 qualified GaN FETs' rapid transition for superior LiDAR system performance.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— December 2023 — EPC introduces three evaluation boards - EPC9179, EPC9181, and EPC9180 - featuring pulse current laser drivers of  75 A, 125 A, and 231 A , showcasing EPC’s AEC-Q101 GaN FETs. These FETs; EPC2252, EPC2204A, and EPC2218A are 30% smaller and more cost-effective than their predecessors. Designed for both long and short-range automotive lidar systems, these boards expedite solution evaluation with varied input and output options.

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EPC to Showcase GaN-enabled Consumer Applications – eMobility, Drones, Robotics, and more at CES 2024

EPC to Showcase GaN-enabled Consumer Applications – eMobility, Drones, Robotics, and more at CES 2024

EPC gallium nitride (GaN) experts will be at Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to share how GaN enables enhanced features and performance in consumer electronics.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif – December 2023 – EPC, the global leader in enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN®) FETs and ICs, will be showcasing the capabilities of GaN technology at CES 2024, demonstrating its role in enhancing features and performance in consumer electronics. This includes delivering higher efficiency, smaller size, and lower cost solutions.

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Advancements in GaN Motor Drive Inverters Revolutionize UAV Drones for Agricultural Applications

Advancements in GaN Motor Drive Inverters Revolutionize UAV Drones for Agricultural Applications

Modern agricultural techniques have been revolutionized by the integration of unmanned aerial- vehicle (UAV) drones, which are low-voltage battery-operated aircrafts. Smaller drones are utilized for terrain mapping and vegetation monitoring, while heavier, more robust variants are employed for tasks such as spraying and distributing fertilizers and insecticides as well as disseminating seeds and feed with payloads up to 50 kg loads. GaN-based inverters prove to be suitable for UAV agricultural drones since they extend the battery life by improving motor efficiency, courtesy of the higher PWM frequency with sinusoidal excitation. In addition to the efficiency considerations, the higher PWM frequency contributes to a reduction in the dimensions of the DC link, thereby reducing the size and weight of the inverter, which is vital in lightweight aircrafts.

Bodo’s Power Systems
December, 2023
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Efficient Energy Technology’s (EET) SolMate Adopts EPC GaN, Doubling Efficiency and Extending Product Lifetime

Efficient Energy Technology’s (EET) SolMate Adopts EPC GaN, Doubling Efficiency and Extending Product Lifetime

EL SEGUNDO, Calif – November 2023 – Efficient Energy Technology GmbH (EET), the Austrian-based pioneer in designing and producing innovative balcony power plants, has selected Efficient Power Conversion Corporation’s (EPC) EPC2204 enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN®) power transistor for its latest SolMate® green solar balcony product. The EPC2204 strikes an optimal compromise between low RDS(on) and low COSS, critical for demanding hard switching application, while featuring a drain-source breakdown voltage of 100 V in a compact package. This compact design significantly reduces PCB size, keeps current loops small, and minimizes electromagnetic interference (EMI) emissions.

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Thermal Modeling for GaN CSP

Thermal Modeling for GaN CSP

Gallium nitride–based high-electron–mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been widely adopted in both consumer and industrial power conversion due to their many material and device advantages over legacy silicon-based converters. The improvements in power-conversion efficiency at much higher switching frequencies that are enabled by GaN can translate to lower system costs and improved power density. Heat dissipation analysis and thermal modeling become critically important as power densities increase. In this article, we will review a thermal calculator tool released by Efficient Power Conversion (EPC). EPC manufactures enhancement-mode GaN HEMTs and integrated power-conversion circuits like half-bridges that form the building blocks of many converters.

Power Electronics News
November 2023
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GaN Technology from EPC Space Exhibits Extreme Robustness for Space Missions

GaN Technology from EPC Space Exhibits Extreme Robustness for Space Missions

Space exploration has always demanded cutting-edge technology, reliability, and resilience. The latest breakthrough in power electronics, gallium nitride (GaN) technology, has emerged as a game-changer for space-based systems offering superior radiation tolerance and unmatched electrical performance compared to traditional silicon MOSFETs. In this article, we delve into the reasons why GaN power devices are the ultimate choice for power conversion applications in space and how their resistance to radiation makes them an extremely robust solution for space missions.

Components in Electronics
October 2023
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Using GaN FETs to Burst Through 5 kW/in3 in a 48 V to 12 V LLC Converter

Using GaN FETs to Burst Through 5 kW/in3 in a 48 V to 12 V LLC Converter

LLC resonant converters have emerged as the preferred topology for an intermediate 48 V to 12 V conversion due to their high efficiency, high power density and good dynamic response. The outstanding performance resulting from the combination of this topology with GaN transistors has been demonstrated in the past. This article presents how the newest generation of GaN devices, such as those from EPC, continues to push the envelope even further.

Bodo’s Power Systems
November, 2023
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Shrink Motor Drives for eBikes, Robots, and Drones with 100 V Gallium Nitride (GaN) FETs from EPC

Shrink Motor Drives for eBikes, Robots, and Drones with 100 V Gallium Nitride (GaN) FETs from EPC

The EPC9194 GaN-based inverter reference design significantly enhances motor drive system efficiency, range, and torque, while more than doubling power per weight. The inverter’s extremely compact size allows seamless integration into the motor housing resulting in the lowest electromagnetic interference (EMI,) highest density, and lowest weight.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— October, 2023 — EPC announces the availability of the EPC9194, a

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GaN in Space: Unlocking Efficiency and Performance in Satellite Systems

GaN in Space: Unlocking Efficiency and Performance in Satellite Systems

The space industry is undergoing a transformative shift to “New Space,” driven by the increasing demand for ubiquitous connectivity and the emergence of innovative business models. One of the key elements of this transformation is the adoption of gallium nitride (GaN) technology in space applications. GaN holds immense potential due to its impressive radiation hardness, high system efficiency and lightweight characteristics.

In a discussion with EE Times Europe, Taha Ayari and Aymen Ghorbel, technology and market analysts at Yole Intelligence, part of Yole Group, explained how New Space—the low Earth orbit (LEO) mission segment, with a typical satellite lifespan of three to five years and lower reliability requirements—has become a focal point for GaN adoption. As a result, power GaN devices are being adopted for various satellite systems, including DC/DC converters, point-of-load systems, motor drives and ion thrusters.

EE Times Europe
October 2023
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The State of GaN Adoption

The State of GaN Adoption

What are the factors impacting gallium nitride’s adoption across a wide range of power management applications? In this article, we will explore the feedback that EPC has received from customers we have visited over the last 13 years that the company has been in volume production.

Power Electronics News
October, 2023
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EPC optimistic about GaN sector

EPC optimistic about GaN sector

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) is optimistic about GaN despite geopolitical challenges and the changing landscape in the compound semiconductor sector.

DIGITIMES
September, 2023
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EPC Space Brings GaN to the Edge of the Atmosphere

EPC Space Brings GaN to the Edge of the Atmosphere

Bringing GaN to the final frontier, EPC Space introduced two new radiation-hardened GaN transistors for high-current switching in space-based applications. As the number of commercial satellites continues to increase, designers require more options for space-ready power electronics with improved current handling.

All About Circuits
September, 2023
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