A recent design for an ultra-high speed, low-impedance pulse generator to evaluate oscilloscope probe performance and for determining the feasibility of an in-socket load for ASIC emulation using EPC eGaN™ FET, EPC2037 reveals just how fast these power devices are.

Signal Integrity
March 12, 2020
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Gallium Nitride (GaN) power devices have been in volume production since March 2010 with remarkable field reliability. This article details how by testing parts to the point of failure an understanding of the amount of margin between the data sheet limits can be developed, but more importantly, an understanding of the intrinsic failure mechanisms can be found. By knowing the intrinsic failure mechanisms, the root cause of failure, and the device’s behavior over time, temperature, electrical or mechanical stress, the safe operating life of a product can be determined over a more general set of operating conditions.

Power Systems Design
March 3, 2020
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Alex Lidow is the CEO of Efficient Power Conversion, probably the most prominent advocate for gallium nitride, delivering the first GaN transistor in 2009. After a decade of selling products, DESIGN&ELEKTRONIK editor Ralf Higgelke met him to discuss some of the latest advances in that area.

DESIGN&ELEKTRONIK
February 20, 2020
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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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Within the EPC hospitality suite at the Venetian hotel, world-changing innovations and gallium nitride (GaN) will go hand in hand. A variety of demonstrations will showcase GaN’s higher efficiency, smaller size, and lower cost solutions.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — December 2019 — Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) announced that it will be demonstrating the power of eGaN^® technology to enhance game-changing consumer applications including self-driving cars, robots, drones, wireless power, world-class audio and cutting-edge automotive solutions – at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 7^th through the 10^th.

Smaller, faster, lower cost, and more integrated, GaN-on-Silicon devices have the confidence of designers across a spectrum of power conversion applications. In this article, Alex Lidow explains why it’s getting harder to avoid using GaN power transistors and ICs.

Electronic Specifier
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It’s okay to start using gallium-nitride (GaN) devices in your new designs. GaN transistors have become extremely popular in recent years. These wide-bandgap devices have been replacing LDMOS transistors in many power applications. For example, GaN devices are broadly being adopted for new RF power amplifiers used in cellular base stations, radar, satellites, and other high-frequency applications. In general, their ability to endure higher voltages and operate at frequencies well into the millimeter-wave (mmWave) range have them replacing traditional RF power transistors in most amplifier configurations.

Electronic Design
November, 2019
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This article discussed an oft forgotten or little-noticed part of the spacecraft enabling travel into outer space---power management in the space vehicle. Wide bandgap semiconductors like gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), as well as diamond, are looking to be the most promising materials for future electronic components since the discovery of silicon. These technologies, depending upon their design, offer huge advantages in terms of power capability (DC and microwave), radiation insensitivity, high temperature and high frequency operation, optical properties and even low noise capability. Therefore, wide bandgap components are strategically important for the development of next generation space-borne systems. eGaN devices are quickly gaining momentum in the space industry and we will see many more applications for them by NASA and commercial contractors in future programs like Artemis and other programs in countries around the globe pursuing efforts into Space.

Power Systems Design
November, 2019
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GaN and SiC are becoming much more attractive as prices drop. Several vendors are rolling out the next wave of power semiconductors based on gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC), setting the stage for a showdown against traditional silicon-based devices in the market.

Semiconductor Engineering
October, 2019
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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) expands AEC Q101 product family with the addition of the EPC2216, 15 V gallium nitride transistor optimized for affordable, high performance lidar systems.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— October 2019 — EPC announces successful AEC Q101 qualification of the 15 V EPC2216 designed for lidar applications where increased accuracy is vital such as in self-driving cars and other time-of-flight (TOF) applications including facial recognition, warehouse automation, drones and mapping.

GaN theory and applications, such as lidar, DC-DC conversion, and wireless power using gallium nitride FETs and ICs, form the focus of this third edition of “GaN Transistors for Efficient Power Conversion”

EL SEGUNDO, CA – October 2019 – Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) announce the publication of the third edition of “GaN Transistors for Efficient Power Conversion,” a textbook written by power conversion industry experts and published by John Wiley and Sons. 

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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Alex Lidow has deep roots in the electronics industry. His father and grandfather founded International Rectifier in 1947. Alex eventually ran the company himself for 12 years. He is currently the CEO of EPC, a company that manufactures gallium nitride-based power transistors and integrated circuits. These products are now found in lidar systems for autonomous vehicles, in 4G/LTE base stations, in DC-DC converters for servers and satellites, and in a wide variety of medical products.

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GaN transistors, with favorable figures of merit (FOM) for 48 V applications, can provide a reduction in size, weight, and bill of material costs. This article presents a five-phase, fully regulated, bidirectional 48 V to 12 V DC-DC converter. An advancedthermalmanagement solution suitable for use with eGaN FETs results in a system that can provide 3kW of power at an efficiency exceeding 97.5% into a 14.5 V battery.

Power Systems Design
July, 2019
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Small satellites bring a more cost-effective approach to low-Earth-orbit (LEO) missions, helping to deliver low-cost internet access across the globe. For this application, GaN FETs partnered with a radiation tolerant pulse width modulation controller and GaN fet driver allow more efficient switching, higher frequency operation, reduced gate drive voltage and smaller solution sizes compared to the traditional silicon counterparts.

Electronics Weekly
July, 2019
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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC,) in partnership with Spirit Electronics, will provide manufacturing lot-specific data services for their industry-leading gallium nitride-based power devices.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— June 2019 — EPC announces a partnership with Spirit Electronics to provide an expanded range of manufacturing lot-specific data services for their industry-leading enhancement-mode gallium nitride (GaN) devices. 

Today’s GaN FETs are improving rapidly in size and performance. The benchmark devices are still 300 times away from their theoretical performance limits. The early GaN adopters needed the speed. Big examples were lidar systems for autonomous cars, drones, and robots, and 4G/LTE base stations. The volume has grown, and now GaN power devices are at a point where the prices are equivalent to the slower, bigger and aging power MOSFET. Thus, it is time for GaN’s frontal assault!

Bodo’s Power Systems
June 2019
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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) will provide their industry-leading gallium nitride-based power devices in wafer form for ease of power systems integration.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— June 2019 — EPC announces the availability of their industry-leading enhancement-mode gallium nitride (GaN) devices in wafer form for ease of integration.  EPC’s eGaN^® FETs and ICs are traditionally sold as singulated chip-scale devices with solder bars or solder bumps. 

EPC proudly announces the induction of Dr. Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder into the ISPSD Hall of Fame 2019

El Segundo, Calif. – May 2019 – Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) Corporation proudly announces that Dr. Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder, is inducted into the ISPSD Hall of Fame 2019. This prestigious honor is bestowed upon an honored contributor to advancing power semiconductor technology and sustaining the success of ISPSD. This Hall of Fame award was announced on May 20^th, 2019 at 31^st IEEE International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs (ISPSD) 2019 at the Marriott Parkview Hotel, Shanghai, China.

Unleash the full potential of your solutions with jjPlus wireless technologies!

TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 21, 2019 — jjPLus Corp. a Taiwan design manufacturer of high quality wireless communications and wireless power embedded solutions, will showcase the next generation Wireless Power Transfer as well as new WiFi solutions at COMPUTEX 2019 in Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1, at K1024 booth during May 28 - June 1 in Taipei, Taiwan..