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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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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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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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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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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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GaN HEMT Package Improves Paralleling Of Devices In Space Power Applications

GaN HEMT Package Improves Paralleling Of Devices In Space Power Applications

As more processing power and more complex loads are placed on-orbit or into deep space missions, it is sometime necessary to parallel two or more power switches. However, conventional power device packages, such as the FSMD-A/B/C/D and their I/O pad provisioning make it difficult to accomplish paralleling these devices in a performance-conscious manner. When paralleled, the gate and source-sense pads on these packages either serve to block the most efficient/shortest interconnect from package-to-package for the drain and source connections or for the gate and source-sense pads. So in parallel configurations, there is always a compromise between optimized drain-source load-circuit performance and gate-source-sense drive-loop performance. This article introduces the FSMD-G discrete HEMT package and explains how the reconfiguration of its I/O pads overcomes these limitations when paralleling GaN HEMTs.

How2Power
September, 2023
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Predicting GaN Device Lifetimes In Solar Microinverters And Power Optimizers

Predicting GaN Device Lifetimes In Solar Microinverters And Power Optimizers

Microinverters and power optimizers are widely utilized in modern solar panels to maximize energy efficiency and conversion. Such topologies and implementations usually require a minimum of 25 years of lifetime, which is becoming a critical challenge for market adoption. Low-voltage gallium nitride (GaN) power devices (VDS rating < 200 V) are a promising solution and are being used extensively by an increasing number of solar manufacturers.

In this article, a test-to-fail approach is adopted and applied to investigate the intrinsic underlying wear-out mechanisms of GaN transistors. The study enables the development of physics-based lifetime models that can accurately project the lifetimes under the unique demands of various mission profiles in solar applications.

How2Power
August, 2023
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A high efficiency, 3 kW capable, 2-phase, 3-level Converter using paralleled eGaN FETs

A high efficiency, 3 kW capable, 2-phase, 3-level Converter using paralleled eGaN FETs

As the revolution of renewable energy as well as transportation electrification progresses, the need for residential energy storage systems is increasing. A high efficiency DC-to-DC converter is usually required to exchange energy generated from renewable sources, such as solar panels, with a battery. The fast-switching speed and low RDS(on) of gallium nitride (GaN) FETs can help save energy by reducing power consumption inside the DC-to-DC converter. This article shows how to design a high efficiency 100 – 250 V to 40 - 60 V DC-to-DC converter.

Power Electronics Europe
May, 2023
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The Evolution of Low Voltage Power Distribution in Automotive Electronics – From ICE to MHEV to BEV

The Evolution of Low Voltage Power Distribution in Automotive Electronics – From ICE to MHEV to BEV

Automotive electronics have gone through several eras of evolution in the past 30 years. From the pure internal combustion engines (ICE) that had mostly mechanical, or engine-driven systems, to the mild hybrid (MHEV) with the addition of electrical motivation, to the fully battery-electric car (BEV). In each of these three eras, the architecture, and even the basic semiconductor components for converting and distributing electrical power changed. This article discusses this evolution and makes some speculations about likely further evolutionary directions.

Power Systems Design
August, 2023
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