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Battery-powered industrial vehicles such as forklifts, manual handlers, or warehouse automatic vehicles require high-current inverters to drive the electric motors. Gallium nitride technology helps to increase the power capability and simplify the inverter design in these applications.
Bodo’s Power Systems
October, 2023
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Lower-voltage GaN FETs are reducing size, minimizing cooling requirements and improving efficiency.
Lower-voltage GaN FETs (i.e., 100 V) are reducing size, minimizing cooling requirements and improving efficiency for many traditional Si-based power MOSFET applications. In this article, the challenges to repeatably and reliable characterization of the dynamic performance of these devices is discussed. Careful and thoughtful mechanical and electrical design of a customized GaN fixture and test board can overcome many of these challenges, enabling the confident use of these new WBG devices in your power-converter designs.
Power Electronics News
July, 2023
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The development of gallium nitride technology has ushered in a new age for power electronics. The greater bandgap, critical field, and electron mobility are the three factors that affect GaN technology the most. To concentrate on expanding motor drive applications based on GaN technology in the e-mobility, robotics, drone, and industrial automation areas, EPC has opened a new design application center close to Turin, Italy.
EE Times Europe
September, 2022
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New Motor Drive Center of Excellence (CoE) design center in Turin, Italy, to help customers exploit the power of GaN for growing motor drive applications
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— September, 2022 — EPC has opened a new design application center near Turin, Italy, to focus on growing motor drive applications based on GaN technology in the e-mobility, robotics, drones, and industrial automation markets. The specialist team will support customers in accelerating their design cycles and define future Integrated Circuits for power management with state-of-the art equipment to test applications from 400 W to 10’s of kW.
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With the continuous and fast-paced growth of data processing infrastructures, higher power levels that can be delivered in smallest areas are demanded.
Power Systems Design
September, 2021
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In this article, the author introduces a GaN FET compatible analog controller that yields a low bill-of-material count and give designers the ability to design a synchronous buck converter in the same simple way as using silicon FETs, and offers superior performance for 48 V power systems.
Power Electronics News
April, 2021
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GaN transistors and ICs allow increasing power density in motor drive applications by eliminating electrolytic capacitors in the input filter. The superior switching behavior of GaN helps to remove dead time and obtain un-matched sinusoidal voltage and current waveforms for smoother, silent operation.
Bodo’s Power Systems
April, 2021
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This article discusses the challenges that thermal management raises due to increase power density, especially with chip-scale packaging (CSP). What is sometimes overlooked, however, is that CSP eGaN® power FETs and integrated circuits have excellent thermal performance when mounted on standard printed circuit board (PCBs) with simple methods for attaching heat sinks. Simulations, supported by experimental verification, examine the effect of various parameters and heat flow paths to provide guidance on designing for performance versus cost.
Bodo’s Power Systems
February, 2021
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Gallium nitride (GaN) transistors have been in mass production for over 10 years. In their first few years of availability, the fast switching speed of the new devices – up to 10 times faster than the venerable Si MOSFET – was the main reason for designers to use GaN FETs. As the pricing of GaN devices normalized with the MOSFET, coupled with the expansion of a broad range of devices with different voltage ratings and power handling capabilities, much wider acceptance was realized in mainstream applications such as DC-DC converters for computers, motor drives for robots, and e-mobility bikes and scooters. The experience gained from the early adopters has led the way for later entrants into the GaN world get into production faster. This article is the first in a series of articles discussing three topics that can help power systems designers achieve the most out of their GaN-based designs at the lowest cost. The three topics are: (1) layout considerations; (2) thermal design for maximum power handling; and, (3) EMI reduction techniques for lowest cost.
Bodo’s Power Systems
January, 2021
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A high power 1/16th brick converter using GaN FETs could increase maximum load current in these designs.
Electronics Specifier
July, 2020
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Based on the third edition textbook, GaN Transistors for Efficient Power Conversion, EPC has posted the first half of a 14-part educational video podcast series on the theory, design basics and applications, such as lidar, DC-DC conversion, and wireless power using gallium nitride FETs and ICs
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – March 2020 – Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) Corporation has posted an update to its popular “How to GaN” video podcast series, These updated videos are based on the recently published third edition textbook, GaN Transistors for Efficient Power Conversion. This 14-part educational video podcast series is designed to provide power system design engineers a technical foundation and application-focused toolset on how to design more efficient power conversion systems using gallium nitride-based transistors and integrated circuits.
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The Trilogy of Wireless Power Transfer consists of three parts: Basics Principles of Wireless Power Transmission, Wireless Power Transfer Systems and Applications. The first part of the book explains the basic physical principles and the different methods of contactless power transmission. Furthermore, the leading standards are presented in this part. The second part describes wireless power transfer systems, the different topologies of wireless power transmission, the right selection of transmitter and receiver coils required to increase efficiency, and the selection of transistors, for instance. The third part is dedicated to practical applications. This includes applications within the scope of the Qi standard, as well as examples of proprietary solutions. An overview of EMI-relevant topics for closely and loosely coupled systems, as well as an example of a multimode wireless power transmission system round out the practical part. The authors of the "Trilogy of Wireless Power Transfer" are Cem Som, Division Manager Wireless Power Transfer at Würth Elektronik eiSos; and Dr. Michael de Rooij, Vice President Applications Engineering at Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, Inc. The book costs 19 euros and can be ordered from Würth Elektronik eiSos or through bookstores.
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For LiDAR systems to meet ever-higher performance specs, they must perform fast switching of high-current pulses, which is where a gallium-nitride power switch can step in to help.
Electronic Design
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LIDAR is presently a subject of great interest, primarily due to its widespread adoption in autonomous navigation systems for vehicles, robots, drones, and other mobile machines. eGaN devices are one of the main factors in making affordable, high performance LIDAR possible in a small form factor thus further fueling the LIDAR revolution.
EDN
By John Glaser
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As GaN-on-Si becomes more common in DC-DC converter designs, questions often arise from experienced designers about the impact of the unique characteristics of GaN transistors when used as synchronous rectifiers (SRs). In particular, the third quadrant off-state characteristics, better known as “body diode” conduction in Si MOSFETs, which is activated during converter dead-time, is of interest. For this article, the focus will be on the similarities and differences of Si MOSFETs and eGaN® FETs when operated as a “body diode” and outline their relative advantages and disadvantages.
Bodo’s Power Systems
By David Reusch & John Glaser
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Best design practices utilize the advantages offered by eGaN FETs, including printed circuit board (PCB) layout and thermal management. As GaN transistor switching charges continue to decrease, system parasitics must also be reduced to achieve maximum switching speeds and minimize parasitic ringing typical of power converters.
Power Electronics
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On November 3rd, IEEE PELS will offer a webinar by Alex Lidow and Michael de Rooij discussing the design and PCB manufacturing methods for using chip-scale packaged GaN power devices.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— October 2016 — Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) experts on the design and use of gallium nitride transistors will conduct a one-hour webinar sponsored by the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) on November 3rd from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT).
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Though there are two standards for charging appliances wirelessly, a single circuit can be devised to serve as a charging node for both of them.
Design World
Michael de Rooij, Ph.D., Vice President, Applications Engineering
March, 2016
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Power transistors with faster switching speeds will enable power supplies with smaller form factors and higher energy transfer efficiencies. Indeed, the elimination of heat sinks will give designers the ability to visualize entirely new form factors for power bricks and modules, including those enabling wireless power transfers. Gallium-nitride (GaN) transistors fabricated on silicon substrates can boost efficiencies and help shrink the footprint of power supplies.
Electronic Design
March, 2016
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In this installment, we present a method to design a suitable EMI filter that can reduce unwanted frequencies to levels within radiated EMI specifications, and do this without negatively impacting the performance of the wireless power coil. In addition, the overall radiated EMI design aspects will also be covered.
EEWeb - Wireless & RF Magazine
Michael de Rooij, Ph.D.
February, 1, 2016
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