Envelope tracking (ET) for radio frequency (RF) amplifiers is not new. But with the ever increasing need for improved cell phone battery life, better base station energy efficiency, and more output power from very costly RF transmitters, the need for improving the RF Power Amplifier (PA) system efficiency through ET has become an intense topic of research and development.

We demonstrate what power and efficiency levels are readily realizable using eGaN FETs in a buck converter for high power envelope tracking applications.

By Johan Strydom, Ph.D., Vice President of Applications, EPC Power Electronics Technology

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The GaN power device industry has probably generated less than $2.5M revenues in 2011, as only 2 companies (IRF & EPC Corp.) are selling products on the open market. However, the overall GaN activity has seen extra revenues as R&D contracts, qualification tests and sampling for qualified customers was extremely buoyant.

http://www.news10.com/story/17735484/power-gan-2012?clienttype=printable

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – April, 2012 - Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, (www.epc-co.com) the leader in enhancement mode gallium nitride FET technology, announces today that it has been recognized with inclusion in the EE Times Silicon 60 list of 60 Emerging Startups. Companies are selected by the editorial team at EE Times based on a mix of criteria including: technology, intended market, maturity, financial position, investment profile, and executive leadership.

"It is an honor to receive this recognition from EE Times as one of the hottest emerging electronics companies and as EE Times has noted, 'an emerging company worthy of tracking,'" commented Alex Lidow, CEO, Efficient Power Conversion Corporation.

With eGaN® FETs' high-performance capabilities, we have seen rapid adoption in applications for efficient DC/DC conversion, POL converters, Class D audio amplifier and high frequency circuits. Texas Instruments’ introduction of the industry's first 100V, half-bridge GaN FET driver (LM5113), optimized for use with enhancement-mode GaN (eGaN) field-effect transistors (FETs),has further propelled such an accelerated adoption pace in applications like high-performance telecom power supplies, networking and datacom centers.

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EDN China April 2012 Print Issue

EDN China April 2012