Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) introduced a low-side gate driver for use with MOSFETs and Gallium-Nitride (GaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) in high-density power converters. The new LM5114 drives GaN FETs and MOSFETs in low-side applications, such as synchronous rectifiers and power factor converters. Together with the LM5113, the industry's first 100-V half-bridge GaN FET driver announced in 2011, the family provides a complete isolated DC/DC conversion driver solution for high-power GaN FETs and MOSFETs used in high-performance telecom, networking and data center applications. For more information, samples and an evaluation board, visit www.ti.com/gan

We know Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has commercialized enhancement-mode GaN-on-Si FETs, or eGaN FETs as EPC calls them, for more than a year now. Concurrently, it has been working with partners to realize dedicated drivers for its eGaN FETs, which offer lower RDS(ON) at higher voltages, lower gate charge, and no reverse recovery loss (QRR)—all these properties from a smaller die size than silicon. In essence, by comparison to silicon MOSFETs, the eGaN FETs offer a dramatic reduction in figures of merit or FOM.

By Ashok Bindra
How2Power
June, 2011

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GaN (Gallium-Nitride) FETs appear poised to eat into silicon FETs market share as switching devices for high-voltage power conversion circuits.

By Margery Conner
EDN
June 20, 2011

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National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE:NSM) today introduced the industry’s first 100V half-bridge gate driver optimized for use with enhancement-mode Gallium-Nitride (GaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) in high-voltage power converters. Enhancement-mode GaN FETs enable new levels of efficiency and power density compared to standard metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) due to their low on-resistance (Rdson) and gate charge (Qg) as well as their ultra-small footprint, but driving them reliably presents significant new challenges. National’s LM5113 driver integrated circuit (IC) eliminates these challenges, enabling power designers to realize the benefits of GaN FETs in a variety of popular power topologies.

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