Aerospace and Defense GaN Applications: Lidar / Pulsed Power

TimeLidar / Pulsed Power
Fast, High Current Switching

Lidar (Light Distancing and Ranging) systems use pulsed lasers to rapidly provide a high-resolution, 360-degree, three dimensional images. This technology is increasingly used for autonomous rendezvous and docking in spaceflight as well as for robotics. In lidar, the speed of the laser is critical to getting extremely high-resolution images.

Other pulsed power applications benefit from the extremely fast switching of GaN FETs and ICs with current capability ranging from 10 A to more than 200 A.

GaN FETs and integrated circuits are the logical choice to use for firing a laser because the GaN devices can be triggered to create high-current pulses with extremely short pulse widths. The short pulse width leads to higher resolution, and the higher pulse current allows lidar system to see farther. These two characteristics, along with the extremely small size, make GaN FETs and ICs ideal for lidar systems.

GaN automotive power

Reference Designs

Time of Flight(ToF)/Lidar Reference Designs

  Part
Number
Default
Configuration
Description VBUS
(max)
VINPUT
(max)
TPin
(min)
Max
Pulse (A)
Featured Product
EPC9165 Demonstration Board
EPC9144 IToF High Current Pulsed Laser Diode Driver Demo Board 12 5 1 ns 28 EPC2216 Buy Now
EPC9165 Demonstration Board
EPC9154 IToF High Current Pulsed Laser Diode Driver Demo Board 30 5 2 ns 10 EPC21601 Buy Now
EPC9165 Demonstration Board
EPC9156 IToF High Current Pulsed Laser Diode Driver Demo Board 30 5 2 ns 10 EPC21603 Buy Now
EPC9179 Reference Board
EPC9179 Resonant Pulse DToF High Current Pulsed Laser Diode Driver Demo Board 70 5 2 ns 75 EPC2252 Buy Now
EPC9181 Reference Board
EPC9181 Resonant Pulse DToF High Current Pulsed Laser Diode Driver Demo Board 70 5 2 ns 125 EPC2204A Buy Now
EPC9180 Reference Board
EPC9180 Resonant Pulse DToF High Current Pulsed Laser Diode Driver Demo Board 70 5 2 ns 230 EPC2218A Buy Now
EPC9165 Demonstration Board
EPC9150 Resonant Pulse DToF High Current Pulsed Laser Diode Driver Demo Board 160 5 1 ns 220 EPC2034C Buy Now

EPC’s application team is constantly working on new reference designs. If there is a requirement not met by the listed boards, please contact us via Ask a GaN Expert to discuss your application further.

Half-bridge development boards are available for quick evaluation of most eGaN FETs and ICs.

Products

Recommended GaN Devices for ToF/Lidar

Part Number Status Configuration VDS
max
VGS
max
max
RDS(on)
(mΩ)
@5VGS
QG
typ
(nC)
QGS
typ
(nC)
QGD
typ
(nC)
QOSS
typ
(nC)
ID (A) Pulsed ID
(A)
Package
(mm)
EPC2040 Active Single 15 6 30 0.745 0.23 0.14 0.42 3.4 28 BGA 0.85 x 1.2 Buy Now
EPC2216 Active Single AEC 15 6 26 0.87 0.21 0.13 0.53 3.4 28 BGA 0.85 x 1.2 Buy Now
EPC21601 Preferred Single eToF™ Laser Driver 40 5 1.5 3.4 15 BGA 1 x 1.5 Buy Now
EPC21603 Preferred Single eToF™ Laser Driver 40 5 1.5 3.4 15 BGA 1 x 1.5 Buy Now
EPC7014 Preferred Single Rad Hard 60 7 340 0.142 0.043 0.025 0.764 2.4 4 BGA 0.9 x 0.9 Contact EPC
EPC2219 Preferred Single With Gate Diode AEC 65 5.75 3300 0.049 0.023 0.0037 0.114 0.5 0.5 BGA 0.9 x 0.9 Buy Now
EPC2219 Preferred Single With Gate Diode AEC 6 BGA 0.9 x 0.9 Buy Now
EPC21701 Preferred Single eToF™ Laser Driver 80 5.5 4.2 7.2 15 BGA 1.7 x 1 Buy Now
EPC2203 Active Single AEC 80 5.75 80 0.67 0.22 0.12 3.6 1.7 17 BGA 0.9 x 0.9 Buy Now
EPC2214 Active Single AEC 80 6 20 1.8 0.5 0.3 8 10 47 BGA 1.35 x 1.35 Buy Now
EPC2252 Preferred Single AEC 80 6 11 3.5 1 0.5 15 8.2 75 BGA 1.5x1.5 Buy Now
EPC2204A Preferred Single AEC 80 6 6 5.7 1.8 0.8 25 29 125 LGA 2.5 x 1.5 Buy Now
EPC2218A Preferred Single AEC 80 6 3.2 10.5 3.2 1.5 46 60 231 LGA 3.5 x 1.95 Buy Now
EPC2221 Preferred Dual Common Source AEC 100 6 58 0.85 0.27 0.19 4.7 5 20 BGA 1.35 x 1.35 Buy Now
EPC2070 Preferred Single 100 6 23 1.9 0.6 0.2 6 1.7 34 BGA 0.85 x 1.3 Buy Now
EPC7003 Engr Single Rad Hard 100 6 30 1.8 0.6 0.3 9.4 10 42 LGA 1.7 x 1.1 Contact EPC
EPC2044 Preferred Single 100 6 10.5 4.3 1.3 0.5 15 9.4 89 BGA 2.15 x 1.25 Buy Now
EPC2204 Preferred Single 100 6 6 5.7 1.8 0.8 25 29 125 LGA 2.5 x 1.5 Buy Now
EPC2088 Preferred Single 100 6 3.2 12.5 4.4 1.4 47 60 231 LGA 3.5 x 1.95 Buy Now
EPC2207 Preferred Single 200 6 22 4.5 1.3 0.7 23 14 54 LGA 2.8 x 0.925 Buy Now
EPC2307 Engr Single 200 6 10 10.6 3.8 1.3 58 48 130 QFN 3 x 5 Buy Now
EPC2215 Preferred Single 200 6 8 13.6 3.3 2.1 69 32 162 LGA 4.6 x 1.6 Buy Now
EPC2304 Engr Single 200 6 5 21 7.5 2.6 115 102 260 QFN 3 x 5 Buy Now
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Videos

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Technical Documents

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