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.

Gallium Nitride (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  or visit our forum to share your questions with other engineers..

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)
EPC7014 Preferred Single Rad Hard 60 6 340 0.142 0.043 0.025 0.764 2.4 4 BGA 0.9 x 0.9 Contact EPC
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
GaN Power Bench

Access cross reference search, design tools, models, and performance simulations in our GaN Power Bench to assist your design process.

View EPC’S entire GaN FET and IC product portfolio

Videos

GaN-based Solutions for Cost Effective Direct and Indirect Time-of-Flight Lidar Transmitters

Technical Documents

Ask a Lidar Expert

Ask an EPC Lidar Engineer a Question

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