In this episode, Alex Lidow and Marti McCurdy discusses EPC’s test-to-failure method in improving gallium nitride (GaN) devices. According to Alex, testing to failure has allowed EPC to tease out the exact stressors that cause failure and improve EPC’s GaN devices 10-100 times the reliability of commercial devices, and even 100 times reliability in space applications.

Alex and Marti discuss:

(1:30) Why test to fail
(4:14) Learning from failure data and stressors
(11:38) Safe Operating Area
(14:30) Mechanical stressors
(17:45) EPC Space

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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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This article discusses how GaN-based solutions coupled with digital control increase efficiency, shrink the size, and reduce system costs for high density computing applications like ultra-thin laptops and high-end gaming systems. As computers, displays, smartphones and other consumer electronics systems become thinner and more powerful over the past decade, there is increasing demand for addressing the challenge of thinner solutions while extracting more power out of limited space. To address this challenge, the comparative advantages of various non-isolated DC-DC step-down topologies for ultra-thin 48 V – 20 V power solutions that are designed to fit inside a notebook computer or an ultra-thin display are examined.

Power Electronics News
January, 2021
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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) publishes Phase-12 Reliability Report adding to the extensive knowledge found in their first eleven reports. With this report, EPC demonstrates field experience of 226 billion eGaN ^® device hours and a robustness capability unmatched by silicon power devices.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— January 2021 — EPC announces its Phase-12 Reliability Report, documenting the strategy used to achieve a remarkable field reliability record. eGaN devices have been in volume production for more than eleven years and have demonstrated very high reliability in over 226 billion hours of operation, most of which are in vehicles, LTE base stations, and satellites, to name just a few applications with rigorous operating conditions.

The combination of MPS (Monolithic Power Systems) controllers with ultra-efficient eGaN^® FETs from EPC (Efficient Power Conversion) enable best-in-class power density of 1700 W/in³ in high efficiency, low cost LLC DC-DC Conversion

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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Standard qualification testing for semiconductors typically involves stressing devices at-or-near the limits specified in their data sheets for a prolonged period of time, or for a certain number of cycles. The goal of qualification testing is to have zero failures out of a large group of parts tested. By testing parts to the point of failure, an understanding of the amount of margin between the data sheet limits can be developed, but more importantly, an understanding of the intrinsic failure mechanisms of the semiconductor can be found.

IEEE Power Electronics Magazine
December, 2020
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An automotive application using GaN power devices in high volume is lidar(light detection and ranging) for autonomous vehicles. Lidar technology provides information about a vehicle’s surroundings, thus requiring high accuracy and reliability to ensure safety and performance. This article will discus a novel testing mechanism developed by EPC to test eGaN devices beyond the qualification requirements of the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC) for the specific use case of lidar.

Power Systems Design
December, 2020
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EPC introduces the 40 V, 3 milliohm EPC2055 eGaN^® FET, offering designers a device that is smaller, more efficient, and more reliable than currently available devices for high performance, space-constrained applications.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — December 2020 — Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, the world’s leader in enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power FETs and ICs, advances the performance capability of low voltage, off-the-shelf gallium nitride transistors with the introduction of the EPC2055 (3 mΩ, 40 V) eGaN FET. 

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — December 2020 — BrightLoop Converters has greatly reduced the size, cost and improved reliability of its latest BB SP DC-DC buck converters thanks to Efficient Power Conversion Corporation’s (EPC) EPC2029 enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN^®) FET transistors. By switching from silicon (Si) transistors to gallium nitride (GaN), BrightLoop was able to increase the switching frequency of their design from 200 kHz to 600 kHz, while keeping the same efficiency. This design change increased the power density of the solution by a factor of approximately two and this resulted in lower cost by enabling the implementation of a smaller enclosure.

EPC’s EPC2029 is an 80 V, 48 A eGaN^® FET featuring a 1 mm ball pitch. The wider pitch allows for placement of additional and larger vias under the device to enable high current carrying capability despite the extremely small 2.6 mm x 4.6 mm footprint.

面向高功率密度和低成本的DC/DC轉換，EPC9151功率模組利用EPC2152 ePower™功率級實現性能更高和尺寸更小的解決方案。

宜普電源轉換公司（EPC）宣佈推出EPC9151，这是一款300 W、雙向、超小尺寸的1/16磚型DC/DC降壓轉換器模組，其尺寸僅為33 mm x 22.9 mm (1.3”x 0.9”)。EPC9151採用Microchip公司的數位信號控制器（dsPIC33CK）和EPC公司的 ePower™ 功率級集成电路（EPC2152），於300 W、48 V/12 V的轉換器中，可以實現95％以上的效率，而且可以在這個可擴展的兩相設計中增加相數，使得功率可以更高。

Gallium nitride power device technology enables a new generation of power converters in space operating at higher frequencies, higher efficiencies, and greater power densities than everachievable before. GaN power devices can also exhibit superior radiation tolerance compared with Silicon MOSFETs depending upon their device design.

Power Electronics Europe
December, 2020
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寬能隙（WBG）半導體例如碳化矽（SiC）和氮化鎵（GaN）是功率轉換的前沿科技。它們為設計工程師帶來具有全新的頻譜、功率密度和外型尺寸的元件。

EDN Editorial Advisory Board
2020年12月
收聽訪問內容

宜普電源轉換公司（EPC）是增強型矽基氮化鎵（eGaN^®）功率場效應電晶體和積體電路的全球行業領先供應商，其首席執行長兼共同創辦人Alex Lidow博士於2020全球電子成就獎（WEAA）評選中，榮獲年度傑出貢獻人物獎。

全球電子成就獎旨在評選並表彰對推動全球電子產業創新做出傑出貢獻的企業和管理者，以及在業界處於領先地位的產品。由ASPENCORE全球資深產業分析師組成的評審委員會以及各地區（亞洲、美國、歐洲）網站用戶群進行綜合評定共同評選出得獎者。

宜普電源轉換公司（EPC）推出170 V、6.8毫歐的EPC2059氮化鎵場效應電晶體(eGaN^® FET），相比目前用於高性能48 V同步整流的元件，EPC為設計工程師提供更小型化、更高效、更可靠且成本更低的元件。

宜普電源轉換公司是增強型矽基氮化鎵（eGaN）功率場效應電晶體和積體電路的全球領先供應商，旨在提高產品性能而同時降低可發貨的氮化鎵電晶體的成本，推出EPC2059(6.8 mΩ、170 V)氮化鎵場效應電晶體，是100 V ~ 200 V解決方案系列的最新產品，該系列適用於廣闊的功率級並備有不同價格的元件可供選擇，滿足市場對48 V ~ 56 V伺服器和數據中心產品，以及一系列用於高端運算的消費類電源應用（包括遊戲PC，LCD / LED電視和LED照明）不斷增長的需求。

Stefan Werkstetter appointed as New Director of Sales for EMEA to focus on assisting customers in the adoption of eGaN^® FETs and Integrated Circuits for applications including DC-DC, lidar, motor control, and other leading-edge power conversion systems

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — November 2020 — To support the continued adoption of gallium nitride (GaN) FETs and Integrated Circuits in the European market, Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Stefan Werkstetter as Director, Sales EMEA.

氮化鎵（GaN）技術已實現重大改進，而且它極具成本效益，可以替代MOSFET元件。 從2017年開始，採用氮化鎵元件的48 V DC/D轉換器開始成為市場上重要的應用。 各種拓撲諸如多相和多級降壓轉換器，實現具備更高效率的全新解決方案，可以滿足IT和汽車市場的能源需求。

Power Electronics News
2020年11月
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Gallium nitride FETs have continued to gain traction in many power electronic applications, but GaN technology is still in the early part of its life cycle. While there is much room to improve basic FET performance figures of merit an even more promising avenue is the development of GaN power ICs.

Bodo’s Power Systems
November, 2020
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The ultimate aim of Artificial Intelligence is to provide machines the ability to operate autonomously. One such area which is projected to grow exponentially over the next decade is Autonomous Vehicles. With Artificial Intelligence coupled with the rapid advances in electronics and computer technology, the word driverless will soon take over the roads.

AI Time Journal
October, 2020
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THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minnesota, USA – Digi-Key Electronics, the leading global electronic components distributor, announced that it has partnered with Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) to host a webinar on how to harness the power of eGaN FETS and ICs for motor drives. The webinar will take place on October 28 at 8 a.m. PST.

Register for the Harness the Power of GaN for Smaller, Lighter, More Precise Motor Drives webinar at EPC’s webinar page