Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA, which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) for power management applications, has extended its range of high-speed, high-performance transistors with the EPC8000 family of products.
Breaking new ground for power transistors, it is claimed, the third-generation devices have switching transition speeds in the sub-nanosecond range, making them capable of hard-switching applications above 10MHz. Even beyond the 10MHz for which they were designed, the products exhibit good small-signal RF performance with high gain well into the low-GHz range, making them a competitive choice for RF applications, the firm claims.
"These products take EPC and gallium nitride transistor technology to a level of performance that enables applications that were previously beyond the capability of MOSFETs," says co-founder & CEO Alex Lidow. "We now have eGaN FETs that can be used in both power semiconductor and RF applications," he adds.
Products in the family are available with on-resistance values from 125mΩ through 530mΩ, and three blocking voltage capabilities, 40V, 65V and 100V. The transistors have several new features that further enable designers to take full advantage of the high performance that GaN FETs offer, says EPC. These features include reduction in QGD, reducing voltage transient switching losses, improved Miller ratio (providing high dv/dt immunity), low-inductance pads (for improved connection to both gate and drain circuits), orthogonal current flow between the gate and drain circuits (for enhanced CSI reduction), and a separate gate return connection (also for enhanced CSI reduction).
Examples of applications benefiting from the low-power, compact, high-frequency EPC8000 family of devices include hard-switching power converters operating in the multi-megahertz range, envelope tracking in RF power amplifiers, and highly resonant wireless power transfer systems for wireless charging of mobile devices.
Also available now is the EPC9027 development board, featuring the EPC8007 devices and the LM5113 gate driver IC in a half-bridge configuration. Additional development boards will be available to support designers in evaluating and incorporating other EPC8000 family products into their power conversion systems.
Evaluation units of the EPC8000 family of products are available in 10-piece packs, starting at $430, through Digi-Key Corp.
