21 November 2013

EPC demo board featuring eGaN FETs delivers high-quality audio in space-saving design

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 introduced the EPC9106, a reference design for a 150W, 8Ω Class D audio amplifier. The demonstration board uses a bridge-tied-load (BTL) design, composed of four ground-referenced half-bridge output stages, allowing scalability and expandability of the design. All elements that can impact the sonic performance of Class D Audio systems are minimized or eliminated in an eGaN FET-based system, says EPC.

The EPC9106 features the EPC2016 eGaN FET in conjunction with the LM5113 100V half-bridge gate driver from Texas Instruments. The firm says the board demonstrates that high-quality sound can be achieved in a small size due to the performance capabilities of high-frequency-switching eGaN FETs when coupled with this dedicated eGaN driver. With this high efficiency, the EPC9106 design allows for the complete removal of any hea-tsink requirement, which also reduces the potential contribution to radiated EMI/EMC emissions.

The power block of the EPC9106 - including eGaN FETs, driver, inductor and input/output caps - is an ultra-compact 2.1mm x 1.6mm layout. Despite its small size, the EPC9106 reference design achieves 96% efficiency at 150W, 8Ω, and 92% efficiency at 250W, 4Ω.

Tags: EPC E-mode GaN FETs

Visit: http://epc-co.com/epc/Products/DemoBoards.aspx#referencedesign