16 April 2015

EPC launches 100V monolithic GaN power transistor half-bridge enabling 97% system efficiency for 48V to 12V point-of load converter at 22A output

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 launched the 100V EPC2104 enhancement-mode monolithic GaN transistor half-bridge.

By integrating two eGaN power FETs into a single device, interconnect inductances and the interstitial space needed on the PCB are eliminated, resulting in a 50% reduction in board area occupied by the transistors. This increases both efficiency (especially at higher frequencies) and power density, while reducing assembly costs to the end-user's power conversion system.

Using the EPC2104 in a complete buck converter, system efficiency is greater than 97% at 22A when switching at 300kHz, and approaching 97% at 22A when switching at 500kHz, achieved when converting from 48V to 12V.

The EPC2104 comes in a chip-scale package for improved switching speed and thermal performance, and is only 6.05mm x 2.3mm for increased power density. The half-bridge is suitable for high-frequency DC-DC conversion and motor drive applications.

The EPC9040 development board is 2" x 2" (50.8mm x 50.8mm), contains one EPC2104 integrated half-bridge component, and uses the Texas Instruments LM5113 gate driver as well as supply and bypass capacitors. The board has been laid out for optimal switching performance and includes probe points to facilitate simple waveform measurement and efficiency calculation.

The EPC2104 monolithic half-bridge is priced at $8,31 each in 1000-unit quantities. The EPC9040 development boards are priced at $137.75 each. Both are available from Digi-Key.

See related items:

EPC launches monolithic GaN power transistor half-bridge enabling 97% system efficiency for 48V to 12V buck converter at 20A output

EPC launches monolithic GaN half-bridge enabling 48V to 12V system efficiency at 20A output over 97%

EPC launches first commercially available monolithic eGaN transistor half-bridge

Tags: EPC E-mode GaN FETs

Visit: www.digikey.com/Suppliers/us/Efficient-Power-Conversion

Visit: http://epc-co.com/epc/Products/eGaNFETs/EPC2104.aspx

Visit: http://epc-co.com/epc/Products/DemoBoards/EPC9040.aspx