14 April 2016

Freebird partners with EPC to develop radiation-hardened GaN power conversion systems for satellite and harsh-environment applications

Freebird Semiconductor Corp of North Andover, MA, USA, which manufactures high-reliability gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) products for power semiconductor technologies in the commercial space-flight high-reliability sector, has signed an agreement to develop products for use in high-reliability, space and harsh-environment applications based on the enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistor (FET) technology of Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA.

"Freebird is focused upon developing components and circuits to be used in highly efficient, radiation-hardened power conversion systems for use in harsh environment and space applications," says Freebird's president & CEO Dr Simon Wainwright. "GaN technology will permit space applications to utilize the latest in high-performance semiconductor material, whereas when using silicon-based components in these applications produces systems that are behind the latest performance curves," he adds. 

"The superior conductivity and switching characteristics of GaN devices allow designers to greatly reduce system power losses, size, and weight," notes EPC's CEO & co-founder Dr Alex Lidow. "Given GaN's superior state-of-the-art performance, coupled with its demonstrated ability to operate reliably under harsh environmental conditions and high radiation, GaN devices have a very bright future in space applications," he believes. 

In addition to collaborating on power systems product development, the two firms aim to publish the results of their work and give joint presentations at conferences.

Tags: EPC E-mode GaN FETs GaN-on-Si

Visit: www.epc-co.com

Visit: www.freebirdsemi.com