News: Microelectronics
13 December 2021
EPC launches 100V, 65A ePower Chipset for 48V DC-DC conversion and motor drives
Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA – which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications – has introduced a 100V, 65A integrated circuit chipset designed for 48V DC-DC conversion used in high-density computing applications and in 48V brushless DC (BLDC) motor drives for e-mobility, robotics and drones.
The EPC23101 eGaN IC plus EPC2302 eGaN FET offers a new ePower Chipset capable of a maximum withstand voltage of 100V, delivering up to 65A load current, while capable of switching speeds greater than 1MHz.
Key features of the EPC23101 integrated circuit using EPC’s proprietary GaN IC technology include an integrated 3.3mΩ on-resistance (RDS(on)) high-side FET with gate driver, input logic interface, level shifting, bootstrap charging, gate drive buffer circuits and gate driver output to drive external low-side eGaN FET.
The EPC2302 eGaN FET offers a small RDS(on) of just 1.8mΩ, together with very small QG, QGD and QOSS parameters for low conduction and switching losses.
Both devices feature a thermally enhanced QFN package with exposed top with optimized pinout between the two devices. The combined chipset footprint is 7mm x 5mm, offering an extremely small solution size for highest-power-density applications.
When operated in a 48V-to-12V buck converter, the EPC23101 + EPC2302 chipset delivers 96% efficiency at 1MHz switching frequency and 97% efficiency at 500kHz switching frequency, and can deliver 65A with less than 50°C temperature rise.
EPC says that the ePower family of products makes it easy for designers to take advantage of the significant performance improvements made possible with GaN technology. Integrated devices are easier to design, easier to layout, easier to assemble, save space on the PCB, and increase efficiency, the firm adds.
“Discrete power transistors are entering their final chapter,” says CEO & co-founder Alex Lidow. “Integrated GaN-on-silicon offers higher performance in a smaller footprint with significantly reduced design engineering required,” he adds. “From the serenity or control environment of digital and analog controllers, the ePower Chipset translates the PWM command signals to high-voltage and high-current waveforms capable of driving real-world loads. Designers can use the ePower Chipset to make lighter-weight and more precise battery-operated BLDC motor drives for eMotion, robotic arms and drones, higher-efficiency 48V input DC/DC converters for data-center, datacom, artificial intelligence, solar MPPT [maximum power point tracking] and other industrial and consumer applications.”
The EPC90142 development board is a 100V maximum device voltage, 65A maximum output current half-bridge featuring the EPC23101 Integrated ePower FET and EPC2302 eGaN FET. The purpose of this board is to simplify the evaluation process of the ePower Stage Chipset. This 2” x 2” (50.8mm x 50.8mm) board is designed for optimal switching performance and contains all critical components for easy evaluation.
The EPC23101 is priced at $5.28 each and the EPC2302 is priced at $4.91 each, both in 1Ku volumes. The EPC90142 development board is priced at $156.25 each. All devices and boards are available for immediate delivery from distributor Digi-Key Corp.
