News: Microelectronics
2 March 2021
EPC adds automotive-qualified 65V eGaN FET for higher-res LiDAR
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 expanded its AEC Q101-qualified product family with the addition of the EPC2219 65V GaN transistor with integrated reverse gate clamp diode optimized for high-resolution light detection & ranging (LiDAR) systems in the automotive industry and other harsh environments.
eGaN technology has been in mass production for more than a decade, accumulating billions of hours of successful field experience in automotive applications, such as LiDAR and radar for autonomous vehicles (AVs), 48V–12V DC–DC converters for mild hybrid power, ultra-high-fidelity infotainment systems, and high-intensity headlamps for trucks.
The EPC2219 has completed rigorous automotive AEC Q101 qualification testing including humidity testing with bias (H3TRB), high-temperature reverse bias (HTRB), high-temperature gate bias (HTGB), temperature cycling (TC), as well as several other tests. The new GaN device will be followed with several more discrete transistors and integrated circuits designed for the harsh automotive environment.
In addition to LiDAR in demanding automotive applications, the EPC2219 – a 65V, 3.3Ω, eGaN FET with integrated reverse gate clamp diode and tiny 0.81mm2 footprint – is suitable for driving GaN FETs in radar and ultrasonic sensors, satellite reaction wheels, high-frequency DC–DC conversion, wireless power, and class-D audio.
To complete AEC Q101 testing, EPC’s eGaN FETs undergo rigorous environmental and bias-stress testing. EPC notes that its wafer-level chip-scale (WLCS) packaging passes all the testing standards created for conventional packaged parts, demonstrating that the superior performance of chip-scale packaging does not compromise ruggedness or reliability. eGaN devices passing AEC Q101 testing are produced in facilities certified to the Automotive Quality Management System Standard IATF 16949.
“This new automotive product is the latest addition to a growing family of EPC transistors and integrated circuits designed to enable autonomous driving and improve fuel economy and safety,” says CEO & co-founder Alex Lidow.
The EPC2219 eGaN FET is priced at $0.54 each for 2.5Ku/reel and is available for immediate delivery from distributor Digi-Key.
