News: Microelectronics
7 April 2022
EPC introduces 350V GaN power transistor with 80mΩ RDS(on) and 26A peak current
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 announced the production release of the EPC2050, a 350V GaN transistor with a maximum on-resistance (RDS(on)) of 80mΩ and a 26A pulsed output current. The EPC2050 measures just 1.95mm x 1.95mm, enabling power solutions to occupy ten times less area than comparable silicon solutions.
Applications benefiting from the fast switching speed and tiny size of the EPC2050 include DC-DC conversion from/to 120V-160V such as in aerospace applications, 120V-150V motor control for medical motors, DC-AC inverters, multi-level converters such as totem-pole PFC (power factor correction) and DC-DC solutions converting 400V input to 12V, 20V or 48V outputs. Additional applications include fast chargers, battery management systems, electric vehicle (EV) charging, solar power inverters, high-power light detection & ranging (LiDAR) for autonomous cars and delivery vehicles, LED lighting, RF switches, and consumer & industrial wiring like wall-mounted sockets and Class D audio.
The EPC2050 is also suitable for 120VAC-only applications. A typical power supply bus voltage is 170-250V. This includes applications specific to the Americas market, such as power tools and in-wall powered devices, seat-back airline 120V inverters, and commercial LED lighting.
“With the EPC2050, designers no longer have to choose between size and performance – they can have both and lower cost,” says CEO Alex Lidow.
The EPC90121 development board is a 350V maximum device voltage, 4A maximum output current half-bridge featuring the EPC2050 and On-Semi’s NCP51820 gate driver. The board measures 2” x 2” and contains all critical components, and the layout supports optimal switching performance.
The EPC2050 eGaN FET is priced at $3.05 each in 1000-unit quantities, and the EPC90121 development board is priced at $156.25 each. Both are available from distributor Digi-Key Corp.
