News: Microelectronics
22 June 2022
Transphorm’s reference design portfolio kick-starts USB-C PD GaN power adapter development
Transphorm Inc of Goleta, near Santa Barbara, CA, USA — which designs and manufactures JEDEC- and AEC-Q101-qualified gallium nitride (GaN) field-effect transistors (FETs) for high-voltage power conversion — has announced the availability of seven reference designs intended to speed development of GaN-based USB-C PD power adapters. The portfolio includes a wide range of open frame design options with various topologies, outputs, and wattages (45-140W) to choose from.
SuperGaN technology difference
The power adapter reference designs use SuperGaN Gen IV 650V FETs to deliver ease-of-design and high reliability with high performance. In recent analysis, compared with a 175mΩ e-mode GaN device, Transphorm’s 240mΩ SuperGaN FET showed lower on-resistance rise with temperatures above 75°C and higher performance at 50% and 100% (full) power.
Power adapter reference designs
Transphorm’s portfolio includes five open frame USB-C PD reference designs ranging in frequency from 140kHz to 300kHz. As an example, Transphorm partnered with Silanna Semiconductor on a 65W active clamp flyback (ACF) RD running at 140kHz with a peak efficiency of 94.5%:
- (1x) 45W adapter RD offers 24W/in3 power density in a quasi-resonant flyback (QRF) topology;
- (3x) 65W adapter RDs offer 30W/in3 power density in ACF or QRF topologies;
- (1x) 100W adapter RD offers 18W/in3 power density in a power factor correction (PFC)+QRF topology.
Transphorm’s portfolio also includes two open frame USB-C PD/PPS reference designs ranging in frequency from 110kHz to 140kHz. Transphorm partnered with Diodes Inc on both solutions, leveraging the company’s ACF controller to achieve greater than 93.5% peak efficiency:
- (1x) 65W adapter RD offers 29W/in3 power density in an ACF topology;
- (1x) 140W adapter RD offers 20W/in3 power density in a PFC+ACF topology.
“Transphorm is unique in that it offers the only portfolio of GaN FETs covering the widest range of power levels for the broadest range of applications,” says Tushar Dhayagude, VP, field applications & technical sales. “Our power adapter reference designs spotlight our low-power capabilities. We offer controller-agnostic PQFN and TO-220 devices that can dramatically simplify design,” he adds. “These features, along with others, help our customers go to market quickly and easily with a GaN solution capable of achieving ground-breaking power efficiency levels.”
