Power stage IC family is based on eGaN FET technology

The singe-chip driver plus eGaN FET half-bridge power stage uses EPC’s proprietary GaN IC technology. It integrates input logic interface, level shifting, bootstrap charging and gate drive buffer circuits and eGaN output FETs configured as a half-bridge. The resulting monolithic chip is supplied in a space saving chip-scale LGA that measures 3.9 x 2.6 x 0.63mm. 

The FET can be used in a 48 to 12V buck converter at 1MHz switching frequency where is achieves a peak efficiency above 96% and which requires 33% less PCB estate compared to an equivalent multi-chip discrete implementation, says the company.

Other devices in the family, which will be rolled out over the next 12 months, will be available in chip-scale packages as well as multi-chip quad flat modules (QFM). These devices will operate at high frequency up to 3.0 to 5.0MHz and from 15A to 30A per power stage.

EPC believes the introduction will make it easy for designers to take advantage of the “significant performance improvements made possible with GaN technology” as integrated devices in a single chip are easier to design, layout and assemble, while saving space and increasing efficiency, it says.

According to Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC, the technology is poised for mass adoption. “Discrete power transistors are entering their final chapter,” he said. “Integrated GaN-on-Silicon offers higher performance in a smaller footprint". He added that he believes the family represents a significant stage in the evolution of GaN power conversion, as the technology that offers in-circuit performance and ease of design.

There is also a development board available from the company, which is designed to evaluate the EPC2152 Integrated ePower Stage IC. The board, the EPC90120 is an 80V maximum device voltage, 12.5A maximum output current, half bridge board. It measures 2.0 x 2.0-inch (50.8 x 50.8mm).