20 February 2014

EPC adds 100V eGaN FET, with positive gain into 3GHz range

Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA, which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) for power management applications, has extended its family of high-speed transistors with the EPC8010 power transistor.

Sold in die form, the EPC8010 is just 1.75mm2 with 100VDS. Optimized for high-speed switching, it has a maximum RDS(on) of 160mΩ and input gate charge in the hundreds of pico-coulombs.

The device has switching transition speeds in the sub-nanosecond range, making it uniquely capable of hard-switching applications above 10MHz, says EPC. Even beyond the 10MHz frequency range for which they were designed, it exhibits good small-signal RF performance with high gain well into the low-GHz range, claims the firm, making it suitable for RF applications.

Applications benefiting from the low-power, compact, high-frequency EPC8010 include hard-switching power converters operating in the multi-megahertz range for envelope tracking, RF power amplifiers, and highly resonant wireless power transfer systems for wireless charging of mobile devices.

“It takes EPC and gallium nitride transistor technology to a level of performance that enables applications beyond the capability of the aging MOSFET,” reckons co-founder & CEO Alex Lidow. “These eGaN FETs can be used in both power switching and RF applications.”

Also available now is the EPC9030 development board, featuring two EPC8010 devices in a half-bridge configuration with minimum switching frequency of 500kHz. Its purpose is to simplify the EPC8010 evaluation process, providing a single board that can be easily connected into any existing converter.

Available now through distributor Digi-Key Corp are evaluation units of the EPC8010 in 2- and 10-piece packs (starting at $40) and the EPC9030 development board (at $150).

Tags: EPC E-mode GaN FETs

Visit: http://digikey.com/Suppliers/us/

Visit: http://epc-co.com/epc/Products/eGaNFETs/EPC8010.aspx