News: Microelectronics
9 November 2021
Diodes Inc and Transphorm introduce 130W ACF SuperGaN USB-C PD adapter evaluation kit
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 applications — says that power semiconductor product supplier Diodes Inc of Plano, TX, USA has launched a complete 130W USB Type-C power delivery (PD) 3.0 adapter evaluation and development kit that uses its SuperGaN FETs.
The kit pairs Diodes’ high-performing active clamp flyback (ACF) controllers and Transphorm’s patented normally-off SuperGaN Gen IV devices with input power factor correction (PFC). The resulting solution delivers low standby power, higher efficiency, what is claimed to be unprecedented thermal performance, and optimal system bill-of-materials (BOM) cost compared with enhancement-mode GaN and silicon-based systems. It exceeds DOE VI and COC Tier 2 power efficiency requirements and allows for increased power density.
Diodes’ ACF solutions are designed to leverage next-generation power conversion technologies in configurations offering greater performance than traditional flyback systems and significantly lower cost than half-bridge resonant LLC solutions in USB PD charging applications. The new 130W ACF SuperGaN kit is no exception, enabling easy and quick evaluation of advanced technologies while accelerating go-to-market timelines, it is reckoned. Capabilities include: high power peak efficiency (>93.5%); high power factor (>0.90 over line over 60% load); ultra-low total harmonic distortion (THD) (<18% over line over 60% load); low standby power (<43mW); and the lowest switch temperature (<75°C).
The kit uses three main Diodes controllers and two SuperGaN FETs from Transphorm:
- AP3306: A highly integrated ACF controller designed for ultra-low standby power and high power density requirements, with comprehensive protection mechanisms incorporated;
- APR340: A MOSFET driver intended for secondary-side synchronous rectification;
- AP43771V: A USB Type-C PD3.0 decoder, with on/off N-channel MOSFET control and robust protection features; and
- TP65H150G4LSG devices: SuperGaN 650V, 150mΩ FETs, with one each for the PFC control and ACF control stages, respectively.
“Diodes’ AP3306 ACF controller allows high integration, low standby power, optimal system cost, and versatile protection for a wide range of power adapters from 45W to 140W, while our AP43771V USB-PD controller with PPS provision has an MCU with virtual multi-time programmable area for customization, supporting different quick charger power profiles,” says Ernest Lin, Diodes’ division manager, ACDC Power & Lighting (APL) Division. “Transphorm’s SuperGaN technology enables us to deliver the highest-efficiency, lowest-device-temperature and ultimately high-power-density adapter system that is easy to drive without requiring any additional drivers or complex interfacing,” he adds.
“The development kit from Diodes, an innovator and provider of multiple controllers in the USB-PD adapter market, is an invaluable opportunity to help customers quickly realize the benefits of GaN power conversion for high-performance notebooks,” comments Tushar Dhayagude, VP, technical sales & field applications, Transphorm. “The adapter market is only beginning to realize the power and cost savings with advanced ACF topology, as we see more chargers greater than 100W hit the market,” he adds. “Transphorm’s SuperGaN FETs combine the highest efficiency with the simplicity of design and drivability along with the most robust and highest gate noise immunity in the market.”
The simple-to-use 130W USB PD ACF kit allows manufacturers to quickly customize and implement 90W to 150W adapter designs with USB-C, PPS, and multi-protocol configurations. This kit is now available upon request from Diodes.
