News: Microelectronics
27 October 2023
Transphorm launches first JEDEC-standard top-side-cooled surface-mount TOLT GaN transistor
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 introduced the SuperGaN TOLT FET.
With an on-resistance of 72mΩ, the TP65H070G4RS transistor is claimed to be the industry’s first top-side-cooled surface-mount GaN device in the JEDEC-standard (MO-332) TOLT package. The TOLT package offers flexibility of thermal management where system requirements do not allow for the more conventional surface-mount devices with bottom-side cooling. The thermal performance of the TOLT is similar to that of the widely used, thermally robust TO-247 through-hole packages and delivers the added benefit of highly efficient manufacturing processes enabled by SMD-based printed-circuit-board assembly (PCBA).
Currently available to sample, the TP65H070G4RS leverages Transphorm’s robust, high-performance 650V normally-off d-mode GaN platform, which is claimed to offer improved efficiency over silicon, silicon carbide and other GaN offerings via lower gate charge, output capacitance, crossover loss, reverse recovery charge, and dynamic resistance. The SuperGaN platform advantages — combined with the TOLT’s better thermals and system assembly flexibility — results in a high-performance, high-reliability GaN solution for customers seeking to bring to market power systems with higher power density and efficiency at an overall lower power system cost.
Transphorm says that it is engaged with multiple global partners for high-power GaN, including lead customers in server and storage power, a global leader in the energy/micro-inverter space, an innovative manufacturer of off-grid power solutions, and a leader in satellite communications.
“Surface-mount devices such as the TOLL and the TOLT offer various benefits such as lower internal inductance as well as simpler board mounting during manufacturing. The TOLT adds to that more flexible overall thermal management with through-hole-like thermal performance by using top-side cooling,” says Philip Zuk, senior VP business development & marketing. “These devices are commonly found in mid- to high-power system applications for key market segments including high-performance computing (server, telecom, AI power), renewables and industrial, and electric vehicles, some of which our GaN technology already powers today,” he adds.
This latest product launch follows Transphorm’s introduction in mid-October of its three new TOLL FETs. Addition of the TOLT further expands the firm’s product offerings. Its availability “highlights Transphorm’s commitment to supporting customer preferences” by making the firm’s SuperGaN platform accessible in various packages across the widest power range.
The robust 650V SuperGaN TOLT device is JEDEC qualified. Because the normally-off d-mode platform pairs the GaN HEMT with an integrated low-voltage silicon MOSFET, the SuperGaN FETs are said to be easy to drive with commonly used off-the-shelf gate drivers. They can be used in various hard- and soft-switching AC-to-DC, DC-to-DC and DC-to-AC topologies to increase power density while reducing system size, weight and overall cost.
