News: Microelectronics
18 July 2023
EPC expands rad-hard GaN FET family with 62A- and 250A-rated 40V devices
Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, CA, USA – which makes enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors (FETs) and integrated circuits for power management applications – has introduced two new 40V-rated radiation-hardened GaN FETs, available for engineering sampling now. EPC7001 is a 40V, 4mΩ, 250APulsed, rad-hard GaN FET in a small 7mm2 footprint. EPC7002 is a 40V, 14.5mΩ, 62APulsed, rad-hard GaN FET in a tiny 1.87mm2 footprint.
Both devices have a total dose radiation rating greater than 1000K Rad(Si) and SEE (single event effect) immunity for LET (linear energy transfer) of 83.7MeV/mg/cm2 with VDS up to 100% of rated breakdown. The new devices, along with the rest of the rad-hard family, are offered in a chip-scale package. Packaged versions are available from EPC Space.
EPC says that its eGaN FETs and ICs offer a higher-performing alternative to conventional rad-hard silicon devices for high-reliability and space applications. The firm’s rad-hard devices are said to be significantly smaller, have 40 times better electrical performance, and offer lower overall cost than rad-hard silicon devices. They are also claimed to exhibit superior resistance to radiation, supporting higher total radiation levels and SEE LET levels compared with traditional silicon solutions.
Applications benefiting from the performance and fast deployment of these devices include DC–DC power converters, motor drives, light detection & ranging (LiDAR), deep probes, and ion thrusters for space applications. They are particularly well suited for satellites operating in both low Earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), as well as avionics systems.
“The rad-hard product family provides unparalleled performance and reliability, coupled with significant space heritage for more efficient and robust systems covering a wide range of applications in harsh environments, such as space and other high-reliability military applications,” claims CEO & co-founder Alex Lidow.
EPC adds 30mΩ 100V and 11mΩ 200V devices to rad-hard GaN family
