News: Microelectronics
3 April 2026
EPC launches 100V integrated GaN power stage ICs for motor drives with improved control and protection
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 launched a new generation of 100V integrated GaN power-stage ICs (EPC23108, EPC23109, EPC23110 and EPC23111) targeting high-performance motion and power systems such as humanoid robots, drones, and other compact battery-powered platforms. The devices are designed to simplify implementation and improve operational robustness in real-world environments while preserving the efficiency and power density advantages typical of integrated GaN technology.
Each IC integrates the high-side and low-side eGaN FETs together with the gate driver and level-shifting circuitry in a thermally enhanced QFN package. They support operation up to 100V, with load current capability of 35A (EPC23108, EPC23109) and 20A (EPC23110, EPC23111), enabling reliable high-frequency switching performance.
The control interface has an active-low fast-shutdown and standby input with a built-in 65kΩ pull-up, which makes it work with industrial logic standards. As a result, designers can connect the devices directly to standard controllers without having to do any extra signal conditioning. This makes the design easier and makes sure that the devices work the same way on all platforms.
Operational safety is improved through deterministic shutdown behavior. When standby is asserted, PWM switching stops immediately and the driver enters a low-quiescent-current state from the VDRV supply. If the driver supply is lost, an active gate pull-down ensures that both the high-side and low-side FETs remain off, maintaining system control during fault conditions and enhancing reliability.
The family also supports continuous 100% duty-cycle operation, which is necessary for full-torque and uninterrupted conduction modes in motion control, robotics and precision regulation systems. This lets designers use control strategies without having to worry about modulating them, while still keeping things running smoothly.
EPC23109 and EPC23111 have single-pin PWM input with enable logic and fixed dead-time to ease multi-axis designs. EPC23108 and EPC23110 have conventional dual PWM inputs to allow online adaptive dead-time modulation schemes.
The new ePower Stage ICs reduce the need for external parts, make firmware design easier, and make operations more predictable by making device behavior match system-level expectations. They are well suited to applications where reliability and consistent performance are critical, including robotics, motion control, medical equipment, DC–DC converters and Class-D audio systems.
“The new integrated power stages provide a simpler design block for power-dense systems, such as the multi-axis systems embedded in humanoid robot arms, where there may be up to 24 motors per arm,” says Marco Palma, director, motor drives systems and applications.
“This new family of monolithic GaN power stages has additional features based on humanoid robot and drone customer feedback,” says CEO Alex Lidow. “They save design time, space and cost by reducing additional components while improving system reliability and performance.”
Engineering samples are available for qualified designs. The EPC23108/9/10/11 family can be ordered through EPC’s global distribution channels and direct sales, enabling customers to scale designs for applications such as motor drives, robotics, synchronous rectification stages, and high-density DC–DC power conversion systems.
The new devices are available through distribution partners including Digi-Key and Mouser, providing easy access for engineers and system designers worldwide.
EPC launches 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter for robot joints and UAVs
