EPC introduces 80 V gallium nitride field-effect transistor

     EPC Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) has announced that one more automotive gallium nitride (eGaN) device, the 80-V EPC2214, has been successfully certified for AEC Q101 testing to support a variety of new applications in automotive and other harsh environments.

     Products based on gallium nitride (eGaN®) technology have been in mass production for more than 9 years, accumulating billions of hours of experience in real-world automotive applications. Applications include LiDAR and radar systems for fully autonomous vehicles, 48-12 V DC/DC converters for data center computers, infotainment systems with ultra-high fidelity, and high-strength truck headlights. These new devices have passed the rigorous AEC Q101 test certification, and will be followed by more discrete transistors and integrated circuits for the harsh automotive environment.

     The EPC2214 is an 80 V, 20 mΩ gallium nitride field effect transistor element with an ultra-small board area (1.8 sq. mm) and pulse current of 47 A, making it ideal for laser emission in lidar systems because the FETs trigger the laser signal, generate a large current, and have an extremely short pulse width, thus achieving higher resolution. The larger pulse current allows the liDAR system to see further. These two features, combined with their small size and low cost, make the eGaN FET ideal for radar and ultrasonic sensors in addition to supporting challenging automotive liDAR systems.

     To pass the AEC Q101 certification test, EPC's gallium nitride field-effect transistor (eGaN FET) must pass a variety of tests in harsh environments and under different bias conditions. This includes bias humidity test (H3TRB), high temperature reverse bias (HTRB), high temperature gate bias (HTGB), temperature cycle (TC), and many other different tests. It is important to note that the chip-level package of the EPC device also proves the superior performance of the chip-level package through all the same test standards of the traditional packaged device while maintaining the ruggedness and high reliability of the device. These eGaN devices are manufactured in equipment that complies with IATF 16949, the automotive quality management system standard.

     Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC, said: "This certified gallium nitride device is the latest in our ongoing roadmap of automotive transistors and integrated circuits to fully support the future of autonomous vehicles, save on gas use and improve driving safety. "Compared to today's aging silicon-based power MOSFETs used in vehicles, EGAN-based products are faster, smaller, more efficient, less costly and more reliable."