EPC launches eToF laser driver

     EPC announced the introduction of the Laser Driver IC(EPC21601), which combines 40 V, 10 A field-effect transistor, gate driver and 3.3V logic level input on a single chip for time-of-flight (ToF) liDAR systems. For robots, surveillance security systems, drones, fully autonomous cars and vacuum cleaners.

     The EPC21601 is controlled by A 3.3V logic circuit and is capable of modulating and achieving laser drive currents up to 10 A at ultra-high frequencies of over 100 MHz and ultra-short pulses of less than 2 ns. The open and disconnect times are 410 ps and 320 ps respectively. The EPC21601 integrates a single-chip driver and a gallium nitride field-effect transistor (eGaNFET) based on EPC's proprietary Gallium nitride IC technology in a chip-scale BGA package with an external dimension of just 1.5 mm x 1.0 mm. Due to its small size and the integration of multiple functions, it takes up 36% less board area than an equivalent multi-chip, discrete device solution

     The EPC21601 is the first in the laser driver IC family and is available in a chip-level package (CSP). The benefits of integrating multiple devices on a single chip are ease of design, layout, and assembly, as well as saving board area, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs. This family of products will drive faster adoption and adoption of liDAR solutions using ToF technology in a wider range of end-user applications.

     Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC, said: "Recent advances in our gallium nitride integrated circuit technology promise to change the approach to the design of time-of-flight lidar systems. The integration of gallium nitride field-effect transistors (eGaN FETs) and drivers on a single chip produces powerful, ultra-fast ics, as well as reducing the size and cost of the system, thus gaining popularity in consumer applications. The new gallium nitride IC family will significantly improve performance while reducing the size and cost of time-of-flight liDAR systems."