STMicroelectronics New 200W and 500W devices enhance the performance and value of the MasterGaN family

     STMicroelectronics' MasterGaN family of products integrates two 650V high electron mobility GaN transistors (HEMTs) with optimized gate drivers, system protection, and an integrated bootstrap diode that supplies power to the device at startup. Integrating these functions eliminates the need for designers to deal with GaN transistor gate driver development problems. Both products feature a compact power package that improves reliability, reduces material costs and simplifies circuit layout.

     The new devices have two GaN HEMT transistors connected as half-bridges, a configuration suitable for the development of switching power supplies, adapters and chargers with active clamp flyback, active clamp forward or resonant converter topologies. MasterGaN1L and MasterGaN4L are compatible with MasterGaN1 and MasterGaN3 pins, respectively. Compared to earlier products, the new product re-optimizes on-time, supports higher switching frequencies, and achieves higher energy efficiency at low loads, especially in resonant topologies.

     The input pins accept signal voltages from 3.3V to 15V, and input lag and pull-down resistance help input directly connected controllers, such as microcontrollers, DSP signal processors, or Hall effect sensors. Dedicated turn-off pins help designers save system power, the timing of the two GaN HEMT transistors is precisely matched, and an interlock protection circuit is integrated to prevent the switch tubes on the bridge arm from crossing over.

     The MasterGaN1L HEMT has an on-resistance RDS(on) of 150mΩ and a rated current of 10A, suitable for applications up to 500W. With only 20mW of no-load power, it supports high conversion efficiency, enabling designers to meet the industry's stringent standby power consumption and average energy efficiency targets. MasterGaN4L HEMT targets applications with power up to 200W, on-resistance RDS(on) of 225mΩ and current rating of 6.5A.

     The EVLMG1LPBRDR1 and EVLMG4LPWRBR1 demo boards are now available to help developers evaluate the capabilities of each product. The two boards integrate a GaN half-bridge power module optimized for LLC applications, allowing developers to quickly create new topologies with MasterGaN1L and MasterGaN4L devices without the need for a full PCB design.