Navitas Semiconductor, a company providing next-generation GaNFast gallium nitride (GaN) and GeneSiC silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors, has announced the production release of the 650 V bi-directional GaNFast ICs and high-speed isolated gate drivers — creating a paradigm shift in power with single-stage BDS converters, which enables the transition from two-stage to single-stage topologies.
Targeted applications range widely and open up multi-billion dollar market opportunities across electric vehicle (EV) charging (onboard and roadside chargers), motor drives, storage, and more.
Over 70% of today’s high-voltage power converters use a two-stage topology. For example, a typical ac-dc EV OBC implements an initial power-factor correction (PFC) stage and a follow-on dc-dc stage with bulky dc-link buffering capacitors.
The resulting systems are large, lossy, and expensive. Bi-directional GaNFast consolidates the two stages into a single, high-speed, high-efficiency stage and, in the process, eliminates the bulky capacitors and input inductors, ideal for EV OBCs.
A EV manufacturers have begun implementing single-stage BDS converters to improve efficiency, size, and cost in their systems. GaNFast-enabled single-stage converters achieve up to 10% cost savings, 20% energy savings, and up to 50% size reductions.
The ultimate power semiconductor switch (transistor) can block voltage and allow current flow in two directions, with the highest efficiency
Previously, two discrete, back-to-back single switches had to be used. Still, new bi-directional GaNFast ICs are leading-edge, single-chip designs (monolithic integration) with a merged drain structure, two gate controls, and a patented, integrated, active substrate clamp. One high-speed, high-efficiency bi-directional GaNFast IC replaces up to 4 older switches, increasing system performance while reducing component count, PCB area, and system costs.
The initial 650 V bi-directional GaNFast ICs include NV6427 (100 mΩ RSS(ON) typ.) and NV6428 (50 mΩ RSS(ON) typ) in thermally enhanced, top-side-cooled TOLT-16L (Transistor Outline Leaded Topside-cooled) packaging. The product family will be extended into lower RSS(ON) offerings.
The new, high-speed IsoFast devices are galvanically isolated, high-speed drivers optimized to drive bi-directional GaN. With 4x higher transient immunity than existing drivers (up to 200 V/ns) and no external negative bias supply needed, they deliver reliable, fast, accurate power control in high-voltage systems. The initial parts are the NV1702 (dual, independent-channel, digital, isolated bi-directional GaN gate driver) and NV1701 (half-bridge GaN digital isolator) in SOIC-16N and SOIC-14W packages.
Bi-directional GaNFast ICs (NV6427 and NV6428) are fully qualified and immediately available in mass-production quantities. IsoFast (NV1701 and NV1702) samples are available now to qualified customers. Single-stage evaluation boards and user guide showcasing the IsoFast and bi-directional GaNFast ICs are available for qualified customers.
Filed Under: EE World - EV ENGINEERING, Technology News