Efficient Power Conversion Unveils New 200 V Rad-hard GaN FET

The EPC7007 is aimed at tough spaceborne and other critical environments, as well as other use cases, where resistance to radiation and high reliability are essential. It features a typical RDS(ON) of only 17 mΩ.

 

The radiation-hardened EPC7007 has a footprint of only 5.76 mm². Image used courtesy of EPC

 

Resistance to Radiation

The EPC7007 is specified by EPC as having a total dose rating more than 1 Mrad. It will also maintain its specifications under the bombardment of up to 3 x 10¹⁵ neutrons/cm².

The company also specifies a SEE immunity for LET of 85 MeV/(mg/cm²). By way of explanation, the European Space Components Information Exchange System, defines “SEE” as standing for single events effects. LET is defined as “the electronic stopping power divided by the mass density of the absorber medium, i.e., the mass electronic stopping power. LET is expressed in units of MeV/(mg/cm²) or MeV.cm²/mg.”

 

Better Performance than Old-School Silicon-based Rad-hard Semiconductors

“The EPC7007 offers designers a solution with a figure of merit that is 50 times better than best-in-class silicon (Si) rad-hard devices,” claimed Alex Lidow, CEO, and co-founder of EPC.

The company also claims that when compared to Si devices with similar RDS(ON)s, the EPC7007 is 40 times smaller, with total gate charge (Qg) and gate to drain charge (QGD) both also 40 times smaller. Significantly, well reverse recovery (Qrr) is zero. EPC is active in the field of rad-hard FETs, with offerings that include the EPC7091G, the EPC7014, and the FPG series.

 

Absolute Maximum Ratings

• Drain-to-Source Voltage for up to 10,000 5 ms pulses at 150  ̊C: 240 V
• Pulsed drain current at 25 °C, for 300 μs pulses: 80 A
• Gate to source (VGS) voltage: within a range of -4 V to +5 V

 

Thermal Characteristics

• Thermal Resistance, Junction-to-Case: 1.1 °C/W
• Thermal Resistance, Junction-to-Board: 2.7 °C/W
• Thermal Resistance, Junction-to-Ambient: 56 °C/W

 

Static Characteristics at 25 ℃

• Drain-Source Leakage with VGS at 0 V and drain-to-source voltage (VDS) 200 V: 0.01 mA typical
• Gate-to-Source forward leakage at VGS = +5 V: 0.005 mA (typ)
• Gate-to-Source reverse leakage at VGS = -4 V: 0.01 mA (typ)

 

Dynamic Characteristics (Typical Figures)

• At VDS = 100 V and VGS = 0 V
  – Input capacitance: 525 p
  – Reverse transfer capacitance: 1.5 pF
  – Output capacitance: 256 pF
   
• At VDS = 0 to 100 V and VGS = 0
  – Effective Output Capacitance, Energy Related: 299 pF
  – Effective Output Capacitance, Time Related: 370 pF
   
• Total Gate Charge with VDS = 100 V, VGS = 5 V and ID = 12 A: 5.4 nC
• At VDS = 100 V and ID = 12 A
  – G-S charge: 1.5 nC
  – G-to-D charge: 1.0 nC
   
• Output charge with VDS = 100 V and VGS = 0 V: 37 nC

 

Applications

• DC-DC power
• Motor drives
• Lidar
• Avionics
• Commercial satellites
• Deep space probes
• Ion thrusters for space vehicles

 

Physical Considerations

• The new devices operate over a -55 ℃ to +150 ℃ operating temperature range
• The new rad-hard power transistor is available in a 3.6 x 1.6 mm passivated die form with solder bars

 

Feature image used courtesy of Pixabay