EPC Increases Benchmark Performance with 100V eGaN FET Family

EPC, the world’s leader in enhancement-mode gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power FETs and ICs, advances the performance capability while lowering the cost of off-the-shelf gallium nitride transistors with the introduction of EPC2218 and EPC2204 100 V eGaN FETs.  The applications for these leading-edge devices include synchronous rectification, class-D audio, infotainment systems, DC-DC converters (hard-switched and resonant), and lidar for autonomous cars, robotics, and drones.

The EPC2218 (3.2 mΩ, 231 Apulsed) and the EPC2204 (6 mΩ, 125 Apulsed)  have nearly 20% lower RDS(on), as well as increased DC ratings compared with prior generation eGaN FET products.  The performance advantage over a benchmark silicon device is even higher. 

The EPC2204 has 25% lower on-resistance, yet is three times smaller in size.  Gate charge (QG) is less than half that of the silicon MOSFET benchmark, and like all eGaN FETs, there is no reverse recovery charge (QRR), enabling lower distortion class-D audio amplifiers, as well as more efficient synchronous rectifiers and motor drives.

 

Performance comparison of benchmark silicon 100 V FET vs. 100 V eGaN FETs

 

Alex Lidow, EPC’s co-founder and CEO commented, “With the clear superiority of these new 100 V eGaN FETs, one might expect them to be priced at a premium.  However, EPC has priced these state-of-the-art 100 V transistors comparable with their aging ancestor, the silicon power MOSFET. Designers can take advantage of devices that are higher performance, smaller, more thermally efficient, and at a comparable cost. The displacement of the power MOSFET with GaN devices continues to accelerate.”

 

Price and Availability

Pricing for products and related development and reference design boards are noted in the table below.  All products and boards are available from Digi-Key here.

 

Part Number	2.5K Reel Price/Unit	Half-Bridge Development Board	Price per board
EPC2218	$2.09	EPC90123	$118.75
EPC2204	$0.99	EPC9097	$118.75

 

About EPC

EPC is the leader in enhancement mode gallium nitride based power management devices and was the first to introduce enhancementmode gallium-nitride-on-silicon (eGaN) FETs as power MOSFET replacements in applications such as DC-DC converters, wireless power transfer, envelope tracking, RF transmission, power inverters, remote sensing technology (LiDAR), and class-D audio amplifiers with device performance many times greater than the best silicon power MOSFET.