MOSFET and GaN Power Devices Emphasize Efficiency, Reliability
New silicon field-effect transistor and gallium nitride power switches from Littelfuse, Transphorm, and Magnachip Semiconductor deliver automotive reliability, high-voltage capability, and power efficiency.
Magnachip Semiconductor, Transphorm, and Littelfuse have released power transistor switches using the latest metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) and gallium nitride (GaN) process technologies.
SuperGaN FET in TOLL packaging. Image used courtesy of Transphorm
Transphorm has introduced three SuperGaN FETs in TOLL packages with low on-resistances for improved power efficiency. The surface mount devices (SMD) are designed to meet the requirements of emerging computing, energy, and industrial applications with power demands in the 1 to 3 kW range.
The two 150 V MOSFET devices from Magnachip use that company’s eighth-generation trench MOSFET technology to reduce on-resistances by up to 22% from prior generations for better power conversion performance.
Finally, Littelfuse has released an 800 V n-channel depletion mode MOSFET in modified SOT-223-2L packaging along with an automotive-qualified, 500 V p-channel enhancement mode MOSFET. The parts are designed for high-reliability operation in automotive applications and to facilitate meeting board-level, high-voltage isolation requirements.
SuperGaN Devices in TOLL Package
The high-power SuperGaN devices from Transphorm use the company’s depletion-mode GaN in cascode configuration technology and are rated to a withstand voltage of 650 V while supporting continuous load currents up to 46.5 A at 25°C. TO-Leadless (TOLL) packaging provides a compact, industry-standard surface mount package option that allows for compact layouts and easy second sourcing. The three new parts have low on-resistances of 35, 50, and 72 mΩ respectively to support efficient operation in the most power-dense applications.
Transphorm’s normally-off cascode approach pairs the GaN HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) with a low-voltage, normally-off MOSFET that yields a power switch solution with better efficiency over voltage and temperature when compared with e-mode (enhancement-mode) devices.
SuperGaN efficiency performance. Image used courtesy of Transphorm
Power switches made from GaN materials allow for high switching speeds with good thermal performance that enables compact, power-dense solutions. The devices are targeted for high-power computing (AI, server, telecom, data center), energy (PV inverters), and industrial (servo motors) applications.
150 V MOSFETs for Motor Controller and Energy Applications
The MDES15N056PTRH and MDU150N113PTVRH released by Magnachip are 150 V MOSFET devices built with the company’s latest, eighth-generation trench MOSFET technology.
The two devices bring Magnachip’s family of eighth-generation devices to seven models in total, targeting switching applications (power supplies, inverters) for motor controllers, battery management systems (BMS), residential solar inverters, and industrial power supplies.
Eighth-generation 150 V MXT MV MOSFETs. Image used courtesy of Maganchip
The lower on-resistances of the new power FETs (5.6 mΩ and 11.3 mΩ), combined with compact surface mount packaging, allow for greater design power densities. The use of a proven 180 nm process geometry results in a more cost-effective solution for price-sensitive applications.
Littelfuse Expands MOSFET Portfolio
Littelfuse is introducing the CPC3981Z, an 800 V, 100 mA, 45 Ω, n-channel depletion mode MOSFET for lower power applications (normally on switches, solid state relays), and the IXTY2P50PA, a 500 V, automotive-grade, p-channel power MOSFET rated up to 2 A with an on-resistance of 4.2 Ω.
A key differentiator for the CPC3981Z is its SOT-223-2L package that increases the drain-gate pin spacing from 1.386 millimeters to greater than 4 millimeters, helping to offer a more robust barrier between the high-voltage drain pin and the gate drive circuitry. The added creepage distance can reduce costs for designers by eliminating the conformal coating, or potting, that would otherwise be required to meet isolation safety standards in switch mode power supply (SMPS), power factor correction, or other high voltage circuits.
CPC3981Z package increases drain-gate pin spacing. Image used courtesy of Littelfuse
The IXTY2P50PA is an AEC-Q101-qualified device capable of meeting the high quality and reliability requirements of automotive applications like engine control units (ECU) and automotive sensor circuits. Packaged in a compact, surface mount TO-252 (DPAK) package, the IXTY2P50PA is a good general-purpose, cost-efficient power switch for automotive and other applications that prioritize the combination of low cost, small size, and high reliability.
