APEC 2016 Long Beach, CA
APEC 2016 in Long Beach California lived up to its hype of being the most important power electronics show because it offered important educational sessions and access to companies and their new products. There were many sessions that gave important information for engineers such as the PSMA-sponsored Magnetics Industry Session (IS09). Leading the session was the always interesting presenter, Ray Ridley of Ridley Engineering , who also gave a plenary session on high frequency magnetics. During the plenary Ray made the point that universities have forgotten to teach the practical aspects of magnetics and gave simple uses of the four Maxwell equations that many have forgotten because they get lost in the equations. For example, you have encountered Maxwell’s fourth equation if you have ever read about or even done the experiment with a wire wrapped around a nail and connected to a battery. It is the equation that describes how electric currents generate magnetic fields. With the nail and wire you have produced a magnet due to the current flowing through the wire. His point was that companies usually just hand off the need for magnetics in their circuit design to specialists because most engineers don’t feel comfortable with the equations for magnetics design.
One of the companies at APEC providing magnetic products was Coilcraft also presented a talk on New Power Inductors for High Frequency DC-DC Converters, which featured the company’s XEL40xx series of power inductors that feature low inductance values, optimized for high frequency applications. The Coilcraft inductors measure 4.0 mm2 with a height as low as 1.2 mm, and target IoT and portable device applications.
Coilcraft inductors for high-frequency dc/dc converters
Wideband-gap semiconductor devices such as GaN and SiC had a very significant presence at APEC. The evolving use of these wide bandgap devices continue to make inroads into many new designs, and at APEC it was almost common to see companies offering a GaN- or SiC-based product. Granted, there is still a steep learning curve to design with this cutting edge semiconductor technology – but it’s happening. For example, GaN Systems –was one of many companies that showed many designs that GaN devices helped solve for previously difficult if not impossible applications. Included at the company’s booth was the design from CE+T Power’s Red Electrical Devils that used GaN Systems’ GS66508P GaN transistors to help win the $1 million-dollar prize in Google’s Little Box Challenge. The competition was to shrink a 2-kW inverter to something smaller than a laptop with an efficiency of at least 50 W/in.3 – the smallest solution wins. The winning design from CE+T Power measured 13.77 in.3 and achieved an amazing power density of 143 W/in.3 and 95.4% efficiency. It didn’t happen just because the CE+T designers used GaN, but it was a building block. They also combined many concepts including digital control, a high frequency microcontroller, fast I/O measurements of voltage and current, an algorithm for an active filter, optimization of switching frequency, a specialized GaN driver, and cutting edge thermal control. The result points to what wide-band gap can help provide in new designs.
Comparison of 2-kW inverter using GaN Systems transistors
Vishay offered the WPC-compliant (Wireless Power Consortium) wireless charging A10 type transmitter coil. The IWTX-47R0BE-11 is 18% smaller than previous-generation solutions to save space in Qi wireless charging pads, while providing greater th
fan 80% efficiency when paired with a Vishay Rx coil and appropriate Qi-compatible Rx and Tx circuitry. The coil is suitable for use in WPC-compatible Tx circuits operating with 19-V input for up to 10-W wireless charging applications. The company also received the Product of the Year award from Electronic Products Magazine for its significant contribution to electronics with the introduction of the ENYCAP hybrid capacitor
Vishay Intertechnology’s Brad Henderson (left) receives the Product of the Year award for the ENYCAP hybrid capacitor from Electronic Product Magazine’s Sr. Technical Editor Paul O’Shea
Efficient Power Conversion (EPC), one of the earliest adopters of GaN displayed life-changing GaN-based applications at APEC 2016. The company announced the EPC9065, a development board that can serve as the amplifier stage for AirFuel Alliance Class 4 and Class 5 wireless power transfer applications. The board is a zero voltage switching differential-mode class-D amplifier development board configured at, but not limited to, 6.78 MHz. EPC demonstrated end products for wireless power that span the full power range of Qi and AirFuel standards and a multi-mode solution, a single-stage 48 to 1-V dc/dc converter, a 3-D real-time LiDAR imaging camera, and an LTE compatible envelope tracking supply. Congratulations are in order for company CEO Alex Lidow as the recipient for the SEMI award for innovation in the area of process and technology integration, which enabled the commercialization of GaN technology.
EPC featured several GaN solutions that offer life-changing applications at APEC 2016.
Wolfspeed showed an evaluation board that enables power electronics design engineers to implement 900-V SiC MOSFETs and an evaluation unit using SiC power modules for three-phase inverter applications. The 900-V SiC MOSFETs are offered in a surface mount 7L-D2PAK package, and was demonstrated in a PCB evaluation board that allows design engineers to evaluate SiC MOSFET switching waveforms, gate driver performance, and circuit protection features to prototype a SiC power converter. The evaluation board contains two 900-V MOSFETs with separate Kelvin sources configured in a flexible half-bridge circuit capable of prototyping a synchronous buck or boost inverter. The three-phase power evaluation unit reduces the development time required to implement SiC power modules in a three-phase inverter. Using the company’s soon-to-be released CAS300M12HM2 SiC power module and gate drivers, the evaluation unit provides a modular, configurable circuit design using standard components to rapidly optimize three-phase SiC power module designs for performance, efficiency, thermal management, and circuit protection.
Sumida The MPQ2315 is a high frequency synchronous rectified step-down switch mode converter with built in internal power MOSFETs. It offers a very compact solution to achieve 3A continuous output current over a wide input supply range. The device suits digital set top boxes, flap panel televisions, and notebook computers.
Texas Instruments developed a 600-V GaN process and introduced a digital controller with 99% efficiency power factor controller. The company also introduced a TPS53632G analog controller that targets GaN circuits in a 48-V to point-of-load applications. It can switch at 1 MHz to minimize magnetic component size. The LMG5200 GaN power stage targets the TPS53632G controller enabling 92% efficiency with the 48:1 volt conversion. For the automotive applications, TI introduced the LM5140-Q1 dc/dc controller for automotive infotainment designs with a 3.8 to 65-V operating range with 2.2 MHz operation to eliminate AM-band interference.
TI introduced the LM5140-Q1 dc/dc controller for automotive infotainment designs
CUI agreed to develop hardware with Virtual Power Systems (VPS), a software defined power company to set a new standard for an efficient power infrastructure for data centers. CUI will design, manufacture, and distribute the hardware component of the Intelligent Control of Energy system that will enable data center operators to double power and server utilization, reduce costs, and greatly improve availability. This partnership between the two organizations is the first step in creating a larger software defined power ecosystem, from board level to system level, ultimately creating a more intelligent, more efficient data center infrastructure. According to surveys and studies, data center power consistently emerges as the most critical area that needs to be addressed to support the growth of the IoT, mobile, and supporting infrastructure. VPS and CUI say that an existing data center can see up to a 15-25% reduction in power cost coupled with the avoidance of 40-60% of conventional capex investment with the combined system. In addition, this new infrastructure will enable data centers to install and initialize solutions in days compared to the months required with traditional approaches.
Arctic Sand is a spin-out of MIT with technology based on exclusively-licensed MIT patents. The company’s ICs feature the Transformative Integrated Power Solution (TIPS), a patented staged pipeline architecture that reduces dependence on inductance, lowers EMI and ripple, and enables ultra-low profile solutions with leading power conversion efficiency performance. The company introduced the ARC1C0608 LED driver that has six integrated programmable current sinks, integrates all MOSFETs, its control and driver circuitry, and features state of the art dimming options within a tiny WLCSP-35 package. It delivers LED efficiency levels of 93.5% peak for up to six LED strings at 3.8-V input voltage. The company says that the LED driver is so efficient that it is able to save 0.5 W (in a typical 2-W host platform) when deployed in backlights for tablets and other smart mobile devices.
The ARC1C0608 LED driver from Arctic Sand has six integrated programmable current sinks, integrates all MOSFETs, its control and driver circuitry, and features state of the art dimming options.
NXP – released the industry’s first 15-W multi-standard wireless charging solution simultaneously supporting both 15-W WPC Qi and 5-W PMA standards. The company also introduced Type-C charging adapters that feature multi-protocol support for USB-PD, Qualcomm Quickcharge 2.0 and 3.0 and direct charging protocols. They enable small size and >12-W/in.3 power density.
STMicro introduced products for wireless battery charging, SiC devices, 48 to 0.5-V bus converter, a VR13 reference design for 165-W CPUs, LED lighting, and USB-C, which is the new power and data delivery cable with the reversible connector with 10 Gb/s transfer rate.
Power Integrations added a 900-V device to its InnoSwitch-EP family of off-line CV/CC flyback switcher ICs. The new device targets power supplies operating from high-voltage dc and three-phase power sources found in industrial, motor-drive, metering and renewable energy applications, and standard mains-voltage applications where continuous operation during line swells and surges is required. The InnoSwitch-EP IC family uses an impressiveFluxLink magneto-inductive coupling technology, and includes synchronous rectification with accurate secondary-side regulation, resulting in power supply circuits that don’t need an optocoupler.
The 900-V InnoSwitch-EP flyback switcher IC targets power supplies operating from high-voltage dc and three-phase power sources found in industrial, motor-drive, metering and renewable energy applications.
Infineon introduced its Integrated Power Stage family at APEC. With power efficiency rating reaching 96%, the new power stage devices can be combined with Infineon’s latest generation Digital PWM Power management controllers to provide a multiphase voltage regulation system solution for server, storage, client and communications systems. The Integrated Power Stage reduces power loss and simplifies design of VR solutions for multicore processors, ASICs and FPGA’s where efficient power management is critical. The family supports low-power (20-35 A), medium-power (40 A) and high-power (50-70 A) needs for consumer, telecom, and server applications.
ON Semiconductor featured the NCP4371 reference design that demonstrates the new Qualcomm QC3.0 quick charge protocol over the new Type-C connector. With Qualcomm’s High Voltage Dedicated Charging Port (HVDCP) it provides an adjustable output voltage between 3.6 and 20 VDC for latest generation smart phones, tablets and Bluetooth enabled devices. The charger design features the NCP4371 Quick Charge controller, NCP1361E Quasi-Resonant controller and NCP43080 Synchronous Rectification controller and is one of only two designs certified by UL/Qualcomm to meet the newly released standard.
The NCP4371 reference design that demonstrates the new Qualcomm QC3.0 quick charge protocol over the new Type-C connector.
Monolithic Power introduced the HR1200 combo controller that integrates a digital PFC controller and a half-bridge resonant controller into one chip. It uses a patented average current control scheme, which can operate in CCM and DCM multi-mode according to the instantaneous condition of the input voltage and output load. the controller can be used in applications up to 500W with minimal board size limitations. The performance of the PFC can be optimized by programming multiple parameters through an I2 C GUI. Programming is completed either by the factory or by the customer using a detailed user guide. The controller targets notebook adapter supplies, general supplies to 600 W and LCD TV supplies.
Transphorm pushed the envelope again in GaN devices by offering the TPH3207WS GaN field effect transistor with the lowest on-resistance at 41 mΩ in a TO-247 package. The device’s low RDS(on) and ultra-low Qrr (175nC) bring the benefits of GaN to applications that previously relied on silicon, enabling engineers to achieve power-dense solutions with reduced component count and improved reliability in high-voltage power conversion applications.
The TPH3207WS GaN field effect transistor has the lowest on-resistance at 41 mΩ in a TO-247 package.
Renesas Peter Wilson Senior Staff Product Marketing Manager for Renesas Electronics discussed combining the fuel gauging and charging into one IC, in order to better manage the fundamental task of recharging batteries in 1S to 3S cell applications such as tablets and other mobile devices. The company also demonstrated its low-power MCUs with a customized analog front-end that combines digital and analog technology to encapsulate solutions for targeted applications.
Semtech introduced a multi-mode wireless power platform, and its Neo-Iso isolated power switch platform for Internet of Things (IoT) and smart applications.
The Microchip MIC45404 comes in a thermally enhanced package that incorporates inductors and passive components into a single, molded power converter. The slim 10 x 6 x 2 mm package saves space in customers’ designs, simplifies board design, and eliminates concern over passive components that may introduce unexpected electromagnetic interference (EMI). According to IHS, the global power module market is projected to comprise nearly one third (30 percent) of the power semiconductor market by 2019, growing at twice the rate of power discretes (from 2014 to 2019). The MIC45404 incorporates one of the thinnest integrated magnetic inductors available in a 19V, 5A point-of-load buck converter. Integrated components include the controller, metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), feedback path, and pulse width modulation (PWM) switching regulator. The low profile of the MIC45404 module allows it to be placed on the back of a PCB, on a daughter card
The MIC45404 power converter is offered in a thermally enhanced package that incorporates inductors and passive components.
Bicron Electronics manufactures high-reliability, custom magnetics. The company announced its latest advance in VoltBoss corona-free transformers. Corona bloom, a corrosive effect of partial discharge, is a leading cause of failure in magnetics components. The new, 2nd generation of VoltBoss transformers have been developed to eliminate corona failure (dielectric breakdown) for voltages up to 4.5 kV in a heretofore difficult to obtain 1 sq. in. footprint. This technology, frequently misunderstood as only applying to large, high voltage magnetics devices, is equally important in smaller magnetics devices in operating environments as low as 300 V employed in equipment that must operate reliably over their lifetime – often decades. This new transformer platform measuring just over 2 cu. in and weighing just 2.5 oz. achieves a partial discharge specification of the unheard-of level of <10 pC @ 4.5 kV. For more information: www.bicronusa.com
The 2nd generation of VoltBoss transformers eliminate corona failure (dielectric breakdown) for voltages up to 4.5 kV in a difficult to obtain 1 sq. in. footprint.
GLF Integrated Power , an emerging leader in efficient power switch technology, announces mass market release of the first product in its IQ Smart line of high-performance load switches. The GLF71311 load switch offers these best-in-class features: an off-state leakage current (ISD ) of 5 nA, typ., at 3.3 VIN ; a logic operating current (IQ ) of less than 10 nA, typ., up to 5.5 V; and an on-state resistance (RON ) of 34 mOhms, max, at 5.5V and 41mOhms (max) at 3.3V. Add to this a tiny 0.97 by 0.97-mm form factor, and designers now have an ultra-efficient alternative for improving power efficiency in their wearables, mobile medical devices and other battery-powered devices that is significantly better than competing load switches – and dramatically better than using discrete devices. The GLF1311 load switch’s 5 nA off-state leakage is best in class. This is important since a load switch saves power by turning off power-hungry subsystems when not in use. To maximize efficiency, the system must be ‘really’ off, and off-state leakage, or ISD , is a measure of just how off a system is. The lower the ISD , the less power is wasted in the off state. The GLF1311 load switch’s typical off-state leakage is up to 50 times lower than the nearest competitive load switch device.
The GLF71311 load switch features an off-state leakage current of 5 nA, at 3.3 VIN and a logic operating current of less than 10 nA.
X-FAB Silicon Foundries is putting itself at the vanguard of wide-bandgap semiconductor production by announcing the availability of its silicon carbide (SiC) offering from its wafer fab in Lubbock, Texas. Thanks to major internal investments in the conversion of capital equipment, as well as the support provided by the PowerAmerica Institute at NC State University, X-FAB Texas has heavily upgraded its manufacturing resources in order to make them “SiC-ready”. Among the tools now added are a high-temperature anneal furnace, backgrind equipment for thinning SiC wafers, backside metal sputter and backside laser anneal tools. A high-temperature implanter is scheduled for installation later this year. X-FAB can, as a result, now fully leverage the economies of scale that are already available in its established 30K wafer per month silicon line, thereby presenting the market with the means to produce large volumes of SiC devices on 6-inch wafers.
X-Fab Silicon Foundries announces the availability of SiC from its foundries in Lubbock, TX.
The Fairchild FFSH40120ADN is a SiC 1200V diode offers superior switching performance, higher reliability and low EMI make it ideal for next generation solar inverters, industrial motor controls and welders which are all increasingly required to be more energy efficient at higher power densities. Market trends and tightening industry standards are driving the need for more energy efficient products and this 1200-V SiC diode is designed to help manufacturers achieve these efficiency requirements.
The Fairchild FFSH40120ADN is a SiC 1200V diode offers superior switching performance, higher reliability and low EMI make it ideal for next generation solar inverters, industrial motor controls and welders
Two new PMBus compatible, single-phase digital hybrid dc/dc controllers from Intersil provide POL conversions for FPGAs, DSPs, ASICs, processors and general purpose system rails. The ISL68200 with integrated MOSFET drivers and ISL68201 with PWM output simplify power supply designs for data center routers, servers and storage, as well as wireless infrastructure equipment. The ISL68200 can drive external MOSFETs directly, while the ISL68201 is paired with Intersil’s DrMOS (Integrated Driver and MOSFET) power stage to create a complete voltage regulator solution.
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