Rad-hard 200-V GaN transistor delivers ultra-low on-resistance

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has expanded its family of radiation-hardened (rad-hard) gallium nitride (GaN) products for power conversion solutions in spaceborne and other high-reliability applications with a new 200-V rad-hard GaN transistor. Applications include DC/DC power, motor drives, LiDAR, deep probes, and ion thrusters for space applications, satellites, and avionics.

Expanding the voltage range of the rad-hard family to 200 V, the EPC7007 is a 25 mΩ, 80 A pulsed, rad-hard GaN FET in a 5.76 mm² footprint. The device features a total dose rating greater than 1 Mrad and SEE immunity for LET of 85 MeV/(mg/cm²).

Compared to rad-hard silicon devices with similar RDS(on), the EPC7007 is 40 times smaller and offers 40 times lower Q_G and Q_GD, zero reverse recovery (Q_RR), according to EPC. The company also touts higher breakdown strength, lower gate charge, lower switching losses, better thermal conductivity, and very low on-resistance power devices based on GaN, which significantly outperforms silicon-based devices.

This enables higher switching frequencies resulting in higher power densities and higher efficiencies, as well as smaller and lighter weight circuits for spaceborne missions, said EPC. The GaN devices also support higher total radiation levels and SEE LET levels than silicon solutions, added the company.

The EPC7007 devices are offered in a chip-scale package, the same as the commercial eGaN FET and IC family.  Packaged versions will be available from EPC Space. Engineering samples are available now, followed by full qualification for volume shipments in December 2022.