EPC Space introduces a new 60 V radiation-hardened (rad-hard) gallium nitride (GaN) transistor for power conversion solutions in critical spaceborne and other high reliability environments.
HAVERHILL, MA.— July 2021 — EPC Space announces the introduction of EPC7014UB, a 60 V radiation-hardened gallium nitride transistor that is lower in cost and is a more efficient solution than the nearest comparable radiation hardened (RH) silicon MOSFET. Utilizing GaN technology, the EPC7014UB outperforms RH silicon-based devices as it offers higher breakdown strength, faster switching speed, and lower on-resistance, than other RH power devices.
Lower resistance and gate charge enable faster power supply switching frequencies resulting in higher power densities, higher efficiencies, and more compact and lighter weight circuitry for critical spaceborne missions.
Applications benefiting from the performance of these products include power supplies for satellites and space mission equipment, light detection and ranging (lidar) for robotics and autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for robotics, instrumentation and reaction wheels, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning, as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles. Additionally, the EPC7014UB can be used as a gate driver interface between CMOS or TTL control circuits and power devices in a radiation hardened environment.
The EPC7014UB, is a 60 V, 580 mΩ, 4 APulsed, rad-hard eGaN FET in an industry standard UB package. The EPC7014UB has a total dose rating greater than 1 Mrad and SEE immunity for LET of 85 MeV/(mg/cm2). These devices are also offered in a chip-scale package from EPC.
“GaN technology enables a new generation of power conversion and motor drives in space operating at higher frequencies, higher efficiencies, lower cost, and greater power densities than achievable with rad hard silicon” said Bel Lazar, CEO of EPC Space. “We are excited about this technology’s ability to provide mission-critical components for the space and other high-reliability markets”.
Price & Availability
500 units space level grade pricing starts at $160/each. Contact factory for availability and delivery.
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
eGaN is a registered trademark of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, Inc.
Press Contact
Efficient Space: Renee Yawger, +1 908 619 9678 email: [email protected]
EPC Space Announces Cost Effective New 60 V Rad Hard Gallium Nitride (GaN) Power Device for Demanding Space Applications
NewsEPC Space introduces a new 60 V radiation-hardened (rad-hard) gallium nitride (GaN) transistor for power conversion solutions in critical spaceborne and other high reliability environments.
HAVERHILL, MA.— July 2021 — EPC Space announces the introduction of EPC7014UB, a 60 V radiation-hardened gallium nitride transistor that is lower in cost and is a more efficient solution than the nearest comparable radiation hardened (RH) silicon MOSFET. Utilizing GaN technology, the EPC7014UB outperforms RH silicon-based devices as it offers higher breakdown strength, faster switching speed, and lower on-resistance, than other RH power devices.
Lower resistance and gate charge enable faster power supply switching frequencies resulting in higher power densities, higher efficiencies, and more compact and lighter weight circuitry for critical spaceborne missions.
Applications benefiting from the performance of these products include power supplies for satellites and space mission equipment, light detection and ranging (lidar) for robotics and autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for robotics, instrumentation and reaction wheels, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning, as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles. Additionally, the EPC7014UB can be used as a gate driver interface between CMOS or TTL control circuits and power devices in a radiation hardened environment.
The EPC7014UB, is a 60 V, 580 mΩ, 4 APulsed, rad-hard eGaN FET in an industry standard UB package. The EPC7014UB has a total dose rating greater than 1 Mrad and SEE immunity for LET of 85 MeV/(mg/cm2). These devices are also offered in a chip-scale package from EPC.
“GaN technology enables a new generation of power conversion and motor drives in space operating at higher frequencies, higher efficiencies, lower cost, and greater power densities than achievable with rad hard silicon” said Bel Lazar, CEO of EPC Space. “We are excited about this technology’s ability to provide mission-critical components for the space and other high-reliability markets”.
Price & Availability
500 units space level grade pricing starts at $160/each. Contact factory for availability and delivery.
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
eGaN is a registered trademark of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, Inc.
Press Contact
Efficient Space: Renee Yawger, +1 908 619 9678 email: [email protected]
Spirit Electronics Podcast: What Can GaN Do in Space? Rad Hard Products and Applications
NewsSpirit Electronics Podcast: What Can GaN Do in Space? Rad Hard Products and Applications
In this episode, EPC Space CEO Bel Lazar talks with Marti about the company’s product lines and applications, as well as the ability of GaN devices to withstand radiation and harsh environmental conditions in space.
Listen to podcast
Why GaN for DC-DC Space Designs
MediaPower electronics engineers are constantly working towards designs with higher efficiency and higher power density while maintaining high reliability and minimizing cost. Advances in design techniques and improved component technologies enable engineers to consistently achieve these goals. Power semiconductors are at the heart of these designs and their improvements are vital to better performance. In this EPC space blog, we will demonstrate how GaN power semiconductors allow for innovation in the harsh radiation environments of space applications.
GaN power semiconductors offer designers in the high reliability market a sudden and significant improvement in electrical performance over their silicon power MOSFET predecessors. Table 1 compares radiation hardened GaN and Si power semiconductor device characteristics important for circuit designers to increase efficiency and power density in their converter.
Read moreVersatility in Space
MediaWe do not like to boast here at EPC Space, but we do think our discrete and modular product
offerings are both the widest and the most versatile available in the RadHard space/power arena. A good brag is just empty words without the proof to stand behind them. So, in order to offer up some proof of the versatility of our lineup, we have put together an application note as a demonstration. Application Note AN002 shows how an actively-clamped forward converter (ACFC) can be designed and configured using four products from the EPC Space discrete and modular product offering. The resulting circuit demonstrates how a high-performance, low parts count and small physical size solution can be achieved.
The EPC Space products, because of their application-friendly configurations, packaging and high level of integration allow designers to think beyond the component level; to use these devices as true building blocks to create higher-level systems for applications in space. Now that is true versatility!
Please download a copy of AN002 and see for yourself. Even if you do not have an immediate application for the ACFC solution, hopefully this design approach will open your eyes to the many possibilities that these Rad Hard GaN products can offer to you in other converter topologies and circuits.
What is up with the SS (Source Sense) Pin?
MediaA quick look at any discrete eGaN® high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) shows that each package contains a SS (Source Sense) pin. This post is an explanation as to why that vitally important pin is necessary and provided to help extract the maximum switching and efficiency performance from the EPC Space HEMTs. As an example, the position of the SS pin on the FSMD-B and CDA1 packages is shown in Figure 1.
Read moreGaN in Space Applications
NewsGallium nitride power device technology enables a new generation of power converters in space operating at higher frequencies, higher efficiencies, and greater power densities than ever achievable before. GaN power devices can also exhibit superior radiation tolerance compared with Silicon MOSFETs depending upon their device design.
Power Electronics Europe
December, 2020
Read article
Exciting Times for Power Electronics in Space!
MediaThese are indeed exciting times for power electronics and power electronics designers. EPC Space’s enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN®) HEMT devices provide the end-user significant performance benefits and enhancements over conventional silicon MOSFET devices. In fact, the performance benefits harken back to those obtained at the time when silicon MOSFETs replaced bipolar-junction transistors (BJTs) as the predominant power switching element in terrestrial and space applications. The key difference between eGaN HEMTs and silicon MOSFETs is their figure of merit (FOM), which is defined as the product of their on-resistance (Rds(ON)) and their input gate charge (Qg). For similarly-rated Rad Hard devices – 100 V and 30 A, a typical Rad Hard MOSFET’s figure of merit is 2.9 while an equivalent eGaN HEMT in EPC Space’s product portfolio is 0.17 (both in the same units). The lower the FOM, the easier it is to drive a device for a given on-state resistance. Generally-speaking, eGaN devices will typically have FOMs that are five times or less than the equivalent MOSFET.
Read moreRad Hard Enhancement-Mode Gallium Nitride (eGaN) Power Transistor Die on Ceramic Adaptors with Space Heritage Provide ‘Plug and Play’ Functionality to Speed Time-to-Market in Critical High Reliability Designs
NewsRad Hard GaN discrete devices on adaptors are optimized to speed the time-to-market for critical applications in the high reliability or commercial satellite space environments.
HAVERHILL, MA.— October 2020 — EPC Space announced a family of Rad Hard enhancement mode power transistors on ceramic adaptors spanning a range of 40 Volts to 300 Volts, and 4 Amperes to 30 Amperes. These products demonstrate significant performance advantages over competitive silicon-based Rad Hard power MOSFETs. The lower resistance and gate charge enable faster power supply switching frequencies resulting in higher power densities, higher efficiencies and more compact and lighter weight circuitry for critical spaceborne missions.
The die adaptor series provides easy printed circuit board (PCB) mounting for ‘plug and play’ functionality allowing designers to speed the time-to-market for critical applications using Rad Hard GaN transistors. Applications benefiting from the performance and fast deployment of these products include power supplies for satellites and mission equipment, light detection and ranging (lidar) for robotics and autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for robotics and instrumentation, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles.
“Beyond the superior performance, proven reliability, and ease of design, these devices offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE) and gamma radiation (TID),” said Bel Lazar, CEO.
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
Press Contact
Efficient Power Conversion: Renee Yawger tel: 908.475.5702 email: [email protected]
Space Level Qualified Rad Hard Enhancement-Mode Gallium Nitride (eGaN®) Drivers and Power Stages with Space Heritage from EPC Space Increase Efficiency, Reduce Space and Weight in Satellite Systems
NewsRad Hard GaN drivers optimized to drive Rad Hard GaN transistors and specifically designed for critical applications in the high reliability or commercial satellite space environments.
HAVERHILL, MA.— October 2020 — EPC Space announced a family of Rad Hard enhancement mode GaN drivers and power stages. Rad Hard GaN drivers are optimized to drive Rad Hard GaN transistors in critical spaceborne systems. Rad Hard power stages integrate a high-speed gate drive circuit with power switches to provide a complete power stage in a tiny footprint for smaller, lower weight systems.
The Drivers and Power Stages product line includes ultra-fast low-side eGaN drivers, ultra-fast dual low-side eGaN drivers, and half bridge drivers with integrated eGaN power switches. These devices are ideal for high speed DC-DC conversion, synchronous rectification, commercial satellite electrical power systems (EPS) and avionics, and multi-phase motor drives. As an example, thousands of these devices are currently flying in orbit as motor drivers for satellite reaction wheels.
Beyond the performance improvement inherent from using GaN-based devices, these products offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE) and gamma radiation (TID). EPC Space devices are manufactured in an AS9100D certified facility in the greater Boston area.
“These devices provide engineers with a higher performance, modular solution with guaranteed electrical, thermal, and radiation performance,” said Max Zafrani, Chief Technology Officer. “In addition to very high efficiencies and extremely low parts count, operation above 1 MHz enables smaller magnetics for smaller, lower weight designs and an extremely cost competitive solution”
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
Press Contact
Efficient Power Conversion: Renee Yawger tel: 908.475.5702 email: [email protected]
EPC Space Announces Family of Space Level Qualified 40 V to 300 V Rad Hard Enhancement-Mode Gallium Nitride (GaN) Power Transistors
NewsRad Hard GaN discrete devices specifically designed for critical applications in the high reliability or commercial satellite space environments now available.
HAVERHILL, MA.— September 2020 — EPC Space announced a family of Rad Hard enhancement mode power transistors spanning a range of 40 Volts to 300 Volts, and 4 Amperes to 30 Amperes. These power transistors demonstrate significant performance advantages over competitive silicon-based Rad Hard power MOSFETs. EPC Space technology produces devices that are smaller, have lower resistance, and have many times superior switching performance compared to silicon solutions.
Critical spaceborne applications that benefit from this newly available performance include power supplies for satellites and mission equipment, light detection and ranging (lidar) for robotics and autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for robotics and instrumentation, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles.
Beyond the performance improvement, these devices offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE) and gamma radiation (TID). SEE immunity is guaranteed at the wafer level and EPC Space devices are manufactured in an AS9100D certified facility in the greater Boston area.
“EPC Space is excited to bring the tremendous performance and reliability of GaN technology to the markets of defense and aerospace,” said Bel Lazar, CEO. “We are able to offer designers a superior technology with significant space heritage as thousands of our Rad Hard GaN devices have been in orbit since January of 2019.”
About EPC Space
EPC Space provides revolutionary high-reliability radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride power management solutions for space and other harsh environments.
Radiation hardened GaN-based power devices address critical spaceborne environments for applications including power supplies, light detection and ranging (lidar), motor drive, and ion thrusters.
Press Contact
Efficient Power Conversion: Renee Yawger tel: 908.475.5702 email: [email protected]