Power Integrations announces 1700V GaN switcher chip
Power Integrations has introduced a new member of its InnoMux-2 family of single-stage, independently regulated multi-output offline power supply ICs. The new device features the industry’s first 1700 V GaN switch, built using the company’s proprietary PowiGaN technology.
The new device replaces more expensive SiC transistors in power supply applications such as automotive chargers, solar inverters, three-phase meters and a wide variety of industrial power systems, according to the company.
The 1700 V InnoMux-2 IC supports 1000 VDC nominal input voltage in a flyback configuration and achieves over 90 percent efficiency in applications requiring one, two or three supply voltages. Each output is regulated within one percent accuracy, eliminating post regulators and further improving system efficiency by approximately ten percent.
Radu Barsan, vice president of technology at Power Integrations, said: “Our rapid pace of GaN development has delivered three world-first voltage ratings in a span of less than two years: 900 V, 1250 V and now 1700 V. Our new InnoMux-2 ICs combine 1700 V GaN and three other recent innovations: independent, accurate, multi-output regulation; FluxLink, our secondary-side regulation (SSR) digital isolation communications technology; and zero voltage switching (ZVS) without an active-clamp, which all but eliminates switching losses.”
“1700 V rating is substantially higher than any other commercially available GaN HEMT that we are aware of,” said Ezgi Dogmus, activity manager, compound semiconductors at Yole Group. “The Power GaN device market is poised to reach $2 billion by decade's end, expanding across various application spaces with potentially attractive cost advantages over SiC.”
Pricing for InnoMux-2 1700 V ICs starts at $4.90 for 10,000-unit quantities. A reference design, RDR-1053, which describes a 60 W dual-output (5 V and 24 V) power supply, can be downloaded for free from the Power Integrations website.
