Navitas announces single-stage BDS Converters
Navitas Semiconductor has announced what it believes are the world’s first production-released 650 V bi-directional GaNFast ICs and high-speed isolated gate-drivers, enabling the transition from two-stage to single-stage topologies.
Targeted applications include EV charging (On-Board Chargers (OBC) and roadside), solar inverters, energy storage and motor drives.
Over 70 percent of today’s high-voltage power converters use a ‘two-stage’ topology. For example, a typical AC-DC EV OBC implements an initial power-factor-correction (PFC) stage and a follow-on DC-DC stage, with bulky ‘DC-link’ buffering capacitors. The resulting systems are large, lossy, and expensive. Bi-directional GaNFast consolidates the two stages into a single, high-speed, high-efficiency stage and in the process, eliminates the bulky capacitors and input inductors – the ultimate solution in EV OBCs.
OneEV and solar micro-inverter manufacturer has already begun their implementation of single-stage BDS converters to improve efficiency, size, and cost in their systems. GaNFast-enabled single-stage converters achieve up to 10 percent cost savings, 20 percent energy savings, and up to 50 percent size reductions, according to Navotas.
Previously, two discrete, ‘back-to-back’ single switches had to be used, but new bi-directional GaNFast ICs are leading-edge, single-chip designs (monolithic integration) with a merged drain structure, two gate controls, and a patented, integrated, active substrate clamp. One high-speed, high-efficiency bi-directional GaNFast IC replaces up to four older switches, increasing system performance while reducing component count, PCB area, and system costs.
The initial 650 V bi-directional GaNFast ICs include NV6427 (100 mΩ RSS(ON) typ.) and NV6428 (50 mΩ RSS(ON) typ) in thermally enhanced, top-side-cooled TOLT-16L packaging. The product family will be extended into lower RSS(ON) offerings in the future.
The high-speed IsoFast devices are galvanically isolated, high-speed drivers optimised to drive bi-directional GaN. With 4x higher transient immunity than existing drivers (up to 200 V/ns) and no external negative bias supply needed. Initial parts are the NV1702 (dual, independent-channel, digital, isolated bi-directional GaN gate driver) and NV1701 (half-bridge GaN digital isolator) in SOIC-16N and SOIC-14W packages.
“These ICs are a truly game-changing and disruptive technology both at the semiconductor and at the system level. They not only deliver improved efficiency, power density, simplicity, and system costs but will also transform multiple multi-billion-dollar markets in the most sustainable way possible.” Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Navitas commented.
“The future of our electrified planet is bi-directional energy flow. From all renewable energy sources, the power grid, and all electrified applications, such as ESS, solar and EVs, energy should flow efficiently & bi-directionally, creating a critical new currency for our future planet. Single-stage BDS converters are the key for this inflection”.
Bi-directional GaNFast ICs (NV6427 and NV6428) are fully qualified and immediately available in mass-production quantities. IsoFast (NV1701 and NV1702) samples are available now to qualified customers.
Single-stage evaluation boards and user guide showcasing both IsoFast and bi-directional GaNFast ICs are available for qualified customers.
