EPC confirms eGaN technology is qualified to AEC Q101
Two gallium nitride (GaN) devices from Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) have been qualified to AEC Q101. The certification of the eGaN devices open up a range of applications in automotive and other harsh environments, says EPC.
The EPC2202 and EPC2203 are both discrete transistors in wafer level chip-scale packaging (WLCS) with 80 VDS ratings. EPC has already announced that they will soon be followed with several more discrete transistors and integrated circuits designed for the harsh automotive environment.
To complete AEC Q101 testing, EPC’s eGaN FETs underwent rigorous environmental and bias-stress testing, including humidity testing with bias (H3TRB), high temperature reverse bias (HTRB), high temperature gate bias (HTGB), temperature cycling (TC) among other tests, says EPC. The WLCS packaging passed all the same testing standards created for conventional packaged parts, demonstrating that the superior performance of chip-scale packaging does not compromise ruggedness or reliability, claims the company.
eGaN technology has been in mass production for over eight years. It has been used in automotive applications, such as light detection and ranging (lidar) and radar for autonomous cars, 48 to 12V DC/DC converters, and high intensity headlamps.
The EPC2202 is an 80V, 16-mOhm enhancement-mode FET has a pulsed current rating of 75A and is offered in a 2.1 x 1.6mm chip-scale package. The EPC2203 is an 80V, 73-mOhm eGaN device, with a pulsed current rating of 18A in a 0.9 x 0.9mm chip-scale package. Both eGaN FETs are many times smaller and achieve switching speeds 10 to 100 times faster than their silicon MOSFET counterparts, claims EPC.
As well as lidar and radar, they can be used in high-fidelity infotainment systems.
The eGaN devices are produced in facilities certified to the Automotive Quality Management System Standard IATF 16949. EPC’s CEO and co-founder Alex Lidow commented: “This is just the beginning. These two initial automotive products will be followed by a constant stream of transistors and integrated circuits designed to enable autonomous driving and improve fuel economy and safety. Our eGaN technology is faster, smaller, more efficient, and more reliable than the aging silicon power MOSFET used in today’s vehicles.”
Both products are available for immediate delivery from distributor, Digi-Key.
