EPC Space introduces family of rad hard GaN power transistors
A family of 40 to 300V radiation hardened (rad hard) GaN transistors are designed for critical applications in the high reliability or commercial satellite space environments. They range from 4.0 to 30A and demonstrate “significant performance advantages over competitive silicon-based rad hard power MOSFETs, says EPC Space.
The company claims its eGaN technology produces devices that are smaller, have lower resistance, and have many times superior switching performance compared to silicon solutions.
Critical spaceborne applications that can use this elevated performance are 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. They can also be used as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles.
In addition to the performance improvement, the GaN devices offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE) and gamma radiation (TID), says EPC Space. Single event effect (SEE) immunity is guaranteed at the wafer level. EPC Space devices are manufactured in an AS9100D-certified facility in the greater Boston area, USA.
EPC Space provides high reliability, radiation hardened enhancement-mode gallium nitride (eGaN) power management devices for space and other harsh environments.
The company reports that its rad hard GaN devices have been in orbit since January 2019.
