Microchip launches radiation-tolerant 20 A GaN converter for space
Microchip Technology has expanded its space power portfolio with the POL-05-20S-T, a radiation-tolerant gallium nitride (GaN) point-of-load (POL) converter designed for high-current processing applications. The device delivers up to 20 A of continuous output current in a compact surface-mount package, targeting both new-space and traditional space systems.
Measuring 1.51 × 1.51 × 0.45 inches and weighing 25 g, the converter is designed to meet the power, size and energy constraints of increasingly capable onboard processing systems. Its GaN-based power stage is intended to combine high efficiency and power density with the current capability required by demanding space applications.
“Space designers are integrating increasingly powerful digital processing, creating demand for compact power solutions that can respond quickly, while operating reliably in harsh environments,” said Ronan Dillon, senior director of Microchip’s high-reliability and RF business unit. “The POL-05-20S-T extends our space power portfolio with a high-current GaN solution that helps customers achieve high power density, design flexibility and system-level reliability.”
Designed for high-current digital loads
The POL-05-20S-T is intended for high-current, fast-transient applications, including core power rails for FPGAs, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and other processing-intensive digital devices.
It combines a synchronous buck converter topology with current-mode control to support rapid load-current changes and stable operation. The device accepts an input voltage of 4.75 V to 13.2 V and provides an adjustable output from 0.7 V to 5 V, allowing it to support a range of power rails and system architectures.
Features intended to support power delivery and system integration include remote sensing, undervoltage and overvoltage protection, soft start, an enable input and a power-good indication output. Adjustable output voltage and droop regulation provide further flexibility for high-current loads requiring tight voltage regulation and rapid transient response.
Radiation tolerance for space environments
Designed for operation in radiation environments, the POL-05-20S-T has electrical parameters specified before and after irradiation to a total ionising dose (TID) of 50 krad. It has also been characterised for single-event effects (SEE) at a linear energy transfer (LET) of up to 43 MeV·cm²/mg.
The converter operates across a temperature range of −55°C to +100°C at full load, supporting space systems exposed to wide temperature variations during a mission.
Part of Microchip’s space power portfolio
The POL-05-20S-T joins Microchip’s broader portfolio of components and subsystems for space applications. The range includes electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters, DC-DC converters, point-of-load regulators, high-reliability discrete components, FPGAs and PIC64-HPSC high-performance spaceflight computing devices.
Microchip says its portfolio is designed to help space-system developers simplify integration, reduce design risk and accelerate the development of mission-critical systems.
