ST adds 650 V GaN MasterGaN7 devices for high-efficiency power conversion
STMicroelectronics has expanded its MasterGaN family of integrated GaN transistors and gate drivers with new MasterGaN7 devices, featuring 650 V enhancement-mode gallium nitride (GaN) transistors with a maximum current rating of 6 A.
The new devices are designed to help engineers increase power-conversion efficiency and power density in applications including power adapters, battery chargers, industrial lighting and solar microinverters.
MasterGaN7 integrates two 650 V GaN transistors in a half-bridge configuration alongside a high-voltage, high-frequency gate driver. The devices are housed in a QFN package that shares the pinout and footprint of other MasterGaN products, helping designers simplify PCB layouts and facilitate product development across the family.
The devices use ST’s latest-generation GaN technology to support high-speed switching and improved power-conversion efficiency. MasterGaN7 also incorporates low-dropout (LDO) regulators to stabilise the gate-drive voltage for consistent switching performance.
A pin-controlled shutdown mode with ultra-fast wake-up helps reduce no-load power consumption. With a propagation delay of 45 ns, short minimum on-time and fast wake-up, MasterGaN7 devices can operate at switching frequencies of up to 2 MHz.
The high level of integration reduces the number and size of external components required to complete the power-conversion circuit. This can help minimise PCB area, reduce bill-of-materials (BoM) costs and increase overall power density. An integrated bootstrap diode supplies the high-side gate driver, further reducing external component requirements.
The MasterGaN family supports a range of power-conversion topologies, including active-clamp flyback, asymmetrical half-bridge, inverse buck, resonant LLC, power factor correction (PFC) and DC-to-AC inverter configurations.
Integrated protection features include interlocking to prevent cross-conduction, undervoltage lockout (UVLO) and thermal shutdown. By combining the GaN power switches, gate-driver circuitry and protection functions in a single package, MasterGaN devices can help reduce system footprint, simplify circuit design and minimise BoM costs.
