Power Integrations Launches 900V GaN Flyback Switcher IC

Power Integrations Launches 900V GaN Flyback Switcher IC

The new PowiGaN InnoSwitch IC targets industrial applications and 400V system automotive power supplies.

Output power up to 100W

ORLANDO, Fla., March 20, 2023 – APEC 2023 – Power Integrations, a leader in high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion, today announced the launch of 900V gallium nitride (GaN) devices to expand its InnoSwitch3™ family of flyback switcher ICs . Using the company’s proprietary PowiGaN™ technology, the new ICs deliver up to 100W of power with over 93% efficiency, eliminating the need for heat sinks and simplifying power supply design for space-constrained applications. The InnoSwitch3 design also features excellent light-load efficiency, making it ideal for providing auxiliary power to electric vehicles in low-power sleep mode. The AEC-Q100-compliant InnoSwitch3-AQ family is particularly well suited for electric vehicles based on 400V bus systems, while the 900V PowiGaN switches offer more power and design margin for systems that replace 12V batteries, and are more efficient than silicon-based converters.

Comments Peter Vaughan, director of automotive business development at Power Integrations : “The mainstream bus voltage in electric vehicles is 400 V. EV manufacturers are optimizing their next-generation 400 V systems and redesigning various power converters in the vehicle, such as the on-board charger. The 900 V PowiGaN switch is very useful because it can easily handle the highly inductive noise spikes that are often present in the automotive environment. The additional power provided by our GaN technology meets the growing power demands of EV manufacturers. In addition, the efficiency of the power converter, even for auxiliary power systems, is also very important to improve the vehicle’s range and thermal performance.”

In the industrial sector, the increased power capability and higher efficiency are also advantageous in applications such as auxiliary power supplies (PSUs) in home appliances, three-phase motors and servers. The new 900V devices are pin-compatible with existing 725V and 750V InnoSwitch3-EP devices and provide a higher safety margin, making them ideal for countries or regions with unstable mains voltage.

“Our ability to offer GaN devices rated up to 900V is testament to the reliability and ruggedness of our PowiGaN technology,” says Silvestro Fimiani, senior product marketing manager at Power Integrations .

The new 900V InnoSwitch3-EP and InnoSwitch3-AQ constant voltage/constant current offline flyback switcher ICs use synchronous rectification, valley-turned discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) and continuous conduction mode (CCM) flyback controllers. FluxLink™ communication technology allows the IC package to be located on the safety isolation zone, thereby improving efficiency and eliminating the need for optocouplers. PowiGaN technology enables the InnoSwitch3-EP IC to provide up to 100W (at 230VAC±15%) without a heat sink. InnoSwitch3-EP devices integrate multiple protection features, including input overvoltage and undervoltage protection, output overvoltage and overcurrent limiting, and overtemperature shutdown. This series of devices offers standard output power and peak output power options. The automotive-grade InnoSwitch3-AQ device can deliver 100W of output power from a 400V bus and offers similar performance and protection features to the popular 1700V SiC InnoSwitch3-AQ IC for 800V electric vehicle systems.

Supply and related resources

The new 900V GaN InnoSwitch3-EP devices for industrial applications are priced at $2.00 each in 10,000-unit quantities.