Transphorm Launches Low-Cost Driver Solution for SuperGaN FETs

Transphorm FETs achieve up to 99% efficiency using simple half-bridge gate drivers, demonstrating cost-effective design over a wide power range exceeding 1 kW

Goleta, Calif. – June 15, 2023 – Transphorm, Inc., a leading global supplier of gallium nitride (GaN) power conversion products, has announced a high-performance, low-cost driver solution for low- to medium-power applications such as LED lighting, charging, microinverters, UPS, and gaming computers , strengthening the company’s value proposition to customers in this $3 billion power market.

Unlike competing e-mode GaN solutions that require custom drivers or gate protection devices for level shifting, Transphorm's SuperGaN® FETs are easier to drive because they can be used with commercially available drivers, which increases the cost advantage of using Transphorm devices for customers. The new solution uses a high-speed, non-isolated, high-voltage half-bridge gate driver, further reducing total system cost without compromising GaN FET or system performance.

“Our normally-off GaN platform works with well-known, commercially available drivers, making it more suitable and desirable for market applications,” said Philip Zuk, SVP of Business Development and Marketing at Transphorm . “Being able to select the driver that best fits the needs of the application is a very important advantage for customers. Customers can choose the driver that best weights performance for their design, thereby better controlling the cost of the power system. This is especially important in price-sensitive end markets. Transphorm’s GaN delivers higher performance, and with our GaN devices, customers can select the BOM based on the end result, achieving the required performance at a very cost-effective price.”

Transphorm also recommends a variety of other drivers that are well suited for higher power applications with high isolation voltage ratings (controlling the drive signal to the output), short delays, fast turn-on/off times, and programmable dead times.

Low- and medium-power applications such as power adapters, laptop chargers, LED lighting, and two- and three-wheeler charging are very price sensitive. The power systems in these products usually do not require advanced features such as safety isolation, and the use of high-end drivers may lead to unnecessary increases in BOM costs.

Performance Analysis

The half-bridge gate driver was tested using Transphorm's 650 V, 72 mΩ PQFN88 packaged device, the TP65H070LSG. It can be used in bridge topologies such as resonant half-bridge, totem-pole PFC, sine wave inverter, or active clamp flyback circuits.

Test results show that this low-cost driver solution works well at switching frequencies below/equal to 150kHz, whether or not a heat sink or forced air is used for cooling. This solution ultimately achieves close to 99% efficiency in the selected configuration.