New 900 V GaN-based flyback switcher ICs increase power and efficiency
New InnoSwitch3™ ICs from Power Integrations feature robust and efficient PowiGaN™ gallium nitride switches, for industrial applications and for 400 V automotive auxiliary power supplies, supporting loads of up to 100 W.
Power Integrations has introduced new products in its InnoSwitch3 family of flyback switcher ICs that feature 900 V gallium nitride (GaN) power switches. The 900 V GaN parts are in the InnoSwitch3-EP series for industrial applications, and the InnoSwitch3-AQ series of automotive-qualified devices.
The new ICs, which feature the company’s proprietary PowiGaN technology, supply up to 100 W at more than 93% efficiency, eliminating the need for heat-sinks, and streamlining the design of space-constrained products. InnoSwitch3 designs also offer very high light-load efficiency, making them ideal in the electric vehicle (EV) auxiliary power systems that support low-power sleep modes.
The AEC-Q100 qualified InnoSwitch3-AQ series is particularly suitable for EVs that operate from a 400 V bus; the 900 V PowiGaN switch provides more power, a higher design margin and better efficiency than silicon-based converters. The 900 V PowiGaN switch can easily handle inductive noise spikes, yet can also operate from a voltage as low as 30 V dc, enabling systems to meet the active discharge requirements of functional safety specifications.
In the industrial market, the PowiGaN switch’s extra power and efficiency offer similar benefits. The new 900 V products are pin-for-pin compatible with existing 725 V and 750 V InnoSwitch3-EP parts, and offer increased safety margin, a useful benefit in countries where the mains power grid produces unstable line voltages.
The new 900 V InnoSwitch3-EP and InnoSwitch3-AQ are off-line, constant voltage/constant current flyback switcher ICs which perform synchronous rectification, while their flyback controller implements valley-switching discontinuous conduction mode and continuous conduction mode conversion. The Power Integrations FluxLink™ communication technology enables the IC package to bridge the isolation barrier, optimizing efficiency and eliminating the need for optocouplers.
PowiGaN technology enables InnoSwitch3-EP ICs to supply up to 100 W at 230 V ac without the need for a heat-sink. Automotive InnoSwitch3-AQ devices can supply up to 100 W from a 400 V bus. They provide performance and protection features similar to those of the popular 1,700 V silicon carbide InnoSwitch3-AQ ICs used in 800 V EV systems.