Efficient Power Conversion Corp (EPC) of El Segundo, California, USA, a manufacturer of gallium gallium nitride on silicon (eGaN) power field-effect transistors and integrated circuits, has introduced three evaluation boards (EPC9179, EPC9181 and EPC9180) with 75A, 125A and 231A pulsed current laser drivers. They are designed for long and short range automotive lidar systems.
All boards have identical functionality, differing only in peak current and pulse width. Utilizing a resonant discharge power stage, they employ a GaN FET (field-effect transistor) ground-bound, driven by an LMG1020 gate driver. The ultra-fast switching of the GaN FET allows rapid discharge of the charged capacitor through the load parasitic inductance, providing peak discharge currents of tens to hundreds of amperes within nanoseconds. The PCBs are designed to minimize power loops and common-source inductance while providing mounting flexibility for laser diodes or other loads.
The EPC9179/81/80 boards are triggered from 3.3V signals or differential logic signals such as LVDS. The purpose of the evaluation boards is to simplify the evaluation of high-power drivers for GaN keys that switch faster and provide higher pulse current than other semiconductor solutions. For more technical information, EPC offers complete schematics, bill of materials (BOM), PCB layout files and a quick start guide on the EPC website.
The EPC9179/81/80 boards are triggered from 3.3V signals or differential logic signals such as LVDS. The purpose of the evaluation boards is to simplify the evaluation of high-power drivers for GaN keys that switch faster and provide higher pulse current than other semiconductor solutions. For more technical information, EPC offers complete schematics, bill of materials (BOM), PCB layout files and a quick start guide on the EPC website.