Podcast Series on GaN Power Transistors for Power Designers

Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) has created and posted on line an eleven-part educational video podcast series designed to provide power system design engineers a technical foundation and application-focused toolset on how to design more efficient power conversion systems using gallium nitride-based transistors. Beyond giving an overview of the theoretical underpinnings and design basics for using GaN transistors, this video series provides practical examples on the use of GaN transistors in widely used power electronics applications such as dc-dc conversion for telecom and datacom systems. In addition, it provides examples of how these superior devices enable emerging applications, such as wireless power transfer and RF envelope tracking.

Kicking off the series is “How to GaN 1 – Material Comparisons ,” which provides a basic understanding of why gallium nitride is such a great new semiconductor material. Subsequent episodes look at device performance characteristics, provide actual design examples, and get into the practical application of eGaN FETs by examining design criteria such as gate drive, layout, and thermal management.

“This series of short, less than ten minutes each, videos will help designers understand the exceptional benefits of GaN technology and the intricacies of working with GaN transistors in power conversion systems. Most importantly, the videos will accelerate design engineers’ learning curve and increase their ability to take maximum advantage of the high switching frequency and high performance of GaN power transistors,” noted Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC.

The How to GaN video series is easily accessible on the EPC video library or on the EPC YouTube Video Channel . The presenters, Alex Lidow, Michael DeRooij, Johan Strydom and David Reusch, are working for EPC, the first company to introduce enhancement-mode GaN transistors. Collectively the presenters have over seventy-five years' experience working in power transistor design and application. All four presenters have doctorates in scientific disciplines with extensive practical experience in the emerging GaN transistor technology. Dr. Lidow concentrates on GaN transistor theory and process design, while Drs. Strydom, DeRooij and Reusch focus on GaN power transistor applications.