Transphorm and Allegro partner on GaN driver solution
Purpose-built isolated gate drivers to enable rapid adoption of GaN chips
Transphorm and Allegro MicroSystems will collaborate on Transphorm’s SuperGaN FETs and Allegro’s AHV85110 Isolated gate driver to enable the expansion of GaN system design for high power applications.
Transphorm’s SuperGaN FETs are designed to work in various topologies and are available in several different packages to support a wide power range while also satisfying diverse end application requirements. SuperGaN FETs are used in multiple commercial products, including higher power systems where they are proven to notably increase reliability, power density, and efficiency.
Allegro’s self-powered, single-channel isolated gate driver IC is optimised for driving GaN FETs in multiple applications and circuits. The AHV85110 is said to enhance driver efficiency by as much as 50 percent compared to competitive gate drivers. This solution is also designed to simplify the system design, reducing noise by 10x and common mode capacitance by 15 times compared to other solutions in the market, according to the company.
“Allegro’s AHV85110 High Voltage Gate Driver provides a highly compact and efficient power stage implementation that helps to achieve an approximate 30 percent footprint reduction with the least number of external components and bias supply requirements around Transphorm’s power devices,” said Tushar Dhayagude, VP of Worldwide Sales and FAE, Transphorm. “Combined with SuperGaN’s highest reliability and superior dynamic switching performance over competing technologies, the end result is a more efficient, more robust solution with increased power density in critical applications such as server, data centres, renewables and electric vehicles.”
Vijay Mangtani, VP and general manager of High Voltage Power, Allegro MicroSystems. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to combine our high voltage isolated gate driver AHV85110 with Transphorm’s SuperGaN FET to enable higher power density, higher efficiency, and higher power output in smaller form factors and provide value to both our and Transphorm’s customers.”
The solution can be tested using Allegro’s APEK85110KNH-06-T evaluation board. The board incorporates both the AHV85110 designed to work in various applications along with Transphorm’s recently announced TOLL package available in three devices with on-resistances of 35, 50, and 72 milliohms.
