EPC Space adds half-bridge buck platforms
EPC Space has announced two new additions to its family of demonstration and evaluation boards supporting applications including half-bridge connected point-of-load (POL) converter power stages, single- and multi-phase motor drivers, and Class-D single- and full-bridge stages.
The EPC7C010 is a 100 V / 20 A high-efficiency half-bridge power circuit configured as a buck (step-down) switching regulator output stage. This board uses the EPC7004B GaN HEMT as the power switching elements and the FBS-GAM01P-R-PSE module as the low- and high-side gate drivers.
The EPC7C011 is a 200 V / 10 A high-efficiency half-bridge power circuit configured as a buck (step-down) switching regulator output stage. This board uses the EPC7007B GaN HEMT as the power switching elements and the FBS-GAM01P-R-PSE module as the low- and high-side gate drivers.
Both boards are optimised for 350 kHz operation as delivered, but support flexible switching frequencies from 50 kHz to 1.5 MHz with appropriate output filter component adjustments.
Typical performance highlights for the EPC7C010 are peak efficiency of 94.7 percent (at VIN < 50 V) and ≥ 87.5 percent across 2 A < Iload < 20 A. The EPC7C011 features peak efficiency of 96.6 percent (at VIN < 100 V) and ≥ 92.5 percent across 2 A < Iload < 10 A.
Both evaluation boards include adjustable dead-time insertion and offer multiple options for output filter capacitors (type and physical size) to support end-user customisation. They also feature galvanic isolation between the low- and high-side gate drivers to ensure balanced propagation delays. A logic-compatible PWM input signal is provided via an SMA-style connector on both boards.
“These new half-bridge eGaN evaluation boards demonstrate how high-frequency GaN power stages can improve efficiency and power density while offering the flexibility designers need for demanding aerospace and high reliability applications,” said Bel Lazar, EPC Space CEO.
