Shootout Volume 5: Paralleling eGaN® FETs – Part 2

In the first installment of this two-part article on paralleling eGaN FETs, five basic designs, utilizing four EPC2001 (100 V, 25 A) paralleled devices per switch in a half bridge configuration were presented with experimental validation. In this second installment, a 1MHz buck converter is demonstrated using two parallel eGaN FETs with exceptional performance compared, with state-of-the-art silicon devices in a similar circuit. ...

Fan Control Systems Are More Than About Blowing Hot Air Away

Thermal management is becoming more challenging for design engineers. ICs like microprocessors and graphics engines are become smaller, more powerful, occupy smaller pc-board spaces, and dissipate greater heat levels that must be managed and controlled. ...

Pulse Withstanding Resistors Handle High Surges

Design engineers dealing with surge events need to understand the significant difference between pulse voltage withstanding and pulse power withstanding resistors....

Optimize Wireless Power Transfer Link Efficiency – Part 1

In attempting to improve the efficiency of wireless power transfer it is essential to consider the losses associated with the proximity effects of the transmit and receive coils. Optimizing the link efficiency, and how the two coils interact with each other, requires that measurements be made with the coils close to each other, preferably with the separation expected in the specific application. ...

Reducing Size, Complexity Of An Isolated Synchronous Gate Driver

The traditional approach to designing an isolated DC to DC converter with synchronous rectification involves using optocouplers or pulse transformers for isolation, and mating them together with a gate driver IC. However, a more integrated approach has higher performance and a much smaller solution size and cost than either the pulse transformer or optocoupler. ...

2011 Rectifer/Diode Review

Although they are usually limited to only two leads, rectifiers and diodes play an important role in power electronic systems. In 2011, many types of rectifier/diodes were introduced, from bridge rectifiers to Schottky types in silicon and silicon carbide (SiC). Listed below is a review of devices that were received by Power Electronics Technology this year. ...

SEPIC + Buck = Improved Converter Performance

A new high-performance power supply topology creates highly efficient, ultra-dense, low EMI switching converters. ...

TVS Clamping in Hot-Swap Circuits

To guarantee reliability, the server system designer must consider hot-swap circuit parasitics and the associated transient behavior. The designer should use a TVS (transient voltage suppressor) diode clamp at the line card input. Experimental measurements of a typical system provide a basis to examine the key parameters and the major steps in selecting system protection components, such as a TVS diode....

CMOS Digital Isolators Enhance Smart Meter Data Integrity/Reliability

Sophisticated smart meters use IC technology to accurately measure and report power consumption. A primary concern in smart meter design is measurement data integrity. The most effective solution to ensure data integrity and long-term system reliability in smart meters is to use state-of-the-art digital isolation technology. ...