The advantages of GaN technology offer broad benefits across various sectors, from industrial and automotive applications to consumer electronics and renewable energy. The new e-book provides expert insights from ADI, Bourns, and other companies on the benefits of GaN, the challenges designers using GaN technology for the first time may face, and how to best approach the transition from silicon to GaN. The e-book also highlights relevant products from ADI and Bourns, such as GaN drivers, power inductors, and more.

ADI's LTC7890/1 synchronous step-down drivers are high-performance step-down DC-DC switching regulator drivers that control N-channel synchronous GaN field-effect transistor (FET) power stages with input voltages up to 100 V. These devices simplify design while eliminating the need for protection diodes or other additional external components, unlike silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor solutions.

The LT8418 is a 100V half-bridge GaN driver that integrates the upper and lower driver stages, driver logic control, and protections. The LT8418 provides split-gate drivers to adjust the turn-on and turn-off response speeds of the GaN FETs to suppress resonance and optimize EMI performance.

The high switching frequencies in GaN technology demand careful selection of passive components. Bourns offers advanced magnetic components optimized for the higher frequencies of GaN, such as its PQ planar power inductors, CWP3230A chip inductors, and TLVR1105T inductors. These devices are characterized by their low inductance, high current ratings, and shielded design for low radiation.

The Bourns HCTSM150102HL transformer features reinforced insulation, a minimum insulation/creeping distance of 15 mm, and a maximum voltage rating of 7.64 kV (2 s) to provide a high degree of protection against high-voltage hazards. The transformer is constructed with a toroidal ferrite core to achieve a high coupling factor and high efficiency.

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