Switched-mode power supplies (SMPS) offer higher efficiency, greater power density, and lower total system cost when using GaN devices. However, GaN, a high-performance, high-switching-speed semiconductor technology, can produce current spikes that result in radiated electromagnetic interference. Therefore, optimized layout and component placement prior to hardware fabrication is critical when using GaN.
The new power supply reference design (download the user guide here), available with Keysight’s Pathwave Advanced Design System, is a virtual prototype based on Transphorm’s 4 kW single-phase, high-efficiency AC-DC conversion evaluation board. It consists of the components and motherboard models necessary for engineers to visualize and optimize voltage, current, and electromagnetic field behavior in the frequency and time domains.
“The need for switched-mode power supplies is driving the rapid adoption of wide-bandgap semiconductors,” said Tom Lillig, general manager of Keysight’s Pathwave Software Solutions division. “Transphorm’s new reference design for its high-voltage GaN solution will accelerate the time to market for this technology, which is changing the way the world powers electronics.”
Keysight's PathWave ADS software provides pre-compliance analysis using a virtual prototype that ensures the design configuration performs as expected, eliminating the need to build a virtual workspace. Virtual prototypes complement physical prototypes, which serve as the reference for measured characteristics and compliance. However, physical prototypes can be expensive and present physical challenges for some in-situ testing and measurement protocols. Virtual prototypes are easy to modify and can reveal device overstress as warning messages during simulation. Voltage, current, and fields can be monitored and corrected at every stage of the simulation. All data is available for analysis, including the interior of the semiconductor package.
“Transphorm seeks partnerships that help our customers reduce knowledge gaps, increase design simplicity, and reduce time to market,” said Philip Zuk, Vice President of North American Sales and Worldwide Technical Marketing at Transphorm. “With proper modeling, analyzing any type of design before physical prototyping is an invaluable resource. Teaming up with Keysight allows us to bring our 4 kW AC-DC power conversion board into a virtual design environment that will be advantageous for product designers.”
