All of these, basically.
In a nutshell, eGaNs promise to deliver music cleaner, faster and more efficiently.
But to achieve these goals, electrical control must be tight, and mechanics also. The module embeds some (not all!) critical pieces while minimizing EMC etc. issues.
It should also make it somewhat easier to design a high-quality amp, so that eGaNs become accessible even to DIYers: most of them have trouble with SMD let alone bare dies...
Thanks, work in progress!
How about the topside of the mos is it isolated, so that you can just press it towards a heatsink, to get proper cooling?
Kind regards Baldin
Hi Baldin,
sorry if this is late. Yes, the substrate (topside) is isolated. EPC has an appnote on assembling and soldering etc., pretty interesting and IMO a must read before kidding around with these critters.
It's here: http://epc-co.com/epc/documents/product-training/Appnote_GaNassembly.pdf
Hello egberttheone.
I think the only drivers that have that much jitter are those that are based in optocouplers or digital isolators, normal drivers like irs2011 for example, don't specify jitter in data-sheet , how do you get that numbers for jitter, have you measure?
I wish i had the ability to measure jitter. I found some jitter analyzer equipment but most of these can only measure as low as 1ns.
I would need one that can measure in pico seconds.
These are VERY expensive.
I found these jitter numbers in the datasheet, the driver did make use of opto isolators.
If there are no opto isolators involved what can i aspect in terms of jitter?
Most datasheets dont specify jitter.
I would need one that can measure in pico seconds.
These are VERY expensive.
I found these jitter numbers in the datasheet, the driver did make use of opto isolators.
If there are no opto isolators involved what can i aspect in terms of jitter?
Most datasheets dont specify jitter.
Thx for the warm welcome.
There are many options for improving the 'usability' of our devices.
Wider pitch, better miller ratio, higher VTH and VGSmax, larger / better thermal package etc. Some are easier to do than others and are being looked into...
Pretty glad to hear this, because when your devices became available through digi key - I had a look to them and decide not to use them.
Mostly because of low Vth and insufficient capability to handle losses.
Of course we do not want to have losses, but my assumptions were as follows:
+/- 75V rails, half bridge 8 Ohms load.
I trust that I can design a PCB that allows power stage designs with di/dt around 1000A/us.
Consequently my designs would need approx 10ns for commutation at a 10A load. At a 1MHz switching frequency this would result in 7.5W losses in the device. My personal guess was that I would not be able to transfer this heat from the die to the heat sink.
Finally I decided, to go for MosFets in my current design and stay with 400kHz. In a few years GaN is likely to become mature enough for my purpose - I will wait for this.
Nevertheless, I am loving this thread. It is pioneering the application of future power switches. Absolutely great!!!
Thanks Choco. As they say, road works ahead... Absolutely great!!!
Will keep you postedE
I downloaded the Spice models for the EPC line of GaN FETs and tried simulating them with LTspice. The models provided by EPC worked OK in a full bridge Class D amp I am playing with to see how I could improve it.
Overall, unless EPC changes the package, these devices are a little too difficult for a DIYer to handle, even though I work for a company that uses SMD 0201 sized parts all the time. The advantage of these parts, very low Rdson, is great. The small size of even the larger EPC2001 (my personal favorite) is hard to deal with. Need to create a PCB with 8 mil (.2 mm) traces and 8 mil (.2 mm) spacing. That isn't that hard but the soldering of something that tiny without x-ray inspection to fine tune a temperature profile is going to be a low yield process. And then how do you apply a heatsink to a device 4mm x 2mm?? You will need a heatsink. Trust me.......
Gate drivers?? Use the LM5113/5114. Period. End of story.
Overall, unless EPC changes the package, these devices are a little too difficult for a DIYer to handle, even though I work for a company that uses SMD 0201 sized parts all the time. The advantage of these parts, very low Rdson, is great. The small size of even the larger EPC2001 (my personal favorite) is hard to deal with. Need to create a PCB with 8 mil (.2 mm) traces and 8 mil (.2 mm) spacing. That isn't that hard but the soldering of something that tiny without x-ray inspection to fine tune a temperature profile is going to be a low yield process. And then how do you apply a heatsink to a device 4mm x 2mm?? You will need a heatsink. Trust me.......
Gate drivers?? Use the LM5113/5114. Period. End of story.
Hey cool thread. I've only skimmed thru, and looking forward to really read it. I am playing around with these little eGANs but must say I wish they were a little more handle-friendly
I know the small size is great for high frequency work, but for < 2-4MHz can't a SOT223 or something like that do as well? Or even better a DPAK for proper connection to PCB copper area for heatsinking? It sure would make it easier for us DIY'ers.
Here's a pic of my attempt to make one of these FETs DIY-able.
I know the small size is great for high frequency work, but for < 2-4MHz can't a SOT223 or something like that do as well? Or even better a DPAK for proper connection to PCB copper area for heatsinking? It sure would make it easier for us DIY'ers.
Here's a pic of my attempt to make one of these FETs DIY-able.
Attachments
Thinking about it I've realized that if we are to use GAN-FETs as a better device than classic MOSFETs, we should switch them as fast as they can be switched, and when rise times < 10ns we will start to see ringing on the gate. Ringing on a MOSFET gate isn't so critical, since they can handle at least 20volts. The eGANs can't handle more than 6volts, and should be driven to 5volts for proper ON state. Even 1/2" of wire will risk swamp the benefits of GAN.
But of course, for DIY, and if we accept > 10ns rise times, still better than any pwr MOSFET, having some GANs in packages we can solder on the kitchen bench would be really nice. If nottin else for experimenting.
But of course, for DIY, and if we accept > 10ns rise times, still better than any pwr MOSFET, having some GANs in packages we can solder on the kitchen bench would be really nice. If nottin else for experimenting.
Hi guys,
My first post on this forum. I was wondering if someone was still working with the eGaN FET's. I've just started working on my graduation project which is to take these new eGaN FET's and check what all the advantages and disadvantages would be. I'm designing a UcD styled class d amplifier utilizing the EPC2001's.
Currently i've been diving in books, papers and forums to get up to speed on this new tech. Also been studying the UcD amps and have been designing my own. I do have some trouble simulating the EPC2001 FET's in LTspice. It's extremely slow and crashes early on in the simulation. Therefore I've been simulating using regular MOSFET's. Also i made some Eagle models for the parts i want to use. These include the EPC2001 and LM5113.
Also we've got the EPC9002 dev board here but it already died. The driver has been replaced, but unfortunatly the FET's died as well. Got those of the board and ordered some new ones. However soldering them back on will be a pain.
I'm kind of hoping to get this thread going again since the last post has been posted 1.5 years ago. Still not much development since then on the eGaN FET's. The only 100V FET's seem to be the ones from EPC.
I will be working on this or the coming month's and to get this discussion alive again would surely prove very interesting.
Thanks allready guys for what's been said allready on this thread and hopefully will be said.
Guus Kleeven
My first post on this forum. I was wondering if someone was still working with the eGaN FET's. I've just started working on my graduation project which is to take these new eGaN FET's and check what all the advantages and disadvantages would be. I'm designing a UcD styled class d amplifier utilizing the EPC2001's.
Currently i've been diving in books, papers and forums to get up to speed on this new tech. Also been studying the UcD amps and have been designing my own. I do have some trouble simulating the EPC2001 FET's in LTspice. It's extremely slow and crashes early on in the simulation. Therefore I've been simulating using regular MOSFET's. Also i made some Eagle models for the parts i want to use. These include the EPC2001 and LM5113.
Also we've got the EPC9002 dev board here but it already died. The driver has been replaced, but unfortunatly the FET's died as well. Got those of the board and ordered some new ones. However soldering them back on will be a pain.
I'm kind of hoping to get this thread going again since the last post has been posted 1.5 years ago. Still not much development since then on the eGaN FET's. The only 100V FET's seem to be the ones from EPC.
I will be working on this or the coming month's and to get this discussion alive again would surely prove very interesting.
Thanks allready guys for what's been said allready on this thread and hopefully will be said.
Guus Kleeven
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