According to ST, this combination will accelerate the creation of next-generation compact and efficient chargers and power adapters for consumer and industrial applications up to 400W.
GaN technology enables these devices to handle more power despite become smaller, more lightweight, and more energy efficient. These improvements will make a difference for smartphone ultra-fast chargers and wireless chargers, USB-PD compact adapters for PCs and gaming, as well as in industrial applications like solar-energy storage systems, uninterruptible power supplies, or high-end OLED TVs and server cloud.
The GaN market is today typically served by discrete power transistors and driver ICs that require designers to learn how to make them work together for best performance. ST’s MasterGaN approach bypasses that challenge, resulting in faster time to market and assured performance, together with a smaller footprint, simplified assembly, and increased reliability with fewer components. With GaN technology and the advantages of ST’s integrated products, chargers and adapters could be cut by 80% in terms size and 70% in weight when compared to ordinary silicon-based solutions.
“ST’s market-unique MasterGaN platform builds on our proven expertise and power-design skills to combine high-voltage smart-power BCD process with GaN technology, to accelerate the creation of space-saving and power-efficient products that are kinder to the environment,” said Matteo Lo Presti, Executive VP and General Manager Analog Sub-Group, STMicroelectronics.
ST is launching the new platform with MasterGaN, which contains two GaN power transistors connected as a half bridge with integrated high-side and low-side drivers.
MasterGaN is in production now, in a 9mm x 9mm GQFN package only 1mm high.
