For the past five years EPC Space has been delivering and continues to deliver Rad Hard GaN discrete and module power products which offer higher performance and lower cost power management solutions for high reliability and space applications when compared to traditional silicon-based Rad Hard transistors and ICs.
EPC Space technology produces devices that are smaller, have lower resistance, and have many times superior switching performance compared to silicon solutions. Spanning a range of 40 Volts to 300 Volts, and 4 Amperes to 30 Amperes, the discrete power transistor family demonstrates significant performance advantages over competitive silicon-based Rad Hard power MOSFETs.
The Drivers and Power Stages product line includes ultra-fast low-side eGaN drivers, ultra-fast dual low-side eGaN drivers, and half bridge drivers with integrated eGaN power switches.
Beyond the overall higher performance, these devices offer superior radiation hardness under heavy ions (SEE), gamma radiation (TID), and Neutron Displacement Damage (DD) as compared to Si solution; moreover, SEE immunity is guaranteed by wafer. EPC Space devices are manufactured in the US at an AS9100D certified facility located in the greater Boston area. It is worth noting, that tens of thousands of these devices are already on board of satellites flying in LEO and GEO orbits with mission lives of more than ten years.
“With the performance, reliability, and price advantage clearly on the side of EPC Space GaN devices, it is hard to justify continuing to pay two times the price for lower performing, heavier, larger silicon-based power solutions,” commented Bel Lazar, CEO. “With GaN solutions for applications from LEO to GEO at half the price of Rad Hard silicon MOSFETs, the time to switch to GaN is now.”
Critical spaceborne applications that benefit from GaN performance and price include, but not limited to, power supplies for satellites and mission equipment, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) for robotics, autonomous navigation and rendezvous docking, motor drives for reaction wheels, robotics and instrumentation, and ion thrusters for satellite orientation and positioning as well as interplanetary propulsion of low-mass robotic vehicles.
