ENERGY CONVERTER EPC GaN FETs enable 4 kW high-efficiency buck-boost converter reference design

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Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has announced the use of its EPC2361 100 V eGaN FETs in a high-performance buck-boost converter reference design from Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). The design demonstrates how GaN technology can enable efficient, high-current power conversion for demanding industrial, telecom, battery charging, and other high-power applications.

The EVAL-LT7930-AZ combines the LT7930 controller with EPC2361 GaN FETs in a dual-phase, interleaved buck-boost converter operating from 36 V to 65 V input and delivering 48 V output. The platform supports up to 4 kW of output power and achieves typical efficiencies of 98.5% at 36 V and 48 V input and 98.8% at 65 V, demonstrating the high-efficiency power conversion enabled by EPC’s GaN technology.

The EPC2361 is a 100 V, 133 A enhancement-mode GaN transistor featuring a typical 0.75 mΩ on-resistance and a compact 3 mm × 5 mm package. Its ultra-low conduction losses, low gate charge, and absence of reverse recovery make it well suited to high-current, high-frequency power conversion applications.

A key element of the reference design is the ability to optimize the switching behavior specifically for GaN. The power-stage controller provides gate drivers optimized for GaN FETs and programmable dead-time control. On the evaluation platform, the dead time is set to 10 ns based on the EPC2361 GaN FET parameters, helping minimize reverse-conduction losses while maintaining safe switching operation.

“High-power conversion increasingly requires a combination of efficient control architectures and low-loss power devices,” said Alex Lidow, CEO and co-founder of EPC. “The EVAL-LT7930-AZ demonstrates how EPC’s EPC2361 GaN technology can be combined with the ADI LT7930 controller to deliver a compact, highly efficient multi-kilowatt buck-boost platform. This type of collaboration helps power designers move GaN from individual devices into complete high-performance power systems.”

The EPC2361 is designed for applications including high-power AC-DC power supplies, high-frequency DC-DC conversion, data center power systems, motor drives, robotics, drones, and solar MPPT.

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