Date
10/21/2013
PDF
Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) introduced the EPC9017 half bridge development board for high current, high step down voltage, buck Intermediate Bus Converter (IBC) applications using eGaN FETs. In this application two low side (synchronous rectifier) FETs are connected in parallel since they will be conducting for a much longer period compared to the single high side (Control) FET. eGaN FETs have superior current sharing capability compared to silicon MOSFETs, making them more attractive for parallel operation. This development board expands upon EPC's work on optimal layout based on ultra-low inductance packages. The EPC9017 development board is a 100 V maximum device voltage, 20 A maximum output current, half bridge with onboard gate drives, featuring the EPC2001 enhancement mode (eGaN) field effect transistor (FET). The half bridge configuration contains a single top side device and two parallel bottom devices and is recommended for high current, lower duty cycle applications. The development board is 2" x 1.5" and contains all critical components and layout for optimal switching performance. There are also various probe points to facilitate simple waveform measurement and efficiency calculation. A Quick Start Guide, http://epc-co.com/epc/documents/guides/EPC9017_qsg.pdf, is included with the EPC9017 development board for reference and ease of use. EPC9017 development boards are priced at $130 each and are available for immediate delivery from Digi-Key EPC
