300W GaN-Based Ultra-High Power Density AC-DC Adapter Reference Design

GaN Systems and ON Semiconductor announced the availability of the NCP13992UHD300WGEVB, the world’s highest power density 300W ac-dc adapter reference design using GaN Systems’ 650V, 15A gallium-nitride (GaN) E-HEMTs and multiple ON Semiconductor controller and driver ICs, including the NCP51820, NCP13992, NCP1616, and NCP4306.

This complete system reference design is a highly versatile and low cost, allowing designers to easily develop and bring to market ultra-high power density (UHPD) ac-dc adapters for various applications in HDTV power supplies, gaming notebook, and console adapters as well as ultra-small power supplies for industrial and medical devices.

This ac-dc adapter reference design is based on a modular concept that brings several advantages including; versatility, the possibility to test own daughter cards, easy design update, the opportunity for checking functionality separated module, and spare room for additional features. These allow the user to enhance experimenting with daughter cards.

This modular construction also helps to reduce PCB area, thus increasing power density and also allowing for a reduced number of PCB layers. All PCBs are designed as 2−layers with 70μm copper plating for better thermal management. Also, the 70μm copper helps to reduce conduction losses especially on the secondary side which carries relatively high output current.

Summary of Features

• GaN HEMT Based Design with Ultra−High Power Density Up to 32 W/inch3
• Simple Two Layer PCB Design for all Board Modules
• 300W Maximum Power with Peak Power Up to 340W at Fixed Output Voltage 19V
• Wide Input Voltage Range 90- to 265-Vrms
• Synchronous CrM PFC with using GaN HEMT
• 500kHz LLC Stage Incorporated with 600V HV GaN Driver and High Performance Current Mode LLC Controller
• Complies with CoC5 Tier2

This reference design/evaluation board demonstrates ON Semiconductor’s high-performance controllers, drivers and discrete semiconductor content capabilities that enable efficient UHPD design implementation. This design includes a synchronous power factor correction boost converter which is operated in the discontinuous conduction or critical conduction mode (DCM/ CrM) depending on loading and LLC power stage, with secondary-side synchronous rectification.

The PFC front stage is driven by NCP1616 controller, which assures unity power factor and low input current THD. Synchronization of the PFC boost SR switch is enabled by the NCP4306 high-performance SR controller.

The LLC stage operates at 500kHz switching frequency while the nominal load is applied. The power stage is managed by the NCP13992 high-performance current mode LLC controller. Thanks to the GaN HEMTs implemented in both power stages at the primary side, the high efficiency is easily maintained despite the fact that the system operates at high frequency. GaN Systems’ GS66504B are incorporated as primary side power switches.

The synchronous rectifier (SR) stage used in the secondary side includes the NCP4306 and two paralleled 60V power MOSFETs for each branch. The synchronous rectification MOSFETs and controllers are implemented on the dedicated daughter card to ease the main power board PCB design and to achieve maximum efficiency.

Ultra-high power density is achieved thanks to the modular design, and the combination of controllers / drivers, GaN HEMTs, and the dedicated power magnetics design. The resulting GaN-based adapter provides a highly cost-effective solution.

“Fast-switching GaN works effectively with our advanced controller and drivers to optimize system designs for high power density, removing design barriers and enabling designers to take advantage of the numerous benefits provided by GaN E-HEMTs,” stated Ryan Zahn, Director of Marketing at ON Semiconductor.

“With rising interest and adoption of GaN, we look forward to continued collaboration with GaN Systems to support and meet the new power requirements taking place across many industries.”

“Our collaboration combines ON Semiconductors’ system applications expertise and industry-leading power IC products with the world’s most advanced 650V GaN E-HEMTs. This reference design developed in collaboration with ON Semiconductor makes it easier and more cost effective to design as GaN gains popularity as a building block in the adapter market,” said Charles Bailley, Senior Director, Worldwide Business Development at GaN Systems. “This release is the first of several systems and integrated packaging innovations in development, which will significantly expand the GaN ecosystem.”

more information: www.onsemi.com