STMicroelectronics‘ new VIPerGaN50 simplifies building single-switch flyback converters up to 50 Watts and integrates a 650V gallium-nitride (GaN) power transistor for superior energy efficiency and miniaturization.
With its single-switch topology, high integration, current-sensing, and protection circuitry built-in, the VIPerGaN50 comes in a compact and low-cost 5 x 6mm package.
The speed of the integrated GaN transistor allows for a high-switching frequency, with a small and lightweight flyback transformer. Minimal additional external components are needed to design an advanced, high-efficiency, switched-mode power supply (SMPS).
The VIPerGaN50 helps designers leverage GaN wide-bandgap technology to meet increasingly stringent eco-design codes that target global energy savings and net-zero carbon emissions. It’s suited to consumer and industrial applications such as power adapters, USB-PD chargers, and power supplies for home appliances, air conditioners, LED-lighting equipment, and smart meters.
The converter operates in multiple modes to maximize efficiency at all line and load conditions. At heavy load, quasi-resonant (QR) operation with zero-voltage switching minimizes turn-on losses and electromagnetic emissions (EMI).
At reduced load, valley skipping limits switching losses and leverages ST’s proprietary valley lock to prevent audible noise. Frequency foldback with zero-voltage switching ensures the highest possible efficiency at light load, with adaptive burst mode operation to minimize losses at very low load. In addition, advanced power management cuts standby power to below 30mW.
Built-in features ensure safety and reliability, including output over-voltage protection, brown-in and brown-out protection, and input over-voltage protection. Input-voltage feedforward compensation is also provided, to minimize output peak-power variation, as well as embedded thermal shutdown, and frequency jittering to minimize EMI.
Filed Under: Components, News, Power Management