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Chargers and Adapters

Smaller & Faster

Super compact chargers and power adapters for fast charging are now an essential consumer requirement to keep our portable devices powered 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

We also want our power to be delivered in a much smaller, lighter, & thinner case, reluctant to dedicate the space in our bags for chargers/adapters that not long ago we needed to have space for.

GaN delivers in both key areas and has become the technology of choice for power adapters and chargers.

Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors are higher performance alternatives to the silicon transistors found in conventional chargers and adapters. GaN transistors allow for improved efficiency, reducing power loss and heat and enabling key components to be smaller.

GaN Chargers & Adapters

Techniques & Topologies

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LLC DC-DC converter

A DC-DC conversion provides a low voltage output, current regulation, and safety isolation. The LLC configuration achieves very high efficiency because it can operate in zero-volt and zero-current switching mode, which greatly reduces losses. High frequency operation, enabled by CGD GaN technology ensures also best in class power density.

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Totem-Pole Power Factor Correction

The Power factor correction (PFC) function can be acheived with a diode bridge rectifier followed by a single-transistor boost converter using a MOS transistor and SiC rectifier, although while effective, there can be significant power loss in the rectifiers and the MOS transistor. The Totem-pole topology greatly reduces these losses as it avoids the forward voltage loss of the rectifiers and even lower loss can be achieved using discontinuous mode with zero-volt switching. Wide band-gap transistors (i.e. ICeGaN®) are essential for high efficiency in this topology however due to their zero reverse recovery charge.

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Flyback DC-DC converter

In lower power, less demanding applications, flyback converters with single power switches can offer an efficient, economical & low-loss solution. This type of converter highlights the extremely low No-Load Power Consumption of ICeGaN®, so crucial for products in this power range. ICeGaN® combines state of the art switching performance with the thermal benefits of integrating a current sense feature - reducing power dissipation and reducing device temperature.

Documents

Application Brief USB PD

2024-08-26 | .pdf | 2408.4KB


CGD-AN2201-ICeGaN in LLC Application Note

2022-03-21 | .pdf | 2386.29KB


CGD_AN2207_ICeGaN_HEMT PCB_Layout_Guide

2022-03-21 | .pdf | 1821.46KB


CGD-AN2302 - How to use ICeGaN

2024-05-27 | .pdf | 7380.81KB