Drive Farther, Charge Faster with These New GaN Transistors (.PDF Download)

Gallium-nitride (GaN) transistors have been around for a while, with their main application being RF power amplification. Now, with recent developments, special GaN devices are beginning to bring real improvements to the evolving electric vehicle (EV). Major electronic subsystems in the modern EV include the onboard charger (OBC), multiple dc-dc converters, inverters, and some form of power management.

Due to the high power involved in most EV circuits, a discrete component design is often required. That translates into the need for some special discrete transistors which can survive and deliver with high voltages and currents. New examples of these devices are the LMG3522R030-Q1 and LMG3525R030-Q1 GaN field-effect transistors (FETs) developed by Texas Instruments.