STMicroelectronics Introduces First PowerGaN Products for More Energy-Efficient, Slimmer Power Supplies

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving
customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has revealed a
new family of GaN power semiconductors in the STPOWER portfolio that can
significantly reduce energy use and enable slimmer designs in a huge
variety of electronic products. Target applications include consumer
equipment such as chargers, external power adapters for PCs, LED-lighting
drivers, and power supplies inside televisions and home appliances. This
equipment is produced in high volumes worldwide and, with greater
efficiency, can realize significant CO2 savings. In higher-power
applications, ST’s PowerGaN devices <https://www.st.com/en/power-
transistors/stpower-gan-transistors.html?icmp=tt24549_gl_pron_dec2021>
also benefit telecom power supplies, industrial motor drives, solar
inverters, and electric vehicles and chargers.

“Commercializing GaN-based products is the next frontier for power
semiconductors, and we are ready to realize the potential of this exciting
technology. Today ST is announcing the first product in a new family,
belonging to the STPOWER portfolio, that can deliver breakthrough
performance for a large variety of power supplies across consumer,
industrial, and automotive applications,” said Edoardo Merli, Power
Transistor Macro-Division General Manager and Group Vice President of
STMicroelectronics’ Automotive and Discrete Group. “We are committed to
progressively building up our PowerGaN portfolio to enable customers to
design more efficient, smaller power supplies everywhere.”

Further technical information:

Gallium Nitride (GaN)
<https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/about/innovation—
technology/GaN.html?icmp=tt24549_gl_pron_dec2021>  is a compound wide-
bandgap semiconductor material capable of supporting far higher voltages
than traditional silicon without compromising on-resistance thus reducing
conduction losses. Products implemented in this technology can also be
switched much more efficiently, resulting in very low switching losses. The
possibility of operating at higher frequencies implies the adoption of
smaller passive components. All these features enable designers to cut
total losses (reduce heat generated) and improve efficiency in power
converters. As a result, GaN allows for miniaturization, making a PC
adaptor smaller and lighter than today’s ubiquitous chargers, for example.

According to a third-party estimate, a standard mobile phone charger can be
reduced by up to 40% in size when using GaN components, or it can be
designed to deliver more power in the same size. Similar performance
improvement in efficiency and power density can be envisioned for a broad
number of applications across consumer, industrial, and automotive
electronics.

The first device in ST’s new G-HEMT transistor family
<https://www.st.com/en/power-transistors/g-hemt-650v-gan-
hemt.html?icmp=tt24549_gl_pron_dec2021>  is the 650V SGT120R65AL
<https://www.st.com/en/power-
transistors/sgt120r65al.html?icmp=tt24549_gl_pron_dec2021>  with 120mΩ
maximum on-resistance (RDS(on)), 15A maximum current capability, and a
Kelvin source connection for optimum gate driving. It is available now in
an industry-standard PowerFLAT 5×6 HV compact surface-mount package, at
$3.00 (1000 pieces). Its typical applications are PC adaptors, USB wall
chargers, and wireless charging.

650V GaN transistors in development are available now as engineering
samples. These include the SGT120R65A2S with 120mΩ RDS(on) in an advanced
laminated package, the 2SPAK™, which eliminates wire bonding to boost
efficiency and reliability in high-power and high-frequency applications,
as well as the SGT65R65AL and SGT65R65A2S both with 65mΩ RDS(on) in
PowerFLAT 5×6 HV and 2SPAK, respectively. Volume production for these
products is expected in H2 2022.

In addition, a new cascode GaN transistor, SGT250R65ALCS with 250mΩ
RDS(on) in a PQFN 5×6, belonging to the G-FET family, will be available for
sampling in Q3 2022.

G-FET™ transistor family is a very fast, ultra-low Qrr, robust GaN cascode
or d-mode FET with standard silicon gate-drive for a wide range of power
applications.

G-HEMT™ transistor family is an ultra-fast, zero Qrr e-mode HEMT, easily
parallelable, well suited for very high frequency and power applications.

G-FET and G-HEMT are both belonging to the PowerGaN family of STPOWER
product portfolio.

About STMicroelectronics

At ST, we are 46,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies
mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art
manufacturing facilities. An independent device manufacturer, we work with
more than 100,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build
products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and
opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our
technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy
management, and the wide-scale deployment of the Internet of Things and 5G
technology. ST is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2027. Further
information can be found at www.st.com
<https://www.st.com/content/st_com/en.html> .