National Semiconductor Launches Industry's First 100V Half-Bridge Gate Driver for Enhancement Mode GaN Power FETs
Highly integrated half-bridge gate driver for increasing power density and efficiency in high-voltage applications

June 22, 2011 – National Semiconductor Korea (CEO: Choi Chung-won) announced today the launch of the industry's first 100V half-bridge gate driver optimized for enhanced mode GaN (Gallium-Nitride) power FETs (field-effect transistors) in high-voltage power converters. National's new LM5113 is a highly integrated high-side and low-side GaN FET driver that reduces component count by 75 percent and printed circuit board (PCB) area by up to 85 percent compared to discrete driver designs.

Designers of power bricks and communication infrastructure equipment must achieve high power efficiency in a minimal form factor. Enhancement mode GaN FETs can achieve a new level of efficiency and power density compared to MOSFETs due to their very small size and low on-resistance (Rdson) and gate charge (Qg), but stable operation remains a challenge. National’s LM5113 driver integrated circuit (IC) solves this problem by helping power designers realize the benefits of GaN FETs in various commonly used power topologies.

Meeting the stringent gate driving requirements of enhancement mode GaN FETs requires the use of multiple discrete devices and significant effort in designing the circuit and PCB. National's LM5113 fully integrated enhanced mode GaN FET driver significantly reduces the effort required for circuit and PCB design and provides industry-leading power density and efficiency.

Alex Lidow, Co-founder and CEO of Efficient Power Conversion Corporation, said, “National’s LM5113 bridge driver simplifies design to help designers fully utilize the performance of eGaN® FETs. The LM5113 significantly reduces component count and, when combined with our eGaN FETs, greatly reduces PCB area and increases power density compared to MOSFET-based designs of the same performance.”

Technical Features of the LM5113 Bridge Driver
National's newly released LM5113 is a 100V bridge driver for enhancement mode GaN FETs. Featuring National's innovative technology, this device regulates the high-side floating bootstrap capacitor voltage at approximately 5.25V to drive enhancement mode GaN power FETs optimally without exceeding the maximum gate-source voltage rating. Additionally, the LM5113 features independent sink and source outputs, offering flexible On-strength relative to Off-strength. With a low impedance pull-down path of 0.5 Ohm, it provides a fast and stable Off mechanism for low-threshold enhancement mode GaN power FETs, maximizing efficiency in high-frequency power supply designs. The LM5113 also incorporates a high-side bootstrap diode, further reducing PCB area. The LM5113 also has independent logic inputs for high-side and low-side drivers, making it easy to use in various isolated and non-isolated power supply topologies.

Further details can be found at http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LM5113.html .

Packaging, Price, and Commercialization
National's LM5113 is available in a 10-pin 4 mm x 4 mm LLP package at a price of $1.65 per unit for purchases of 1,000. Samples are currently available, and bulk orders will be available starting in September.

Editor's Note: A high-resolution photo of this product is available at the National Photo Gallery http://www.national.com/news/images/Im5113.jpg .